ยกเลิกการติดตามข่าวสาร
ยืนยัน
Loading...
Update
Amidst the busy area of the city center in Sathorn, if looking down from a tall building, you may see a group of green trees clustered in a long, narrow shape. It appears to be a large green space remaining in the surrounding area. The neighborhood contrasts with the angular shape of the box buildings of the surrounding offices and residences. Here, the owner intends to build an eight-classroom kindergarten for children from one and a half to five years old with the belief in the Reggio Emilia approach to learning that children are not just recipients of knowledge but are also the educators. With this approach, the environment is considered the child’s third teacher. They believe that children can express themselves freely if they are placed in an environment that encourages them to explore, interact and express ideas. Architecture plays a very important role in helping children learn, play and experience the natural surroundings. Especially schools in the context of a large city like Bangkok, it becomes very difficult to find a green area.
When we first walked into the project area before we started designing, we could feel the difference from the hot air on the street. Walking in the shade of the trees, the wind blew and the feeling of comfort replaced the awkwardness. We looked up the sunlight penetrating through the leaves of various shapes to create various shadows on the ground together with the sound of the wind blowing and the sound of insects. We want the children to experience the same nature when they run and play in this school. And this will only happen if these large trees remain when the school is built.
We can visualize a classroom inserted under a tree so that both the classroom and the play area (outdoor classroom) is not hot and has a space that encourages children to run freely outside to play. As we want all interconnected areas to be cooled by natural wind, the building must not block the wind. As for classrooms that mostly use air conditioners, they may have the option of not turning on the air conditioner for some days.
“We use computer simulations to check the direction of wind flowing in and out of the project site. As the project location is surrounded by buildings, the wind did not flow into the south as it should. Instead, it flows in from the back and out from the front which is a narrow side.”
In the design, we view the building as a cross-section of the internal learning space, semi-indoor and outdoor, externally connected. Around the existing large tree cluster, we build two smaller courts connected by a roof terrace area what we call a vent because there is a hole to allow the wind to penetrate from the back to the front of the area. This makes caring for children easy. Wherever the children are, they are all visible. In the veranda that connects the front of the building to the back on the second floor, the circles were drilled to visually connect the second floor to the first floor. The curved shape of the building that flows among the trees also allows the wind to blow through easily. Along the building, there are additional small air vents to help the semi-interior area to receive the natural wind better.
The front court has a treehouse for more active play. The back court is a court for Sensory Play or different sensory training. The semi-internal and external area that connects to the classroom is used as an extension of the classroom that opens out to the canopy outside court. The classroom is designed to allow 2 rooms to be connected to each other. There are tall windows on both sides for natural light and help the circulation of the wind. The upper classroom has a slanted roof and tall clerestory windows that let in natural light for not being too hot because there is a shadow from the trees in the court. There is a simulation of the direction of sunlight and the amount of natural light entering the classroom. This ensures that the classroom has adequate shade balanced with the amount of required natural light. Most classrooms do not need to turn on the lights.
The name of Raintree International School comes from many Chamchuri trees that exist in the project area. And as the name suggests, the project owner want the children to have a learning space where they can run, explore and get used to the nature around them even though located in the city center. Seeing how schools can be learning spaces creativity for children is not about looking at the appearance of the building from the outside but also looking at the quality of life of building occupants which are children and teachers.
Project : Raintree International School
Owner : Raintree Education
Nanglinchee Road, Sathorn, Bangkok
Usable area 1,500 square meters
Architectural Designer: GreenDwell
“It is a project that has received an award for outstanding new architecture of the year 2019 from the Association of Siamese Architects under the Living Green theme”
Having been open for three years now, we have had the opportunity to visit the school and talk to teachers and the owner of the school many times. We have many questions about the design that affects children’s learning and we found that the children at school seemed to enjoy running outside and use patio spaces. Even sitting in the classroom, they can still look out to see the trees. It does not distract the children. Instead, it allows the children to focus on what the teacher is saying because the children feel that they are not trapped in the classroom. We provide a small space behind the classroom that is also semi-outdoor. The teacher said that if a child is stressed or unable to control himself, he may leave the room and play in the back. After a while, the child calmed down and quickly returned to the classroom. This gives an overview of the children here that teachers use the word “peaceful” and teachers have a range of activities that allow children to use patios and outsides during school hours.
Having big trees and green spaces like this is not only giving children a place to run and play under the shade of trees but the resulting tiny ecosystem also allows children to live with many forms of tiny creatures. Like the caterpillars, children bring them up to watch the life cycle of caterpillar to butterfly. The teacher brought together a story like a caterpillar that eats a large amount or larger creatures like the blue chameleon, which children love so much. This also led the school owner to decide to use natural pest control systems to prevent these animals from being affected.
When a tree is sick, there must be fences and shoveling. The children have less space to run and play but they did not complain. They instead show concern and ask teacher how the tree is and what they can do to help. It makes us see that living with nature creates a sense of belonging together. This is one of our missions in teaching youngsters to help creating a balance in coexistence with others and nature.
Architecture is not the only factor that makes this whole story happen. It is also undeniable that architecture can play a part in helping children reconnect with the nature around them. Hopefully, when they experience it, they will learn to love and protect nature and continue to help taking care of our world.
“And the only way we’re going to raise up a generation of people who care about nature is by letting them touch nature.” – Emma Marris
Facebook: Line: Website:Youtube:Tel: 02 463 1899
