Block Garden — Yangon, Myanmar

Date: 2017
Status: Proposal
Category: Commercial, Hospitality, Cultural
Size: 4,600 s.f.
Team: Dominic Leong, Christopher Lee, Yu-Hsiang Lin, Kelly Yuen, Hannah Frossard, Jessie Baxa

The Block Garden is a 4,600-square-foot cultural hub in Yangon, Myanmar. Programmed to provide a place of gathering for local artists and international visitors. A series of brick enclosures wrapping around the perimeter of an existing historic home creates an interior courtyard and a series of linked internal spaces. The enclosures house a variety of cultural programs — studio, gallery, flower shop, and café. The existing house will be transformed into a restaurant and wellness studio to serve the cultural community of Yangon.

The buildings are constructed by local brick artisans using material sourced from the region. Each volume has a unique brick pattern. Alternating between openings in the ceiling and the walls, the building reorients the visitor between the garden and the sky.