Pavilion For Little Seeds is an annual programme organized by the Faculty of Architecture, Silpakorn University, in which undergraduate students design and build a small structure for school children in provincial towns of Thailand. Recent projects include libraries, multipurpose community centres, and playgrounds for children in Suphan Buri, Phetchaburi, Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, and Chanthaburi.
The programme may be traced back more than 40 years ago, with its root intertwined with the education system and economic disparity between the capital city and provincial Thailand at the time. Decades ago, higher education in Thailand was concentrated in a few big cities. Earning a place in a university was seen as a privilege. The student union was strong. And it became a tradition that those studying in Bangkok would initiate a project to build infrastructures, often education-related, for underdeveloped schools far from Bangkok. And as the bond between students in different year groups in Thai university is akin to brothers and sisters, it helps to foster the tradition into an annual movement.
During the summer holidays, a group of students, comprising mainly of fourth-year students, kick off the project by visiting the location and determining the building programme. Students discuss the design among themselves over the vacation. Led by the fourth years, joined forces by other year groups, and supervised by teaching staff, testing the design at a 1:1 scale and making prefabricated parts take place at Silpakorn University in Bangkok over consecutive Saturdays for 10 weeks. Over the winter break, students take the prefabricated parts to install on site and complete the pavilion in 7-10 days.
Pavilion For Little Seeds is not part of any compulsory modules. Students participate voluntarily. They may not be able to freely choose the materials but have to design around the sponsored materials. With a tight budget, the prefabricated system allows them to plan the budget more accurately, with components that can be transported to remote areas. The prefabricated system also generates less waste at the site. Supervised by teaching staff, students come up with joints that would allow the parts to be transported and assembled within one week. And the whole project fosters bonds among students as senior students pass on their expertise to younger students—the ‘seeds’ who are less experienced in making things. And the completed pavilion will be used by school children—also the little ‘seeds’ who may be inspired by simple architecture.