Architecture Asia - ARCASIA Awards for Architecture 2018

B 3
Public Amenity Buildings
Institutional
Gold Winner
Architect
Jun Sekino
Location
Chiang Rai, Thailand
Year
2015
Baan Nong Bua School
Baan Nong Bua School is a local elementary school in Chiang Rai, Thailand. The school was
one of the effected facilities of the earthquake of 2014. Due to extensive damage, the children
had to study in a temporary pavilion. The requirements for the new school was to have space for
four classrooms and an activity area. More importantly, the new building needed to be earthquake
resistant in order to withstand future natural disasters. The initiation of the project started from
the non-profit network named Design for Disasters (D4D). In addition, there was also cooperation
between local institutions, including The Engineering Institute of Thailand, Thai Contractors Association,
and the Association of Siamese Architects.
The structure was made out of steel – the flexibility of steel and the skeleton frame structure made
it ideal to help absorb the vibration from earthquakes. Also, the use of steel as well as a modular
system helped accelerate the construction process. With a vernacular design, the school itself is also
designed to respond with to local factors, including material, ventilation, and weather. The building
is designed to be a pavilion-like, with the main entrance connected with the corridor in the middle
of the building, and with classrooms on both sides of the corridor. At the front of the building is a
veranda that serves as a semi outdoor space. This veranda not only prevents heat from penetrating
directly through the wall, but also provides an activity space for the students when needed.
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ARCHITECTURE ASIA ISSUE 3 2018