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PolskiSERIES: The History of Prefabricated Wooden Buildings 2
The success of the new construction system represented by panel technology is evidenced, on the one hand, by the numerous awards won by the original Döcker houses, and on the other hand, by the tremendous expansion of the first large factory producing the panels themselves.
Panel-based wooden buildings at the height of their popularity
During the production of panels at Christov & Unmack, the original Döcker system underwent further development. Gradually, two basic types of structures emerged. The first was a lightweight, easily dismantled, and transportable structure—the so-called “flying houses”—intended for the military and humanitarian missions. The second type consisted of heavier structures where disassembly was retained but did not play a primary role. These houses were intended for public facilities, barracks, hospital wards, dormitories, schools, recreational facilities, and similar uses.
How Panel Production Grew
Production at the Christov & Unmack factory in Niesky began in 1882 with 50 employees. By 1907, however, the factory already had 400–500 employees and covered an area of 60,000 m². Production facilities accounted for 16,000 m² of that space. The factory had 3,000 meters of track laid down for internal transport. The factory had its own power plant, which supplied electricity to 80 woodworking and metalworking machines. The manufacturers maintained a constant stock of 6,000–7,000 m³ of pine lumber in their warehouses. Despite the large production capacity of the plant in Niesky, it was necessary to build another production facility. This was established in what is now the Czech Republic.
Döcker’s houses have won numerous awards
From today’s perspective, the awards won by Christov & Unmack’s wooden buildings are particularly noteworthy. In addition to the Honorary Award from Her Majesty the German Empress Augusta, they received
28 gold, 12 silver, and 8 bronze medals;
the Medal of the Royal Prussian Ministry of War;
the Royal Saxon Medal;
- the St. Petersburg Grand Prix;
- Empress Maria Feodorovna’s Prize at the Eighth International Red Cross Conference in London;
- a silver medal (the highest honor) at the Second International Congress on School Hygiene in London in 1907.
Luděk Liška, Eng.
EUROPANEL s.r.o.