How can architecture act as a medium to instigate awareness amongst local people, of the importance of protecting Myanmar ’s forests ?
The design aims to merge with the forest it will protect. This will be done through both materiality and the experience instigated by the building. Hsipaw forest collective invites the visitor to meander through each level, maintaining an openness to reflect the surrounding forest cover. Each level of the project houses a different programme whilst transitioning from density to openness, instigated through the positioning of the columns, acting as the main structural elements for the building. In addition to the columns translating the structure of the forest, the roof system aims to mimic the forest canopy. The roof system creates a new topography, with collection points for the rains during the monsoon, the water then trickles through the building via open drains, to be collected for use in the building, an abstract perception of the quality of the rains trickling through the forest canopy. To connect with the existing site the entrance follows the path to the existing pagoda, giving further reason for local people to feel welcome to the building. The two most important spaces are the knowledge exchange and presentation spaces, as they will act to facilitate a growing awareness of the importance of the forest, and give room for open discussion between all parties involved in the co-managment scheme.
Location Key Site (Hsipaw) Forest Cover Irrawaddy River Mandalay Townships
Myanmar
Scale 1 : 1 000 000
0 50 75
Shan State Scale 1 : 100 000
150
300kilometers
World Map
Myanmar Location
Hsipaw Hsipaw, located in Shan State, on the banks of the Duthawadi River, connected to Mytinge River. It is 200 km (124 mi) north-east of Mandalay. The town is heavily reliant upon the surrounding dense forest cover, for food and building materials, although there is a disconnection between understanding of the forest in the context of the entirety of Myanmar, and the globe. In addition to this Hsipaw’s forest has been heavily deforested in the past by illegal logging, illegal mining, and slash and burn agricultural techniques practiced by residents of the town. Hsipaw is also a prime location for tourists as the town is 6 miles from Bowgoy Pagoda. Hsipaw is therefore the ideal location for the implementation of a coforestry programme, to maintain and re-forest the surrounding forest cover of the town, particularly because the forest directly effects the livelihoods of local residents.
Key site
roads
forest cover
train track
existing buildings
Hsipaw Scale 1 : 10 000
Site N
3
The site is located at the edge of the town, upon sunset hill, which has a beautiful view of Hsipaw, and is situated at the edge of the forest. As the forest is in close proximity the site is perfect for housing the forestry co-management programme, allowing easy access to the forest, whilst being close enough to the city to be enticing for the local people to visit the facility. The pagoda upon the hill further welcomes people to visit the site. In addition to this, the site over looks the river, visually connecting the location to Myanmar, as the irrawaddy river is the heart of the country. The bridge passing over the river allows immediate access to the site via vehicles or by foot. Finally, due to the topography of the site, there is a trasitional element from lower to higher ground, correlating with the transition to the dense forest cover.
1
Key
2 section line
1 sunset hill pagoda
site location
2 lashio road
forest cover
3 myitnge river
existing buildings
existing buildings
Views from Site
Looking out onto Hsipaw
Sunset Hill Pagoda
1 2 3
Axonometric & Section Site scale 1 : 500
N 8am
1pm Solar Analysis
7pm
lo gging r ur al village co mmu nit ies s oi l ero si o n mining ( s t o ne & go ld )
Stake Holders
ex c essiv ely ho t d i sea se
ex tr em e r ai n fa l l
w a t er l o g g i ng
fa l l i ng
climate change
tor nado
Currently there are a multitude of factors effecting Myanmar’s forests, a combination of climate and human induced factors. The programme places the forest and its inhabitants at the centre of focus, with the aim to rehabilitate the depleted forest. To achieve this a co-management initiative is being proposed, with inspiration from an already effective scheme which is being implemented in Bangladesh. The co-management initiative combines the knowledge of government, and local people, with further assistance from NGO organisations. Through the different parties working together the scheme becomes not only important on a global scale but also on a local scale, by giving jobs to local people, allowing their input into decisions which will directly effect them, in turn strengthening the authority of the decisions. The building proposal provides: public space to entice local people to be involved, knowledge exchange space to facilitate the programme, office / meeting rooms for administrative tasks and decision making, and a presentation space for open talks between all parties with views of both the city and the forest.
illegal lo gger s illegal mining
f o r es t plant at io ns
gener al pub lic
s las h & b u r n agr icu lt u r e
my anmar f o r es t r y d epar t ment
s aw mills
f uel-wo o d
NGO s t o ur is t s
h u man pr es ence
ENVIRONMENTAL
HUMAN Forest Depletion
FOREST & INHABITANTS Rehabilitation
INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT
admin
implementation
my a nma r fo restr y depar tm ent
patrol (protect & conserve)
m ya n m a r fo r es t r y de p a r t m e n t m i n i s t r y o f e n v i r o n m en t (myanmar government)
REVENUE
eco t o ur is m
nu r s er y r ais ing
mi ni st ry o f env ir onm ent NGOs t ea c hi n g (village school)
NGOs (WWF / wildlife alliance / trees for the future)
f is h er ies
rura l vi l l a g e com m unities lives t o ck / po ult r y r ear ing r e-p l a n t i n g (rehabilitation) f o r es t pat r o lling
t o ur is t s
gener al pub lic
Forest Analysis The analysis acts as a guide, to understand the most appropriate design for the co-management base, to seamlessly incorporating the surrounding forest. Inspired by the layers of the forest, the building aims to use this structural logic, making visitors to the site feel as if they as within the forest whilst in the building.
30
Sectional Analysis through forest
28 26 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 4 2 meters
Mature Trees
16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 meters
Adolescent Trees
4 3 2 1 meters
Undergrowth
soil
Axonometric diagram
Plan representation of tree location
Concept Models Proceeding the analysis of the forest, the production of architectural interpretations of the anaylsis began. The studies re-interpret the layers of the forest into architectural elements, from columns to roof systems. The model focusing on the columns is inspired by the layers of the forest from the undergrowth to the mature trees. The columns mimick the forest through the spacing of them, and their gurth.
S eco n d Fl o o r _ K no w l e dge Exch an ge Scale 1 : 150
Allocated for learning, with the aim to help local people to understand the importance of the forest, and to train members of the co-mangement scheme in effective ways of practicing within the forest
Scale 1 : 1500
Th i r d Fl o o r _ O f f i c e Level Scale 1 : 250
Office space is to be provided for admin tasks required for an organised co-management scheme, also members of the forest department would be able to use the space as permanent desks, as the organisation expands
Scale 1 : 1500
Expl o de d A xo Scale 1 : 300
Key 1
Staircase
leading to pagoda
2
Spiral Staircase / Central Lift with access to all levels
3
Public Cafe
4
Knowledge Exhange with access to forest
5
Office Space
6
Meeting / Discussion Base
7
Presentation Floor
7
with views of the town and forest
ROOF
The curvature of the roof is influenced by the organic shape of the forest canopy. To form the structure a waffle like set of timber beams will first be placed. For the timber tiles to effectively attach to the grid, they will be joined together via a thin cord, allowing the tiles to easily morph to the curvature of the roof whilst maintain structural stability. The fabric like mesh of roof tiles will then be nailed into the waffle structure.
6
6
5 4
2 3
1
7 Fr o nt El evati o n Scale 1 : 200
Key 1
Staircase
leading to pagoda
2
6
Spiral Staircase / Central Lift with access to all levels
3
Public Cafe
4
Knowledge Exhange with access to forest
4
6
5
Office Space
6
Meeting / Discussion Base
7
5
Presentation Floor
with views of the town and forest
3
1
Sect io n
Scale 1 : 200
1
2
1
2
3
4
3
4
DRAIN
The drains run through the building, representing the small gaps rain would pass through within a forest canopy. The water will pass through each layer travelling down the chain into a water tank, for water collection to be used in the buildings services. To stay in keeping with the buildings environment the chains will be copper, this is to mimic the aesthetic qualities of the pagoda, located adjacent to the site.
CROSS BRACING
To ensure the long timber pillars supporting the structure do not bend or sway there will be cross bracing between adjacent beams. As to maintain the design of the building, the bracing will be as minimal as possible, therefore thin cords will be used, therefore making them less opposing.
SCARF JOINT
As the columns reach a length of over 40m a method for joining the timber pieces end to end needs to be used. To join the pieces simple scarf joints will be used. The specific scarf joint chosen aims to ensure stability in both longitude of latitude, with a balanced form to ensure the load passes downwards effectively. Once the beams are set in place they will be joined with timber pins to further strengthen the joint.
SCREW PILES
For the columns supporting the structure to effectively stand screw piles will be used to submerge the timber into the ground. This method was chosen to ensure stability in the structure. The load of the structure will effectively transfer into the piles.