Group of building no.3
Tuek Klom, the Faculty of Science at Mahidol University
depicted item: Exterior and interior of Tuek Klom, the Faculty of Science at Mahidol University
source: Parinya Chukaew and Architectural Heritage in Thailand II
date: 2014
1. Identity of building/ group of buildings/ urban scheme/ landscape/ garden
1.1 current name of building: Tuek Klom, the Faculty of Science at Mahidol University
1.2 variant or former name: Tuek Klom, the Faculty of Science at Mahidol University
1.3 number & name of street: 272 Rama VI Rd.
1.4 town: Ratchathewi
1.5 province/state: Bangkok
1.6 zip code: 10400
1.7 country: Thailand
1.8 national grid reference:
1.9 classification/ typology: EDC
1.10 protection status & date: owned by Mahidol University and received the Architectural Conservation Awards 2010 from the Association of Siamese Architects Under Royal Patronage
2. History of building
2.1 original brief/ purpose: EDC
2.2 date completion: 1965
2.3 architectural and other designers: Amon Sriwong
2.4 others associated with building: Ramathibodi Hospital
2.5 significant alterations with dates: -
2.6 current uses: lecture theater and event hall
2.7 current condition: good
3. Description
3.1 general description: The Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, formerly a school of Medicine and Faculty of Medical Science, was established in 1960 by a venerable scientist in Thailand, Prof. Dr. Stang Mongkolsak. There were 65 students when classes were first held in the Medical Techniques building of Chulalongkorn Hospital. Later it was relocated to the Rama VI Road, opposite to the Ministry of Industry, and was also subsidized the budget to construct a lecture building and science laboratories for students of the Faculty of Science which was Tuek Klom.
Tuek Klom means round shaped building which is suitable to describe its building form. The construction was subsidized by Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat, Thai Prime minister, and Rockefeller Foundation.
3.2 construction: circular reinforced concrete and stone structures
3.3 context: Tuek Klom's land was a slum. After the community moved out, the land development was started. The land had been filled by waste before building Tuek Klom and Ramathibodi Hospital.
4. Evaluation
4.1 technical: Tuek Klom has a round plan and may look similar to flying saucer from its elevation. There are five lecture rooms, namely, a 500-seat room and four 250-seat rooms. All rooms are supported by huge concrete and stone columns and raised from the ground level in order to create an indoor open space. Furthermore, there is a round opening at the center of the roof to bring light into such space.
4.2 social: Tuek Klom not only a lecture theater but it is also held faculty's activities such as ceremonies, special speeches, academic conference, book fare and leisure place.
4.3 cultural & aesthetic: The architect highly concerned about utilities and acoustic in the design process. This impacted the creation of form. The round layout plan can facilitate good acoustic quality and the lecture can be seen from the various directions. Other decoration is stripe lines on the ceiling of the indoor open space. Those lines are created when wet concrete are poured and filled the gaps between timber frameworks.
4.4 historical: His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej presided over the ceremony of laying foundation stone on 19th August 1965 as well as the opening ceremony of Tuek Klom on 26th February 1968.
4.5 general assessment: Tuek Klom is a landmark of the place and symbol of the faculty. It can exemplify the Late Modern architecture which was built by high construction technology, wide choice of materials and skillful craftsmanship.
5. Documentation
5.1 principal references: Parinya Chukaew and Architectural Heritage in Thailand II
5.2 visual material attached: Parinya Chukaew and Architectural Heritage in Thailand II
5.3 rapporteur/ date: June 2014
6. Fiche report examination by ISC/R
name of examining ISC member:
date of examination:
approval:
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