Bamboo School
Modular school in Thailand for Burmese Refugees
Modular school in Thailand for Burmese Refugees
International Competition Entry
Building Trust International recently held an international designcompetition to design a modular and demountable school for Burmese refugees in Thailand.
The building of a new school in Thailand, forBurmese refugees, highlights the need we as humans have to learn and toteach, no matter what the circumstances we may find ourselves in.
As Burma is responsible for more refugees than any other country, thereis a poignant importance to providing an environment, which iseducational, caring, and protective for displaced children. Part of thisprovision must include finding new responses to educational buildings andrefugee relief. Traditionally schoolbuildings are avalued part of the community they serve, adding both character and focusto their environment.
This design proposal responds to the above situation by providing aseries of sheltered spaces and enclosures that encourage children tolearn, play and be rehabilitated into the local community. The design isintended to be colourful, warm and promote a feeling of safety andsanctuary where children will be able to develop and learn new skills. Thedesign is based on a modular construction system which allows thebuildings to easily expand to suit future uses or a different site ifrequired.
The arrangement of the building blocks creates a protected space thatis easily visible from most angles ensuring that staff members can monitorthe children and ensure their safety whilst they learn and play within the school grounds. The primary entrance is from the south and all visitorsmust pass by the office / admin area thus ensuring a high degree of visualsecurity.
Two primary ideas were considered, firstly the need to createan environment that would serve as a hub of learning. A school that encouraged Work, Play and Rest. We envisaged a plan to bringthis about by incorporating a series of perimeter buildings, with acentral play area. This is easily adaptable, allowing theschool to remain functional and reflect any changing requirements ofsites. Linked with this was the need to ensure the school would relate to its environment and would ‘sit’ lightly onthe landscape.
The second primary idea considered was the design and constructionof the school and the need toensure that the building was not only easily constructed, but equallyeasily dismantled as having to be relocated at short notice being a realpossibility with the future.
Keeping the "demountable" aspect in mind, with the materialswe chose, it made vital sense to work on a detail of construction, whichwas both uncomplicated and versatile using as few fixings as possible, tomaintain structural stability and aesthetic quality. Almost all fixingsare by simple wood ‘tying’ blocks, secured using only one through bolt orthreaded rod. This eliminates the need for any specialist equipment orlabour to construct the buildings. This can become a local communitybuilding that is actually built by the community it serves.
The wall, floor and roof panels are all of a standard size (1220mm x610mm), cut from an standardized plywood panel of 1220mm x 2440mm,this makes the panels easier to handle and move, if the site should changein the future. The colours for the panels reflect the setting of theenvironment; earthy and natural in tone and intensity. The wallpanels themselves, when constructed, due to the nature of their being retrievableand re-usable, will almost certainly create a new, varied
pattern in the façade itself; creating a new school for each new site. The fact that the vertical bamboo columns are left visible demonstrate our wish to retain a visiblelink between the materials used, the form, and the landscape.
The building of a new school in Thailand, forBurmese refugees, highlights the need we as humans have to learn and toteach, no matter what the circumstances we may find ourselves in.
As Burma is responsible for more refugees than any other country, thereis a poignant importance to providing an environment, which iseducational, caring, and protective for displaced children. Part of thisprovision must include finding new responses to educational buildings andrefugee relief. Traditionally schoolbuildings are avalued part of the community they serve, adding both character and focusto their environment.
This design proposal responds to the above situation by providing aseries of sheltered spaces and enclosures that encourage children tolearn, play and be rehabilitated into the local community. The design isintended to be colourful, warm and promote a feeling of safety andsanctuary where children will be able to develop and learn new skills. Thedesign is based on a modular construction system which allows thebuildings to easily expand to suit future uses or a different site ifrequired.
The arrangement of the building blocks creates a protected space thatis easily visible from most angles ensuring that staff members can monitorthe children and ensure their safety whilst they learn and play within the school grounds. The primary entrance is from the south and all visitorsmust pass by the office / admin area thus ensuring a high degree of visualsecurity.
Two primary ideas were considered, firstly the need to createan environment that would serve as a hub of learning. A school that encouraged Work, Play and Rest. We envisaged a plan to bringthis about by incorporating a series of perimeter buildings, with acentral play area. This is easily adaptable, allowing theschool to remain functional and reflect any changing requirements ofsites. Linked with this was the need to ensure the school would relate to its environment and would ‘sit’ lightly onthe landscape.
The second primary idea considered was the design and constructionof the school and the need toensure that the building was not only easily constructed, but equallyeasily dismantled as having to be relocated at short notice being a realpossibility with the future.
Keeping the "demountable" aspect in mind, with the materialswe chose, it made vital sense to work on a detail of construction, whichwas both uncomplicated and versatile using as few fixings as possible, tomaintain structural stability and aesthetic quality. Almost all fixingsare by simple wood ‘tying’ blocks, secured using only one through bolt orthreaded rod. This eliminates the need for any specialist equipment orlabour to construct the buildings. This can become a local communitybuilding that is actually built by the community it serves.
The wall, floor and roof panels are all of a standard size (1220mm x610mm), cut from an standardized plywood panel of 1220mm x 2440mm,this makes the panels easier to handle and move, if the site should changein the future. The colours for the panels reflect the setting of theenvironment; earthy and natural in tone and intensity. The wallpanels themselves, when constructed, due to the nature of their being retrievableand re-usable, will almost certainly create a new, varied
pattern in the façade itself; creating a new school for each new site. The fact that the vertical bamboo columns are left visible demonstrate our wish to retain a visiblelink between the materials used, the form, and the landscape.
