On the roof of Tammasat University, one of the most famous universities in Thailand, the largest organic "roofing" farm in Asia is implemented - its area is 22,000 m2… The building, which served as the base for the vegetable garden, is located on the university campus in Rangsit, a suburb of Bangkok. The stepped design by Landprocess is inspired by the terraced rice fields that this agricultural area is famous for.
The transformation of the relief - in terms of the multi-stage farm, is an earthen embankment in the form of a huge letter "H" - had partly a memorial purpose: with a broad architectural gesture, the authors of the project wanted to express their respect to the former rector of Tammasat University, a member of the underground resistance movement "Free Thailand"
Puayu Ungphakornu, whose name translated from Thai means "a mound under a tree." Over the years, Ungphakorn held senior positions in the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Thailand, but at the same time enjoyed a reputation as an incorruptible and honest official. However, the current leadership of the university also allows a literal interpretation of the "H" -shaped plan: according to the vice-rector of Tammasat University, the letter sewn into the outline of the roof symbolizes such concepts as "humanity", "happiness" and "hill "(Hill).
Today, about 50 types of vegetables, rice and greens grow on the roof of the university, the process occurs "naturally" - without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The entire crop - about 20 tons per year - is delivered to the canteens of the university campus, the stock is enough to prepare 80,000 lunch portions. However, the "roofing" farm in Rangsite is not just a food base for the local campus: in terms of its versatility, the structure can be compared to a Swiss knife, the 39-year-old founder of Landprogress and
the rising star of world architecture is Kochakorn Vorakom.
The cascading roof retains rainwater, thus irrigating crops growing on it, and the surplus flows into four reservoirs dug at the base of the embankment. In total, the reservoirs are capable of holding up to 4 million liters of water: the reserves will be useful in case of drought, in addition, such pools are an effective measure to combat floods, from which Thailand and the whole of Southeast Asia suffer.
The top of the hill is equipped with solar panels that generate up to 500,000 watts of electricity per hour: they power the water pumps that take water from the storage ponds for irrigation, as well as the educational building under the farm.
For local residents, the artificial embankment serves as a public space, from where a panoramic view of the Bangkok suburbs opens up, for students it serves as a classroom with a free plan, and small animals have found their home here. Note that the project budget was US $ 31.6 million.
Materials for publication were provided by v2com agency.
