God save the McKean

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McKean Hospital was found in 1908 as one of the most advanced leprosy colony in South East Asia, serving about thousand leprosy sufferers and outpatients. It was conducted by American Presbyterian Missionaries and Dr. James McKean. The hospital was located in 48 hectares (300 Rai) on the northeastern part of Ping River in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. The hospital was into villages for Men and Women, including recreation areas, churches, and an integrated farming system of producing fish in combination with other agricultural and livestock framing to generate food and feed the people within the communities. There was Hydnocarpus wightianus plantations to produce the medicine for leprosy treatment as well. The main church (with flying buttress) and McClannahan Memorial Building are featured in neoclassical architecture. The hospital wards and the patient cottages are of vernacular architecture in Northern Thailand. The other buildings are either in Romantic or Arts & Crafts style, similar to the wooden house in Louisiana. In the present day, leprosy has no longer common in Thailand. With various facilities and professional skilled teams, including doctors, therapists and staffs, McKean Hospital has been adopted into McKean Rehabilitation Park for age-care community with community knowledge center and a public park that dedicated to its historical and for sustainable environmental.

 

The proposed plan is to preserve the original layout of American-style planning, conserve and improve biodiversity on site, applied different degrees of buildings’ rehabilitation, conservation and adaptive-reused to the heritage buildings (such as transform the patient cottages into senior housing facilities, the high-pitched roof buildings into a learning center complex and the crematory and lawn into a memorial space), and develop new hospital buildings, elder resident and dementia care in the central area for future extension and to support the increasing number of resident. The project was introduced to Sook Architects by Pirak Anurakyawachon, the lead photographer of Spaceshift Studio, in late 2013 then to set up collaborations between professional practice and academic researchers -internship. The project was exhibited in ASA 2014.

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Architect

- Rujnumporn Keskasemsook

- Aumpika Amloy

- Tanaporn Pannara

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Project Consult

- Pirak Anurakyawachon , Aranyarat Prathomrat Spaceshift Studio

- Asst. Prof. Poon Khwansuwan (Ph.D)

- Lect. Worarat Sirijirakan

- Lect. Muenkaew Charutula

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Internship

- Mingkwan Rattanakot Chulalongkorn University

- Yanisa Sriprach Chulalongkorn University

- Bodin Mueanglue King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang

- Chuenchit Panichkul King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang

- Waranthorn Inthuphuti Chiangmai University

- Raksina Namsorn Mahasarakham University

- Pittayapa Suriyapee Kasetsart University

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Special Thanks to.

- Mc Kean Rehapbilitation center

- Lect. Achara Chienvichai

- Rev. Trairat Thongsumrit

- Ms.Heather Smith

- นพ.ผจญ วงษ์ตระหง่าน

- อาจารย์ประสิทธิ์ พงศ์อุดม

- อาจารย์ เสรินทร์ จิรคุปต์, Prince Royal's College

- Lect. Jullaporn Nuntapanich Northforest Studio

- คุณราชบดินทร์ บุญไชโย, พันพรรณ ศูนย์การเรียนรู้เพื่อการพึ่งพาตนเอง และร้านพันพรรณ วัดสวนดอก

- คุณขวัญชัย สุธรรมซาว, สำนักงานสถาปนิก แผลงฤทธิ์

- บริษัท วาล์วน้ำไทย จำกัด

 

Back Up staff

- Pongpon Vongleasagoon

- Nuttachat Kosintranont

- Tawee ruengchaisilp Silpakorn University

- Benjawan Doung-eiad Internship - Thammasat University

- Intouch Aursakaree Internship - Thammasat University

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