In collaboration with CIAD, Cologne Institute for Architectural

Design, Chiang Mai University, the architects Nikolaus Hirsch

& Michel Mller, graphic designer Zak Kyes and the Bauhaus
Dessau Foundation.

Off the Grid

Design Studio
Phase III

The
Design

We initiated our design studio with the study and analysis of urbanto-rural avant-garde movements throughout the 20th century and
their individual communal strategies and practices towards a life in
self-sufficiency. The second phase of our semester project gave us
the opportunity to visit The Land - an ongoing movement in
Northern Thailand. Excursion and workshop focused on a more
detailed study of a wider spatial and socio-cultural context of The
Land. The field work conducted by the Settlement, Agriculture,
Water, Energy and Architecture groups revealed local conditions and
potentials, but also current challenges of the daily life and work in
such a post-rural context, which is strongly affected by urbanisation
processes. Increasing global dependencies impact on the local and
contribute to changing land use patterns, increasing land prices and
speculation, the generalized deceleration of agriculture as well as the
decline of traditional rural traditions and culture. What could it mean
to live and work in such a spatial and socio-cultural context for the
future?
We are now embarking on the third phase of our urban design studio,
which will lead us to develop future scenarios for The Land. Based
on our field studies, we will critically reflect on history and
contemporary constitution of The Land project, its relation to the
local environment, infrastructure and villagers as well as its daily
practice. We will base our scenario development on the vision of
The Land protagonists: To transform the site from sporadic,
experimental use to a permanently usable laboratory for artists
residencies and workshops/ conferences. Groups are encouraged,
however, to explore visions beyond. Can/ should The Land develop
a stronger interrelation and exchange with its surrounding areas?
Can The Land become a catalyst for the development of a postrural future of the Sanpatong area? What could be radical scenarios
for an artistic laboratory off the grid?
Rice fields next to The Land, 2014

02 - 03

Phase III

Eeach group (5 x 3 students) is asked to develop a holistic design

concept including an overall vision/ strategy for The Land
(urban scale) as well as a new workshop building (local scale) to
be placed on site. How can the new building project provide an
impetus and become a catalyst for the overall development of the
land?

The Vision (Urban Scale)

Each group should define a thematic focus, which could help to define
a broader scenario. This can derive from the themes, which were
introduced to guide the field work in Chiang Mai. Groups are free to
deviate as well, find a new focus or work with a set of diverse
potentials identified in the field work. The vision should include a
programmatic as well as a broader spatial idea (urban concept) for the
land. Aspects of management, economy, curatorial concepts, etc.
could be included as well.

D.I.Y. Water wheel on The Land

04 - 05

The Vision

The Workshop Building (1:1 Scale)

The new workshop building will move The Land to the next stage of
self-sufficiency and is essential for making the site habitable. The
alternative supply with energy and water for the new building itself and
the surrounded structures will play a key role in this process towards a
greater independence.
In accordance with your group vision for The Land (urban scale)
self-sufficiency practices and tools (e.g. collecting and reuse of water,
waste recycling, energy and food production) should be addressed and
integrated into your design approach. What overall concept for the
building structure could be developed and what impact does this have
on the design? What materials and systems are necessary to promote
a self-sufficient building and what could such a building structure look
like?
In addition to the various derivations from your thematic and
conceptual focus, a main objective of the new building structure is to
accommodate a multifunctional programme. The building should
become habitable for at least 8-10 residents (e.g. artist residencies)
and should provide for workshops/ gatherings for at least 25 persons
for workshops or training programmes. The positioning on site as well
as the ground floor area of the building structure derives from your
conceptual approach, but should not increase 300 qm.

Shower at Pun Pun Center for Self Reliance, Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai

06 - 07

The Workshop Building

The Land I
The Land II
(Building site)

08 - 09

Building site

Products

Text Concept/ vision (max. 500 Words)

Drawings Site Plan (scale 1:1000)

Conceptual drawings (diagrams, pictograms)
explaining individual vision for The Land
All necessary plans, sections, views
supporting your individual concept of the
workshop building (scale 1:100)
Graphic representation of utilization concept,
program, flexibility and infrastructural provision
for the workshop building
Detailed description/ drawings of min. 3
integrated tools supporting self-sufficiency
(functionality, construction, materials)

Modell Modell workshop building (M 1:200)

Spatial visualization Min. 1 image showing conceptual idea

and local context
Min. 2 images showing material use,
construction, lightning etc. of workshop building

Please notice, that all products can be adapted in dependence of your

individual design concept.
Water treatment system at Pun Pun Center for Self Reliance, Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai

10 - 11

Products

Site visit and field work by students

12 - 13

Review Workshop

Wednesday, May 28

Wednesday, June 18

9.00 - 12.30 - Review Excursion and Workshop

A 202 - Introduction Phase III (The Design)
- Individual group tutorials (Research Phase II)

09.00 - 12.00 - Individual group tutorials

A 202

Thursday, June 26
Thursday, June 5

Common Workshop
10.00 - 18.00 - Post-production Phase I and Phase II
A 202 - Individual group tutorials Phase III

10.00 - 16.00 - Individual group tutorials

A 202

Thursday, July 3
June 10 - June 13

10.00 - 16.00 - Presentation

A 202

Workshop Dessau

June 10
12.00 - Meeting at Bauhaus Dessau, individual trips
12.00 - 18.00 - Guided tour: Bauhaus, Meisterhuser, Siedlung Trten
and Siedlung Knarrberg
18.00 - Lecture/ Presentation by Habitat Unit, CIAD and UCL
20.00 - Get-together

Thursday, July 10
10.00 - 16.00 - Individual group tutorials
A 202

Thursday, July 17
June 11
10.00 - 17.00 - Research and fieldwork

10.00 - 16.00 - Final presentation

A 202

June 12
10.00 - 17.00 - Research and fieldwork
July 18 - July 19 /// IfA Exhibition
June 13
10.00 - 12.00 - Presentation Research
- Closing lecture and outlook

14 - 15

Schedule

Students at Pun Pun Center for Self Reliance, Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai

16 - 17

Review Workshop

STIFTUNG BAUHAUS DESSAU

Gropiusallee 38
D-06846 Dessau-Rolau
Tel: 0340-6508-250
JUGENDHERBERGE DESSAU
Ebertallee 151
06846 Dessau-Rolau
Tel: 0340-619-803
Wegbeschreibung: Vom Bahnhof Richtung Georgengarten (oder mit kleinem
Umweg ber das Bauhaus) dann beim Kreisel in die Eberallee hinein und
von dort, an den Meisterhusern vorbei, bis zur Jugendherberge.

18 - 19

Notes

Off the Grid - An Artists refuge in post-rural Thailand

Design Studio, Summer 2014
Prof. Dr. Philipp Misselwitz & Hannes Langguth

Students: Denise Baron, Claudia Cortes, Maelle Le Dantec,

Malgorzata Anna Golabek, Nour Harastani, Ilektra Mancini,
Anthea Mattick, Theresa Piechottka, Franziska Polleter,
Simone Prill, Valentin Riese, Maria Suter Warnholtz, Giacomo
Tonolini, Christoph Walther, Edgar Verde Nuno

Chair of International Urbanism and Design

Prof. Dr. Philipp Misselwitz
Department of Architecture
School VI Planning Building Environment
Technische Universitt Berlin
Strasse des 17. Juni 152
10623 Berlin, Germany
P +49-30-314-21908
F +49-30-314-21907
habitat.unit@tu-berlin.de
www.habitat-unit.de

In collaboration with: