Integrated space in the traditional Pondok school education system - A case study in Pattani, Thailand.

Abstract

Abstract The pondok school system was the earliest in the Malay Archipelago that focused on Islamic studies. The teaching method which stressed on group communication was said to have given rise to integrated space within a building thereby influencing its architecture and spatial design. Two of such schools, almost a century old in Pattani, Thailand, have been used as case studies to measure the influence of communication and integrated space on the interior layout. Data from interviews congruent with floor plans is the crucial reference as to the significance of integrated space. Studies have shown that emphasis on communication in the pedagogy of the traditional pondok school is the main creator of the integrated space, and this gave priority to the positioning and size, and subsequently influencing the overall floor plan.