The Children Activity and Learning Centre designed by 24H-Architecture, located at the resort Soneva Kiri on the island Koh Kood in the Gulf of Thailand, is a brilliant example of innovative and sustainable design. There are no green roofs, no geothermal coupling systems, no solar panels- what exists instead, is a structure made using the incessantly growing grass, bamboo, local techniques, and a good helping of playfulness in program and design.
The structure is designed to provide visiting children with a variety of activities to both entertain and educate. Located within, there is an auditorium/cinema which will host plays, films and lectures pertinent to the surroundings, a library with a plethora of books and resources on the local culture and traditions; Art, Music, and Fashion rooms as well as a surreal and inspiring built environment.
This is the point in the article where we will all take a step back and revel in the fantastic nature of the construct. The structure enjoys magnificent views out over the sea from its perched position atop a rocky slope. Using local bamboo for the main structure, alongside local River Red Gum wood and rattan elements for the interior, the building lacks all the ‘traditional’ features common to contemporary construction. There is no seemingly foreign concrete casting, no steel bearing walls, and no drywall.
The Centre is what’s seen, and it’s a hell of a sight. The form’s roof, reminiscent of an ocean Ray cantilevers some 8m over the superstructure, providing an umbrella-like canape which acts in conjuncture with the bamboo’s natural openness to facilitate excellent airflow through the Centre, acting with, not at odds against, the local climate.
