BLOOM screens girl dormitory's concrete skeleton with woven bamboo skin in cambodia

BLOOM Architecture composes TAKHMAU BOARDING SCHOOL

Designed by BLOOM Architecture in 2021 for an NGO, the Takhmau Boarding School in Cambodia facilitates education access for young girls. The structure integrates a robust concrete skeleton with a light, organic bamboo skin, providing privacy and filtering the tropical sunlight.

The new school building complements the campus geometry, creating a common courtyard. A main planted alleyway enhances the green ambiance from the entrance. The design prioritizes sustainability, utilizing a concrete framework for durability and a transparent, porous bamboo enclosure to maximize natural ventilation while ensuring student privacy. Bamboo, typically underutilized in Southeast Asia for small-scale scaffolding, inspired the building’s tridimensional structures that expand the interior spaces.

all images by Antoine Raab

school design ensures privacy while embracing natural elements

Flexibility was a key consideration for the design team at BLOOM Architecture due to the NGO’s rapidly evolving needs. Support functions are positioned at two opposite corners for ease of distribution, freeing internal space. The cooler Eastern side houses the dormitories, while the Western side is designated for common areas, offering views of the sunset and horizon. An amphitheater connects the two floors, serving as a social hub for the school.

Takhmau Boarding School in Cambodia, designed by BLOOM Architecture in 2021

the school integrates a robust concrete skeleton with a light, organic bamboo skin

the bamboo skin provides privacy and filters the tropical sunlight

a transparent, porous bamboo enclosure maximizes natural ventilation

the school design ensures student privacy while embracing natural elements

the design prioritizes sustainability with a durable concrete framework

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floor plan

floor plan

project info:

name: Takhmau Boarding School
architect: BLOOM architecture | @bloom_architecture

lead architect: Antoine Meinnel

design team: Antoine Meinnel, Robin Léonard, Mao Menchhorng, Heng Thanak, Orng Phala

location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

photography: Antoine Raab | @antoineraab

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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom