The Sra Pou Vocational School, located in Cambodia and designed by the Finnish architecture firm, Rudanko + Kankkunen, utilizes sun dried mud bricks made from the local red earth. Bricks were laid with a hole pattern in the walls to pull in more daylight as well as encourage natural ventilation through the space. Bright and colorful handmade shutters can be opened or closed to block out the sun, but also make the center cheery and welcoming. A large covered porch creates an outdoor community room, while the interior holds workshops, storage space and bathrooms.
The purpose of the vocational training centre is to encourage and teach poor families to earn their own living. The Sra Pou community is one of the unprivileged communities in Cambodia, who have been evicted from their homes in the city to the surrounding countryside. They lack basic infrastructure, decent built environment and secure income. The new vocational school provides professional training and helps the people to start sustainable businesses together. It is also a place for public gathering and democratic decision-making for the whole community.
Color is used on doors and shutters to give the building a strong presence by creating a rhythm across its facade. In the Vocational School these woven pieces also paint the light in various colors as it enters the workshop and classroom.