The design proposal for the mobile school for Burmese refugees, by in situ studio with Matt Weiss and David Hill-AIA, is made of a series of collapsable frames that can be easily demounted and rearranged to accommodate a change of location or growth in a community. The proposal for the school, which won an honorable mention in the Building Trust International Competition, can be erected in one day in a collaborative effort, with twelve people assembling the frames and small groups cutting and weaving bamboo on site. The school provides a center for the community and claims territory for sustaining the community’s future. More images and project description after the break.
One-hundred and forty-four frames, the structure of a new school, arrive on site a bit after nine in the morning on three flatbed trucks. The three-hour trek to Kwe Ka Bung has been challenging. Just one week ago these people learned the landowner of their former settlement site would be pushing them out to develop the land. Many families have left their homes behind, along with much of the infrastructure for producing food and dealing with waste. Thankfully, demounting the school that has now arrived required only one afternoon and twelve workers.
