Chonnabot Community School Canteen

Design Build for Community, is a program co-sponsored by the International Program in Design and Architecture at Chulalongkorn University and Mitsubishi, Thailand. The annual program provides architectural improvements for schools in rural Thailand and provides students with the rare opportunity to work on a project from conceptual design through construction. During this process, students gain valuable hands-on experience while giving back to the community through the project.

This year, the Community School in Chonnabot, located in Khonkaen province, whose existing canteen has been damaged by years of flooding and termite infestation was selected.  The project was to design a new canteen that incorporates a cooking, serving and dishwashing area for 260 students.

The main concept of the canteen is derived from the roof shapes of vernacular Thai architecture and traditional cooling methods. The roof is oriented in such a way to provide the maximum amount of shade while allowing prevalent winds to blow through the space, keeping the inside cool without relying on air conditioning. Panels of recycled tetra packs act as substrate for the roofing panels while at the same time providing a highly effective insulation from the heat. The structure can easily be converted from a canteen to a communal gathering space.