Located in Cambodia, The Gong is a modern and sustainable facility for cultural education within the greater development of the Smiling Gecko Educational Campus. Designed by the renowned Swiss architectural firm atelier oi, the building’s circular shape derives from the ancient Khmer gong, a symbol of resonance and cultural outreach. The form enhances acoustics for recording and performances and responds to local climate and the dissemination of Cambodian culture locally and globally.
The building measures 40 meters in diameter and 9.6 meters in height. It includes four studios, two control rooms, a video recording booth, technical rooms, an auditorium with 100 seats, a theatre, a cafe and services. Functions are organized according to the Gong’s orientation. On the north side, the building opens up to welcome visitors under a large roof where the reception and café are located. On the east side, the 100-seat auditorium unfolds, enclosed by curved brick walls. The auditorium takes advantage of the volume created by the roof to foster a generous feeling of space and benefits from natural ventilation.
Each studio features an acoustic wall that emulates the properties of wooden musical instruments: absorbing, reflecting, or enhancing sound. These acoustic walls were made with local rubber wood by Smiling Gecko’s campus carpentry workshop. The studios and storage areas are air-conditioned to protect instruments from humidity.
The circular shape of the building allows winds to glide along the façade without resistance. The curving nature of the façade further minimizes the surfaces exposed to the tropical sun. Perforated brickwork filters light and warm air, moderating outdoor heat, while strategically placed inlets and outlets ensure continuous air circulation.
Above a continuous polished concrete floor, the roof sits like an oversized hat on 36 columns. The structure consists of steel trusses with a 14-meter span that repeats itself on 18 axes, unfolding its circular shape. Painted red, the structure dialogues with the colour of the bricks.
During the rainy season, rainwater is directed from the roof to the centre of the building where it is collected like in an impluvium. The collected water can be channelled into a dedicated reservoir where it is stored and used for the farms onsite during the dry season.
From the sky, the shape of the instrument that gave the building its name reveals its form.
