Skarn Chaiyawat, Rina Shindo, and Witee Wisuthumporn
Tokyo, Japan and Bangkok, Thailand
Skarn Chaiyawat, Rina Shindo, and Witee Wisuthumporn are architects recognized for their collaborative efforts in creating designs that prioritize sustainability and community impact. A standout example of their work is the Buddhanimit Temple project in Udon Thani, Thailand, where they repurposed an unused classroom building into dormitories for novice monks.
2025 Biennial Project
Project Overview
Novice Living Quarters, Buddhanimit Temple
Novice Living Quarters offers housing for novice monks at a rural temple in Udon Thani. Through the adaptive reuse of an abandoned school that retained the reinforced-concrete frame, the project was extended to include a library and communal bathing area. The design demonstrates how the strategic use of limited resources can generate spaces that respond simultaneously to educational, spiritual, and communal needs.
Previous work
Project Overview
Venue
View moreChicago Cultural Center
Address
78 E. Washington St., Chicago, IL 60602
Neighborhood
The Loop
Description
Completed in 1897 as Chicago’s first central library, the building was established as the Chicago Cultural Center, the nation’s first and most comprehensive free municipal cultural venue, in 1991. One of the most visited attractions in Chicago, the stunning landmark building is home to two magnificent stained-glass domes, as well as free art exhibitions, performances, tours, lectures, family activities, music, and more – presented by the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) and many others.
