This school aims to help alleviate poverty in sangkhlaburi village, thailand. located near the border of myanmar, there are a lot of immigrants and orphans in the area, with people being unable to raise their children themselves.
Wanting to provide a good future for these kids, they were asked by their teacher to envision the school of their dreams. One of them drew a flying ship, which was then translated into the design. The image was adapted into two main architectural components: the round, ‘earth bag’ volumes on the ground floor and the other, a light steel structure finished with bamboo and a grass roof.


‘the earthbag domes are thought of as a ‘launching pad’ that supplies the ship with the energy of mother earth and the upper steel building as the ship that is soaring in the sky.’ says architect, kikuma watanabe.

the round volumes create a warm interior, fostering a sense of comfort for the children in the prayer dome and classroom of earth. the floating level above functions as a buddhist room and learning area. a gentle breeze flows through the thatched roof, giving the feeling of being in a ship. since its completion, the school has become a successful place for the community to enjoy studying, playing, and praying everyday. the interpretation of their dreams into an architectural form establishes a foundation to help lead the children to a bright future.

2012

2013

Site area 20,080.70m2
Building area 125.10m2
Total floor area 104.60m2
(1st floor 41.80m2/ 2nd floor 62.80m2)
Structure Earthbag building /Steel /bamboo

Kikuma Watanabe+D Environmental Design System Laboratory, Kagayaku Inochi( glorious life) ,Carpenters of Garian (minor mountan people in Thailand)

School floating in the Sky by D Environmental Design System Laboratory in Thailand won the WA Award Cycle 19. Please find below the WA Award poster for this project.

poster
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Kikuma Watanabe