June 17, 2010: Architectkidd has collaborated with designer Prinda Puranananda to develop a small library building in a Buddhist monastery in Chiengrai. The building, to be located along a hill side of a rice farming area, aims to provide a learning space for the nearby community and visitors to the monastery.
The design is defined by two primary materials that have been made available for this project – concrete and bamboo. Cement that has been donated by a local company will be used to build a rectangular structure to house the library books. Wrapping around the concrete box will be a curved structure made out of bamboo harvested from nearby groves.
These two contrasting materials will form an intermediate space that will provide shelter while allowing for natural ventilation. The bamboo structure will also be designed to provide support for thatch roof panels made by the local community and will be placed on areas of the roof that are along the sun path.
The design was developed after visits made by Prinda and Graham Brindle to the monastery and during discussions with the abbott, along with Vichayuth Meenaphant and Manassak Senachak.
The construction of the building is now underway. The library, named Yen Boon library, is in part funded by donation. If you are a Facebook user, you can visit the project’s Facebook page here.