PROJECTS
Teak Forest School
Hinge-System frame
This migrant community living on the outskirts of Mae Sot has been running without much support a little school for over 15 years. The existing classroom, located in a piece of land without water and electricity, is made by bamboo, timber and left overs of metal sheets donated by the community.
The structure, despite is well shaded by a young teak forest that also offers protection from the rain, has been found in a very poor condition due to the lack of maintenance and its difficult access.
-Lead Designer: Albert Company Olmo
-Location: Mae Pa, Thailand
-Project Year: 2017
-Donors: Ton Baars
-Collaborators: Jæ-Young Lee, Wide Horizons, Community Development Program
-Budget: 600 USD
-Photographs Alejandro Sanchez, Juan Cuevas
Working together with Wide Horizons and Ton Baars, a.gor.a Architects put all the effort in designing a new structure that would offer more durability and overcome the challenge of building without electricity.
The new structure should be light and easy to get transported by a group of no more than 3 people throught the agricultural fields. The assembling on site could only by done by manual tools minimizing as much as possible all ground work to build the foundation.
The structure, built at the workshop, was done only using light steel profiles. The frames, connected by hinges on its edge, allow easy assembling and transportation while offer strength and durability to the whole building. The structure is fixed to the foundation with bolts and screws. A very low roof pitch provides more privacy to the classroom and give extra protection from the rain and the wind.
The construction was completed in 6 days with the participation of four people construction workers and a few volunteers from the community.