Chiang Mai, Thailand

In collaboration with Architects Without Frontiers and Freelance Design Studio, Thailand. 

Contractor: Rachapol Siridit

Photographic credit: Rachapol Siridit and Ryan Maroney

We collaborated with percussionist Matthias Schack-Arnott to create Chrysalis, an architectural space that is also a sonic object. The inaugural performance took place as part of the Melbourne Next Wave festival in late May. Audience members entered Chrysalis one at a time and were enclosed in its confined, dark space while Matthias played a specifically created composition. Our support of Matthias’ project is indicative of our commitment to cultural and creative projects.

Photography credit: Dianna Snape Photography

We worked in collaboration with 3 Deep Design, artist Matt Gardiner and Balletlab’s director, Phillip Adams to design and produce two large foldable sets for Balletlab’s dance work “Origami”. The production was supported by an Arts Victoria Development grant. The set is designed to be an integral part of the performance rather than just a backdrop and allows the dancers to create and interact with abstract space and express their ideas in 3 dimensions. The work was performed in Melbourne, Sydney and internationally. 

Photography credit: Dianna Snape Photography

As part of our commitment to undertaking pro bono projects in disadvantaged communities, we worked with Architects Without Frontiers and RMIT to design a Disability Day Care Centre in Vietnam.

The Centre includes a physiotherapy clinic and classrooms for the disabled children of Hoi An. The architecture is derived from the local building stock, which is influenced by the climatic conditions of the region. The local climate is subtropical with frequent typhoons and flooding. The local architecture therefore has overhanging pitched rooves and verandahs to shed rainwater and provide shade. Construction is of masonry and concrete for stability against typhoon winds and the buildings are all elevated out of the floodplain.

This simple building has been designed to be constructed by local tradesmen and labourers. The design of the Daycare Centre has been a very rewarding experience for our studio.

We were honoured to work with the Buddhist monks of Bhutan to design and deliver the world’s largest seated bronze Buddha with a meditation hall complex within the 20 metre tall throne. The Buddha is 60 metres tall and is constructed on the ‘Statue of Liberty’ principle, i.e. a structural steel framework with sheet bronze cladding.

The project is being constructed on a steep hillside overlooking Thimpu, the capitol of the remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. The project has involved the solution of quite complex project management issues. The site is steep and earthquake prone. We worked closely with Arups in Hong Kong to find the most appropriate structural and construction solution for a developing country with limited access to skilled tradesmen.

The solution was necessarily international. A concrete batching plant was imported from India and constructed on site. The bronze panels were cast in Nanjing and then transported by ship to Calcutta, where they were loaded onto small trucks and then driven over the narrow mountain passes into Bhutan.

We believe this project is testament to our abilities to resolve complex problems of a previously unknown nature and work with multiple stakeholders to deliver a unique building type.