Specialized in Eco & sustainable architecture, Chiangmai Life Architects based out at Thailand recently designed a Meditation Cathedral and Sunset Sala for a royal family in the north hill of Chiang Mai with a unique view of the northern mountain range.
Understanding the client requisite of having a space to enjoy the sunset with family and friends and at the same time to meditate & practice Buddhism, the idea of commissioning a space to create Meditation Cathedral and Sunset Sala was developed.
The design of all buildings emulates the mountain range and the rolling hills. The meditation space was designed like a dome of a cathedral, which uplifts the feeling of the practitioner. To achieve the cathedral feeling, bundled bamboo were used to form the arches that is the structural support of the whole building like in roman or gothic cathedrals.
The meditation cathedral was added with bathrooms and a small M&E mushroom. The striking feature of the building is the bamboo roof on top with decorative bottles in the wall. Next to the bathroom is another smaller bamboo building in the form of a mushroom that hides the water tank and an even smaller one for the well.
The main species of bamboo used are Thyrsostachus species like Th. Oliveri and Th. Siamensis in the project. The other species used are Dendrocalamus asper and Bamboosa spp. All bamboo was well selected by age and treated by soaking in a borax/boric acid solution.
Trained in-house and mainly consist of Thai Yai who had to flee the Burmese army’s minority prosecution campaigns, and Thai nationals, all craftsman of Chiangmai Life Construction’s craftsmen are expert in their domain.
Fact Sheet:
Architect Name: Ar. Markus Roselieb, Ar. Tosapon Sittiwong
Firm Name: Chiangmai Life Construction (CLC)
Size: 272sqm
Photographer: Markus Roselieb (CLA)
Project Location: Mae Rim, Chiang Mai 50180, Thailand
