The students of the Science and Technology Training Centre (STTC), and a.gor.a Architects, designed and built a light-frame ?Temporary Classroom? prototype in Mae Sot, on the Thailand-Myanmar border.

Over the last 30 years, Mae Sot has seen a steady flow of migrants from Myanmar who have escaped ongoing civil war or who are seeking a better livelihood, healthcare and educational opportunities in Thailand.

The 60 schools providing free education to migrants experience many challenges, including lack of resources and insecure land tenure. This project provides schools with a dignified space for learning. The building also has the added benefit of being easily erected and disassembled, allowing it to be transported to various school sites depending on their changing needs. Photography: Franc Pallares Lopez
The first design was built for the CDC School, a migrant learning center in Mae Sot which needed a temporary space for 60 students. After 6 months of use, the building was then relocated to another school in the remote village of Phop-Pra. Over the last two years, two more prototypes have been built in the region.

Also crucial to this project was the process which saw the students from STTC gaining new design and construction skills, enabling them to secure better employment opportunities.
Photography: Albert Company Olmo
One of the main topics taught during the workshops at STTC was selecting the appropriate tool and construction material for the job. Steel was chosen as...