Under the Roof, Within the Garden
Where landscape is the gallery, where colleagues become family
1st Prize Winner
Type: Recreational and Office
Location: Tonle Bassac, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Team: Mak Molirithiruth (Project leader), Pen Lisa, Yos Davith, Kruy Chou, Ty Seakmy
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Digital Publication:
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In June 2022 FAO, Cambodia invited architecture students from across the kingdom to compete in a design contest for the opportunity to design FAO Cambodia’s new rooftop cafeteria, which includes a small commercial kitchen and kitchen garden as well functional indoor and outdoor eating and meeting spaces. The students’ designs had to celebrate Cambodia, be green in design and construction, affordable and include multi-functional spaces. The prize for the winning team was an opportunity to work with UNOPS and engineers and FAO to have their design constructed on the roof of FAO, Cambodia’s new Representation.
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The brief of the competition emphasizes strongly on designing a space that is Cambodia Proud while bringing the FAO family together to enrich their quality of life as well as showcasing FAO Cambodia’s objectives to the public visitors. The team successfully abstracted the Cambodian way of living and reinterpreted into a contemporary architecture that serves the purpose of a flexible gathering space from dining to meeting, to open exhibition hall, and to open workshop space within the area of only 228SQM. Finally, the victory is celebrated with the design being constructed and brought to reality from their conceptual proposal.
Design Narrative
From a Cambodian farmer's Perspective
With rice being an agricultural crop that Cambodia is known for, the design seeks to create space that brings users to experience different stages of rice cultivation work remotely. With that in mind, the main process of the work has abstractly inspired the spatial organization and ordering system of the design
Inspired by the rice cultivation process, different zones are divided linearly from west to east side of the map.
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From the earliest stage of planting ingredients to the second stage of food being cooked, to finally enjoying the delicious meals with friends, having
meetings with colleagues.
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Although on are dining at an office, it feels as though one experiencing every step of the work.
Concept Layout
Early Stage of Layout
Plan Layout
A Seamless and Integrated Floor Plan
Being connected by the long corridor of planter boxed landscape, 3 divided zones come together as one being protected by a mutual shelter indicating a united family of the FAO community.
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Although the 3 zones are properly divided, they are sheltered under one roof and connected by the flow of planter box landscapes, creating a gallery of greenery throughout the whole journey of circulation.
Plan Layout
Adaptability & Flexibility
Amidst the fully furnished space, the space seeks to provide privacy while making sure to leave sufficient room for overall space to adapt accordingly to the desired atmosphere. In addition to that, modules ranging from furniture and planter boxes are intended to allow the space to be rearrangeable and flexible.
Spatial Layout
In three scenarios, from vision to reality
Workshop
Meeting
Exhibition
The large pivot door plays an important role in providing privacy in the meeting room on typical days while its minimal design contributes to becoming a display canvas when it comes to other occasions like workshop and exhibition.
Under the House
Under the house is where everyone gather, from talking, to cooking, to eating
For centuries, with passive design strategy and privacy in mind, Cambodian home owners tend to leave the below area of the house as a gathering space where they can peacefully connect with friends, family and neighbours. In addition to that, it is also a space where work, cook, and a space for planting vegetations for home use too.
Section
Sunshade, Ventilation, Illumination - The Cambodian Way
Shading
Inspired and Abstracted from the Cambodian culture and tradition
Krama Weaving
Wooden window
To enhance the experience of the local farmers, the gridded roof structure is inspired by the phrase "a Krama to do everything!"
The wooden window play a big role to provide shade below the roof structure.
Krama
From Roof to Landscape
Grids of Krama roof, a metaphor for Cambodian farmer wearing the Krama on a hot sun, has been covered to create an interesting pattern and at the same time, the shadow of the Krama grids itself will act as a sense of direction and circulation guide while allowing all materials to be a part of the design. From the flow of gridded roof to the landscape of planter boxes, to using solar panels location as a design feature, everything are intentionally kept minimal leaving no room for unnecessary element.
Planter Box Diagram
Modularity and Adaptability
The steel-structured planter box requires very little effort to be built due to the modularity designed and its large availability of materials in the local context as well as the available local craftsmanship which not only is cost-effective, but also contributes in helping the local community as well.
On the other hand, as the planter box also comes with ones that are not fixed, allowing the objects to be flexible and very adaptable as users can easily arrange the space interestingly as time passes by as for future changes and arrangment.
Garden Gallery
Nature, Greens, and Learning
Once arriving at the rooftop, one is greeted and welcomes by the flow of garden gallery whether intended on going for dining, meeting or just visiting.
The Garden Gallery is arranged in a manner that responds to the neighboring functions giving the space a message of unity and integrity.
Concept Diagram
Process
01
01 : Identify the challenging weakness in the existing design and adjust the extended wall to allow for more usable space.
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02
02 : Adjust the staircase cover volume while
maintaining the skylight to enhance human scale
experience.
04
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04 : Create grid on the roof imitate Krama pattern
and solar panels are placed above the covered
surface to guide circulation through the filtered
sunlight.
05 : The Krama grid flows from roof to landscape
creating an exhibition of kitchen garden.
03
03 : Create mass to accommodate required functions while maintaining seamless flow.
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06
06 : Polycarbonate walls are elevated to create
sense of gathering space below
traditional Khmer houses.
Exploded Axonometric Diagram
Affordable. Sustainability and Design
From Garden to Table, from Indoor to Outdoor, the overall feels and experience blurs between boundaries of greeneries and local materials.
Under the house is where most activities happens, while still providing space for outdoor experience and lush of greeneries.
The design philosophy is to create a space and form where it would integrate well with existing FAO building, where the designs is subtle, thoughtful, and timeless, but
at the same time provide an experience that would further enhance the users’ quality of life.
An Award Winning Project
Project Gallery
