Safe Haven Library in Ban Tha Song Yang, Thailand by TYIN

ArchShowcase

Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination.

Safe Haven Library in Ban Tha Song Yang, Thailand by TYIN tegnestue Architects

January 14th, 2014 by Sumit Singhal

Article source: TYIN tegnestue Architects

In January 2009, TYIN invited 15 Norwegian architect students from NTNU to participate in a workshop at the Safe Haven Orphanage, Thailand. Associate Professor Hans Skotte and architect Sami Rintala led the workshop.

Bookshelves run the whole length of the back wall of the library giving room to hundreds of books in all kinds of languages, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

Architects: TYIN tegnestue Architects
Project: Safe Haven Library
Location: Ban Tha Song Yang, Thailand
Photography: Pasi Aalto
Client: Safe Haven Orphanage
Project: Library
Cost: 29 000 NOK / 3 800 EUR
Building period: 12th – 29th January 2009
Area: 128m2
Built by: Professors and students from NTNU
Students: Pasi Aalto, Jan Kristian Borgen, Mari Folven, Ragnhild Forde, Sunniva Vold Huus, Olav Fasetbru Kildal, Lene M. N. Kvaerness, Oda Moen Most, Orjan Nyheim, Karoline Salomonsen, Anne Sandnes, Ola Sendstad, Kristoffer B. Thorud, Caroline Tjernas, Anders Sellevold Aaseth
Professors: Sami Rintala, Hans Skotte
Collaborator: Rintala Eggertsson Architects
Sponsors: Norsk Betongforening, Bygg Uten Grenser, Minera Norge, Spenncon, NTNU

Tasanees house and the Library in front of the majestic burmese mountains across the river, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

The most pressing needs at the orphanage was a new sanitary building and a library. TYIN worked on the sanitary building, together with the Karen workers from Noh Bo. While the workshop participants focused their efforts on the library. With the assistance of TYIN and NTNU professors the Safe Haven Library was completed in only two weeks.

The upper floor, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

The library was built using local materials and labor. All the money spent on the project was used in the nearby markets. The concrete base of the library is casted on a bed of large rocks gathered on-site. The walls consist of plastered concrete blocks and cool the building during the day.

The library is divided in two pieces with a walkway through the building. The biggest boulders was cast into the project as a stepping-stone between the two parts, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

The simple construction of the open bamboo facades provided ample natural ventilation throughout the whole structure. Iron wood make up the solid frame construction and serves as a comfortable floor for the children to play on. The bookshelves are a floor to ceiling height structure that runs the full length of the concrete wall and the floor remains unfurnished to give room different activities. The entrance creates a comfortable buffer zone between a small computer area on one side and a larger library room on the other.

Kids playing cards in the Safe Haven Library, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

The most important thing to the Tasanee is that her children have food and an education. The library enables the children of the Safe Haven Orphanage to have a space to do homework, use a computer with internet and read books. The new building has also attained the important role of a gathering space and is frequently used for making crafts and playing games.

The large group of students made the foundation for the library using local rocks with a top layer of concrete, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

Finishing off the last part of the concrete floor, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

Cooperation to mount the wooden frame to the back wal, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © TYIN tegnestue Architects

: Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

: The wooden frames of the Library was assembled laying on the ground and easily mounted onto the concrete back wall, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

: A young boy with a troubled past, but a brighter future exhibits his favourite book in the Safe Haven Library, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

: The library is slowly emerging and eager students works on all its parts simultaneously, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

: The large group of students made the foundation for the library using local rocks with a top layer of concrete, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

: The Computer Area in the Library is a nice place to start learning about technical stuff. There is internett on the way, giving Safe Haven a global connection, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

: The area in front of the Library is used to collect water in the rainy season. The library frames the space, making the sizes seem more adapted to a human scale, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

: At the back of the Library we built a playing area under the trees. We added some benches for the grown-ups, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

: The library is divided in two pieces with a walkway through the building. The biggest boulders was cast into the project as a stepping-stone between the two parts, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

: The Facade of the Library is covered with shading bamboo and big eaves. Air can pass freely through the whole building, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

: Tasanees house and the Library in front of the majestic burmese mountains across the river, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

: Bookshelves run the whole length of the back wall of the library giving room to hundreds of books in all kinds of languages, Image Courtesy © Pasi Aalto

Contact TYIN tegnestue Architects

Tags: Ban Tha Song Yang, l, Thailand

Category: Library

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 14th, 2014 at 1:43 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.