The faculty members of the School of Architecture and Design (SoA+D) joined the KMUTT Talk: Beyond Green in Architects’ 19. There was a good venue to share ideas and experiences in relation to green cities and sustainable growth through teaching and integrating learning with real work (Work-Integrated Learning) in the context of Lab- Based Learning.
On 1 May 2019, Associate Dean for Research of SoA+D, Asst. Prof. Dr. Chujit Treerattanapan, said that SoA+D had organized a new learning platform by using real projects in the community and learning along with professional experts. The lab-based learning integrating teaching-learning and research together aimed to give students a chance to take part in solving problems together with the community and gain real work experiences.
In the event, the representatives from various labs participated in discussing the concept of Beyond Green, which was chaired by Dr. Acharawan Chutarat and Asst. Prof. Apinya Limpaiboon (Design for Environmental and Sustainable Development Lab team), recognizing the importance of urban planning, landscape improvement, resources and energy management. Thus, the project was set up to develop the community and environmental areas such as the Pang Da Royal Project in Chiang Mai Province.
In addition, SoA+D is aware of the importance of providing community knowledge and development. The 3C Project initiated and led by Dr. Kanjanee Buddhimedhee (Urban Sense Lab) aimed to work with the community by creating the life for the people through space development, organizing activities to generate income such as Bangmod Fest Project, and pushing the route along the canal to be able to connect to the public transportation route in the future.
The energy-saving housing development is important for the future world. Ajarn Waraluk Pansuwan (Future Living Lab) presented the concept of the energy-saving prototype house project, “Solar Decathlon Europe 2019” to be set up in Hungary. It is a multidisciplinary project conceptualized and designed as “Resilient Nest” to improve the quality of life and sustainability through two main issues such as using local materials and symbiosis. The “Resilient Nest” was collaboratively made by the SDE KMUTT team as Thailand’s entry for Solar Decathlon Europe 2019 competition. King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) is the only university team from Asia, selected to participate and represent Thailand and Asia in this competition.
Another topic was about product development project and knowledge transfer, as well as developing a new generation of people to create and design new products in the future in many areas throughout the country. The project in Sakon Nakhon has been spearheaded by Asst. Prof. Nanthana Boonla-or and Asst. Prof. Woranooch Chuenruedeemol (Social and Cultural Innovation Lab team).
The prison design project, “Future Prison Design”, which promotes basic human rights based on international standard perspective is a collaborative project of SoA+D and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) led by Ajarn Sunaree Lawanyawatna (Humanitarian Lab).
Also, the Media Lab headed by Ajarn Puttha Sangkla advocates the natural and environment friendly practices such as avoiding use of chemicals in technology, and teaching students about natural printing by using color from soybean oil, which our school has tried to experiment and develop.
SoA+D is committed to continue research and development by our experts who have created a participatory process between students and the community to establish mutual exchange of knowledge and to develop knowledge and creativity, promoting the SoA+D’s vision, “Glocal Innovation Leader”.