Suddenly everything happened very quickly. The team of young architects had been working flat out on the finishing touches to the school building until the very end. Then the time had come: all the walls were plastered, shelves installed and the last bricks laid. After just six weeks of construction, the pupils in Mae Sot were able to move into their new classrooms.
This marked the end of an exciting and instructive time for the architects from Germany. Four new classrooms have been created - built from sustainable materials such as clay, rice husks and recycled teak. The figures speak for themselves: 3,750 moulded clay bricks, 8.5 cubic metres of poured foundations and 150 square metres of bricks laid. A particular highlight of the project was the exchange with local workers, who shared their knowledge of Thai and Burmese building culture. Six intensive weeks full of hard work, countless experiences - and the result: a place that will last.
The Hands-on Project 2025 was led by Jan Glasmeier - architect and founder of Simple Architecture - and financed by the Foundation of German Architects of the NRW Chamber of Architects. The funds came from various sources: One covered the costs of flights, accommodation and other expenses for the scholarship holders, while another was earmarked for the building materials and the wages of the local labourers. Even after completion, the school remains dependent on support. Most of the running costs are covered by the B.M.T.A. Burmese Migrant Teachers Association.
The number of pupils has risen by 25% since 2021, meaning that the school expansion now covers current demand. However, it remains uncertain how the situation will develop. The political situation is unstable and the civil war in Myanmar continues to threaten the people living there. It is particularly important for the children who still go to school to be able to continue learning. Lessons are taught in Burmese, while English and Thai are also taught - an important step towards giving the pupils better prospects for the future in Burma or Thailand.
The six weeks in Mae Sot were not only an architectural experience, but also a human one. Our colleague Kai, who was able to accompany the school construction project throughout the entire period, told us with great enthusiasm about the work and encounters on site, which he will remember for a long time to come.
The project impressively demonstrates how sustainable construction methods, intercultural exchange and educational support can go hand in hand - and how architecture can help to create prospects for the future.
Stiftung Deutscher Architekten »Simple Architecture« Architektenkammer NRWTo see how quickly the pupils conquered their new classrooms, making them their own and intuitively and playfully discovering every detail and filling the rooms with life - that was an unforgettable moment.