International workshop for redesigning of the traditonal settelement in the current context, LPB, Laos

The following two workshops were held in Luang Prabang, a world heritage city in Laos, and its suburbs. ① In Luang Prabang, the royal capital of the Lanexang Kingdom established in the 14th century, traditional architectures and colonial-style buildings have been carefully preserved under a UNESCO conservation project. Students visited the National Museum, which was a former royal palace, and World Heritage Sites such as Suvanakiri Temple, Xieng Thong Temple, and Mai Temple, and learned about conservation and restoration methods. They also visited the first colonial-style house and old folk house that were built over 100 years old, and learned about the diverse architectural culture. ②Next, we held a workshop to renovate traditional house in a Lue village 100 kilometers north of Luang Prabang. It is part of a project to transform the entire village into an ecomuseum, with the goal of promoting independence and development of rural villages in Laos. The renovated house is being operated as a guest house for tourists in addition to a textile production workshop facility. During the three-day project, we participated in large-scale construction work such as replacing the roof, installing bamboo panels, and creating and installing gable decorations to reshape the roof pitch to a traditional style. Students worked well with local carpenters and students despite the heat and were able to achieve results. Through this series of activities, they learned about the construction process, structure, and construction methods of wooden house, and were able to experience different cultures through collaborative construction and participation in traditional rituals related to the renovation of houses. Other activities included a visit to the Ethnic Culture Museum, actual measurements, 3D scanning, and drone photography of ground-floor dwellings in Hmong village. They also visited a traditional cotton weaving workshop and a pottery making village on the other side of the Mekong River, where they learned about the past tribute relationship and how the village has changed with the introduction of new technology.