Fai-Fah School
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Conversion of two shophouse units into a charity school for children in Thailand
The two existing adjacent shophouse units, which sit within a long stretch of similar accommodation on a main road, have been combined to create a school that provides free classes in music, drawing, painting, graphic design, gardening, dance, martial arts and cooking.
The school is easily located by an enormous criss-crossed steel lattice screen which is plugged into the facade, with its name in large illuminating letters, and a bold yellow interior visible through its ground-level glass frontage. The top of this screen folds back over a roof deck, where a garden will be installed.
Due to the small floor plates of the combined units small floor plates a singular programmatic function is placed on each level. The ground level is a flexible space referred to as the ‘living room’, which connects to a small rear courtyard with an angular mezzanine level that contains a gallery. A library and meeting room occupy level two. An art studio is placed on level three and a sprung floor on the fourth level accommodates dance and martial arts classes.
A yellow-painted block of storage and bathroom spaces – has been plugged into the rear of the centre.
Data
- Begun: Jul 2011
- Completed: Dec 2011
- Floor area: 569m2
- Sector: Education
- Procurement: Open bidding mechanism
- Address: Thailand, United Kingdom
Professional Team
- Architect: Spark
- Client: TMB Bank
- Structural engineer: Unitrade Inter Company
- M&E consultant: Unitrade Inter Company
- Quantity surveyor: EMS
- Project manager: TMB Bank
- Approved building inspector : TMB Bank
- Main contractor: Unitrade Inter Company
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