Siree Ruckhachart Nature Learning Park

axis landscape
Mar 21, 2020
2 min read

Updated: Apr 1, 2020

[AXL Project Completion]

Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University.

The park is originally served as the preservation area for the collection of over 800 species of medicinal plants. After over 10 years of serving since its inception, the number of people visiting the Garden has been increasing every year. In 2009, Mahidol University has planned to expand the size of the park and upgrade the overall facilities into the regional scale in order to better serve the public and to promote the local knowledge of using Thai medicinal plants.

The new park programmed to include 3 major areas, Medicinal Plants Active Learning Center, wetland and natural habitat zone, Medicinal Plants Genetic Research and Services Center. The design idea is trying to integrated activities with an existing natural ecology of the site. However, the salty and poor quality soil, high level of groundwater, lack of maintenance, are also park major problems and needs urgent improvement.

The re-design and planning of the new park use simple but intelligent techniques to solve the critical problems that persist. Geo-fabric tension sheet is used to stabilized and increase soil bearing capacity, soil filling and soil amendment helping to add nutrients and provide deeper root zone for plants. Water level management helps to lower the groundwater and sub-drain was added to help flush the water and dilute the salty soil.

The opening of the park will strengthen and share the knowledge between the campus and their surrounding community. The park will also serve as a large green open space for learning and relaxing for people locally and in the region.

AXL had won the design competition for the Arboretum at Mahidol University, Salaya Campus. The park is originally served as the preservation area of the collection of over 800 species of herbs and medicinal plants for the Faculty of Pharmacy.The park is intended to expand into a regional scale to promote the knowledge and use of medicinal plants. It will also be served as a large green open space for the campus.

The welcome plaza is diagonally located to connect with the campus student learning center. The space embraced by a fountain and lead visitors to the main arriving hall with a direct view to Native Plants Exhibition Plaza.

Our completed project : Sireeruckhati Natural Learning Parks and Open space designed Project Name: Sireerukkachart Arboratum Garden Location : Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand Gross Area: 208,000 Square Meters Project Type: Botanical Garden & Research Center Service Type: Landscape Architecture Design Services Completion : 2015 Owner/Client :Mahidol University Associated Firm : SJA 3D Architects Co.Ltd Awards: TALA 2015 Honor Awards on General Design, 2019 IFLA Asia Pacific Honorable mention in the category of Parks and Open space