Panyaden International School in Thailand was in need of a bigger assembly space and an indoor sports facility that would keep students from getting wet in the rainy season and keep them cool on hot summer days.
The project, designed by Chiangmai Life Construction, provides space for futsal, volleyball, basketball, and badminton as well as a stage. In addition to the standard size courts there are also game lines for three smaller mini-volleyball and badminton practice courts for younger students.
But it isn’t the space that makes the building unique, or the fact that its overall design resembles a rebel trooper’s helmet from Star Wars (the architect says the design concept originated from the lotus flower, which is a nod to the school’s Buddhist values). What makes the building unique are the materials used to create it. Or, more specifically, the material used to create it.
Photo courtesy of Chiangmai Life Construction.
The entire 8,417-sf structure was created from bamboo. Spans of 15 meters were created with bamboo trusses that were pre-built on the floor and lifted into place by crane. These 15-meter spans, with equal height, were created without any steel reinforcements. Two engineers calculated the loads, tensions, and sheer forces in order to design and build the structure according to 21st century engineering practices. The building can withstand high-speed winds and earthquakes.
The space is naturally ventilated and lit through openings between the three-layered roof. Adding to the project’s core mission of creating a green building, a zero-carbon footprint was achieved due to the bamboo absorbing more carbon than what was emitted during treatment, transport, and construction.
For more images, click here.
Related Stories
| Oct 18, 2013
Meet the winners of BD+C's $5,000 Vision U40 Competition
Fifteen teams competed last week in the first annual Vision U40 Competition at BD+C's Under 40 Leadership Summit in San Francisco. Here are the five winning teams, including the $3,000 grand prize honorees.
| Oct 18, 2013
Cities may be more capable of driving sustainability than nations, experts say
With countries not tackling climate change aggressively, cities are in the best position to drive increased sustainability.
| Oct 4, 2013
Sydney to get world's tallest 'living' façade
The One Central Park Tower development consists of two, 380-foot-tall towers covered in a series of living walls and vertical gardens that will extend the full height of the buildings.
| Sep 26, 2013
Sheep's wool insulation, bio-brick among Cradle to Cradle product innovation finalists
Ten finalists are competing for $250,000 in prizes from the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute and Make It Right.
| Sep 19, 2013
What we can learn from the world’s greenest buildings
Renowned green building author, Jerry Yudelson, offers five valuable lessons for designers, contractors, and building owners, based on a study of 55 high-performance projects from around the world.
| Sep 13, 2013
Insurance expert: Managing green liability risk not so different from 'normal' risk mitigation
Worries about legal liability have long dogged the sustainable building movement, but insurance expert Karen Erger says sustainability lawsuits are caused by the same types of issues that have always prompted clients to sue AEC firms.
| Sep 4, 2013
Smart building technology: Talking results at the BUILDINGChicago/ Greening the Heartland show
Recent advancements in technology are allowing owners to connect with facilities as never before, leveraging existing automation systems to achieve cost-effective energy improvements. This BUILDINGChicago presentation will feature Procter & Gamble’s smart building management program.
| Aug 30, 2013
Modular classrooms gaining strength with school boards
With budget, space needs, and speed-to-market pressures bearing down on school districts, modular classroom assemblies are often a go-to solution.
| Jul 17, 2013
CBRE recognizes nation's best green research projects
A rating system for comparative tenant energy use and a detailed evaluation of Energy Star energy management strategies are among the green research projects to be honored by commercial real estate giant CBRE Group.
| Jul 10, 2013
TED talk: Architect Michael Green on why we should build tomorrow's skyscrapers out of wood
In a newly posted TED talk, wood skyscraper expert Michael Green makes the case for building the next-generation of mid- and high-rise buildings out of wood.