‘The Flow’ – A Multipurpose Pavilion / Department of ARCHITECTURE

Architects: Department of ARCHITECTURE
Location: Bang Saen 2, Khuean Ubolratana, Ubolratana District, Khon Kaen 40250, Thailand
Principals: Twitee Vajrabhaya Teparkum, Amata Luphaiboon
Design Team: Kritbodee Chaicharoen, Witthawat Prabhasawat
Year: 2014
Photographs: Tra Chang, SCG – W Workspace

Lighting Designer: Accent Studio
Structural Engineer: Paisan Pontpai
Benefactor: Tra Chang, SCG
Owner: Saensuk Municipality

From the architect. The project intent is to provide an architecture that triggers various uses and accommodates multiple activities as a multipurpose pavilion suitable for the community and the location.

The floor plate is folded like a piece of paper forming different spatial configuration to allow for various activities oriented mainly towards the great sea view. People can sit on different tiers to relax and enjoy the view without blocking ones behind. This fold may become a small amphitheater for mini-concerts, performances, meetings, etc. Parts of the floor are as if they were cut and lifted up to become seating and tables which can be used for group lectures, picnicking or as a place where children come to do their homework. On the opposite side of the view is an arrival front of the pavilion. This side also faces the futsal field which the building composed itself as a futsal watching stands on the upper level of the floor plate with long benches on the lower ground. Many other usages are still opened up for interpretation by users.

To protect the place from a tropical radiating sunlight during the day, the project takes an idea of a tree shading as a starting point. The roof is composed of layers of leaflets. The upper layer casting shading over the lower layer reduces heat transmission significantly. The roof planes which consist of smaller material units, not a usual continuous large roof plane, allows rising hot air to escape the building easily through the gaps between them, while allowing bits of sunlight to shimmer through.