Not-for-profit organisation Estudio Cavernas has built the sugarcane-thatched Green Island community centre for over 400 Burmese children living near the Myanmar border in western Thailand.
Located within a municipal waste centre in the town of Mae Sot, the timber community hall stands alongside a playground, vegetable garden and football pitch.
The building by Estudio Cavernas serves as a learning hub for children with daily classes in Thai, English, critical thinking and football. It also provides local residents with a venue for weekly movie screenings and community events.
The frame as well as the flooring are made from reclaimed timber and the structure is elevated from the ground to avoid flooding and destruction during monsoon season.
Due to the extreme weather conditions, the southwest face of the building is surrounded by teak trees, protecting the structure from rainfall and extreme heat.
The folded roof has three large triangular openings that allow natural light and ventilation in to the building.
An inner layer of aluzinc supports the sugarcane thatch and a middle layer of vertically placed eucalyptus, creating an air chamber that protects the building from the heat of the sun.
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