Tomás Pinheiro considers how contemporary practitioners in Thailand’s second city, Chiang Mai, work with local materials and traditional construction methods. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This is Monocle on Design Extra.
It's a short show to accompany our weekly program where we discuss everything from architecture and craft to furniture and fashion.
I'm Molie Evans.
Across the globe, many architects are taking the environmental impact of their practice into careful consideration.
Some are taking a renewed interest into local materials, whilst for others, it's traditional building techniques.
Thailand is no exception.
New buildings have sprung up and are showcases of how one might pair vernacular construction methods alongside new technology.
To share how some contemporary practitioners are working with the local landscape in the city of Chiang Mai, let's hear now from the writer Tomas Pinero.
Beyond the moated old town of Chiang Mai, Thailand's second city, I found a vibrant hub of creative innovation in architecture.
A new wave of studios is reviving the nearly forgotten indigenous ingenuity in exploring a fusion of ancient building techniques from across the globe to reduce carbon footprints and create sustainable structures.
Professor Chulan Pornuntampanich, a special lecturer at Chiang Mai University, is one of those leading the charge.
Often joined by his students, he leads trekking expeditions to understand materiality, ventilation and the integration of the built environment with nature.
In remote villages in northern Thailand and beyond, his aptly named North Forest Studio designs everything from floating pavilions to private homes, boutique hotels and even nature trails, all while minimizing modern amenities and avoiding Western influences.
Instead, the studio incorporates elements found in traditional Thai houses, such as overhanging roofs, elevated platforms and open layouts that promote cross ventilation.
And they only use local materials like teak wood.
Chulom Porn also advocates for using native plant species to create lush landscapes that harmonize with the local ecosystem.
It's a departure from the trend of importing flora often seen in high end Thai developments.
Following in Chulambhorn's footsteps, the three young founders of Yangnar Studio repurpose reclaimed materials from dismantled vernacular homes and integrate agricultural spaces into their designs.
The latter is an effort to promote greater self sufficiency.
Their homes, built following local carpentry methods and often elevated on stilts at varying levels, also feature open spaces, kitchens and balconies that evoke traditional ways of living.