Monk Community Forest is a 18,261 hectares of forest land located in Oddar Meanchey, northern Cambodia, under the protection and conservation of a group of monks lead by his venerable Bun Saluth who now has legal recognition as the guardian of the forest.

Wishing to show the global community the beauty of nature and the environment and the importance of conservation, they enlisted SAWA’s help in designing structures needed to host and educate visitors in the heart of the forest.

The area is prone to flooding in the rainy season and after a heavy rain, requiring the structures be lifted up on stilts. The design incorporates green living roofs and a hierarchy of spaces developed through the rising and falling flow inside.

Collaborators :
Edward Dale-Harris (SAWA) | project leader/architect
Benjamin Webster | surveying, mapping
Ou Oudompanhavuth | digital modeling, visualizations