Student architects win the right to design real project
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CHULALONGKORN PAIR TO TURN DREAM INTO REALITY IN CHACHOENGSAO
AFTER bagging first prize in an architectural design competition, two Chulalongkorn University architecture students will soon start building their model for real use at a community in Chachoengsao.
Nattaphon Nu-aksorn and Napassorn Charoenchim were more than proud.
“We’re so excited that we’re going to get the opportunity to materialise our design,” Napassorn said.
“I haven’t even started my senior year at the university.”
SCG Tra Chang’s “A Place WE Stand Design Awards” offered the best designers Bt50,000 in cash and a trip to Hong Kong to attend the Hong Kong Business of Design Week.
On top of that, the winners will see their design turn into a real building in the Ban Ang Tabaek community.
Nattaphon said his team would present the design to locals, and if they were happy and no adjustment was needed, construction would start as early as July.
Their “Spaced” design ponders the creation of a learning centre for community resources, soil and agriculture. Inspired by the form of books, the exterior features a spaced roof that looks like an arrangement of three open books lying face down.
The space under the roof comes with a host of well-thought-out functions, like books packed with information.
The roof includes translucent Tra Chang roman tiles that allow outside light to enter and help save energy on lighting during the day. The junction of roof sections integrates air vents to facilitate upper-level ventilation at all times.
The floor, which is the highlight of this building, boasts a functionally-changeable design using open-close elements to make it versatile for activities for all age and gender profiles.
“Our structure will span no more than 150 square metres and is constructed under a budget of no more than Bt1.8 million,” Nattaphon said.
The runner-up was an architecture team from King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Lat Krabang, which presented the “Flexible Community Learning Centre”.
The third prize went to an architecture team from Khon Kaen University, which came up with the “U Centre”. It is based on the concept of universal
design, making sure that children, the elderly, and people with disabilities can conveniently use the facilities.
The competition attracted more than 100 entries this year. Anuvat Chalermchai, brand director of SCG Cement Building Materials, said last week that the contest was held to engage |students in social contribution.
“The project opened up an opportunity for them to learn community building design hands-on through the creative application of building |materials with good adherence to the principles of architecture,” he said.
As a member of the judging panel, Kraiwut Paiboonworachad, managing director of the contour retail business, said this was a constructive project because the students could gain knowledge and new experiences in community building design and have a real building constructed for community use.
