Panyaden International School in Northern Thailand contracted Chiangmai Life Architects to make a stunning sports hall made entirely of bamboo. The design is a combination of modern organic design with 21st century engineering. Apart from being a beauty to behold and an exhibition of master handicraft, what’s most impressive is the 782 sqm structure is earthquake-proof and boasts a zero-carbon footprint. The carbon footprint is zero because “the bamboo used absorbed carbon to a much higher extent than the carbon emitted during treatment, transport and construction.”
At Panyaden International School, they use Buddhist teachings to “infuse values into its academic curriculum and teach the underlying mechanisms of the human mind”. Therefore, the architects found it fitting to base the design of the building on the lotus flower, a Thai national symbol and a symbol in Buddhism.
The hall is used for futsal, basketball, volleyball and badminton. It can also be used for events with a stage that can be lifted automatically. The backdrop of the stage doubles as a storage room for sports and drama equipment. Along the both long sides there are balconies where parents and other visitors can go to comfortably observe sporting events or shows.
Markus Roselieb at Chiangmai Life Architects, explained:
The brief was to build a hall that should be big enough to hold the projected capacity of 300 students, but still smoothly integrates with the previous earthen and bamboo buildings of the school as well as the natural hilly landscape of the area. It should provide modern sports facilities and use only bamboo to maintain the low carbon footprint.
The design makes use of passive cooling techniques for natural ventilation – which combined with the insulating material choice – creates a pleasant climate within, all year round.
The firm had two independent engineers design the structure to modern safety standards of loads and shear forces – enough to withstand the local high-speed winds, earthquakes and all other natural forces. To span a distance of over 17 meters without steel reinforcements or connections, they developed an innovative and new idea of prefabricated, bundled bamboo trusses. They were prebuilt, on site, then lifted into position using a crane.
No synthetic chemicals were used in the treatment of the bamboo. All of it was skillfully selected for age then treated with borax salt. The building is expected to have a life span of at least 50 years!
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read more at https://www.intelligentliving.co by Andrea D. Steffen
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