studio miti uses bamboo to build colorful 'orchid farm' in thailand

studio miti has completely renovated an old restaurant and plant nursery, known as ‘the orchid farm’, in mae rim, thailand. the family run business began 30 years ago, allowing tourists to observe the natural beauty of the flowers. over the years, tourism decline and rival competition affected profitablity, leading owners to the decision of refreshing their business and people’s interest in orchids, through a complete redesign.  

exterior view of site location, near the mountain in chiangmai
all images by spaceshift studio

studio miti began the project by studying the characteristics of the old orchid nursery and discovered that the initial structure was formed as a 3 x 3 m grid system, made of galvanized steel. the top ceiling frame was also made out of galvanized steel, and was covered with black shading net that filtered natural lighting, while allowing rain water to reach the plants. the architects investigated ways to create a new weightless roof, that still protects from intense sunlight, while maintaining a reasonable economical construction system. after some thought, bamboo was chosen due to its light nature that reduced the weight of the whole structure, but also because it is a local material that is easy to find. therefore, a 6 meter long steel frame was used, and was covered with bamboo. the lighting management was adjusted in order to change the shade throughout the day, according to the flowers’ needs. 

top view of transperent roof

in the original nursery, a variety of patterns was used to create translucent and opaque textures,  in order to make the colorful flowers stand out. the focal point of the project is to redefine the way that the orchids are viewed, highlighting them in a new and modern way that still reminds people of the original farm. after learning about the variety of orchids growing in the nursery, and the significance of shade in their growth process, the architects tried to separate the functions of the building, according to lighting. in this way, the restaurant was placed under the denser part of the roof, in order for customers to be able to sit and eat under the shade of the bamboo, but not get interrupted by rain that may occur. however, the roof isn’t completely closed, creating an interesting visual effect that combining light and shade.

plant nursery within the bamboo battens

the architects kept the original layout basically unaltered, but improved some parts of the interior in order to provide a more comfortable and efficient environment. the program of the project is divided into four parts that include, the reception and souvenir shops, the nursery, the restaurant and the kitchen and service area. the nursery and the restaurant are the most important sections of the project. the results of the study and development of this project have created a balanced, pleasing environment for both people and plants. 

interior view of the restaurant entrance

shade within the nursery

border between nursery and restaurant

bamboo lighting was chosen for the entrance of restaurant

interior view of the restaurant.

interior view of the restaurant

interior view of the restaurant

bamboo and fabric are combined for better shading

interior view of the restaurant.

project info: 

name: arrom orchid
architects: studio miti
lead architects: padirmkiat sukkan , thanakorn watthanachote 
location: mae rim , chaing mai
area: 1200 sqm
engineering: jedsadapong jumderm

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom