When exploring ambitious timber frame construction projects, the inspiration for suppliers, architects and building owners alike naturally gravitates towards the most innovative and largest projects out there.
However, whilst a lot can be taken from the incredible plyscraper projects that have become refreshingly common in recent years, one of the largest wooden buildings currently under construction besides the W350 Tower in Tokyo is a museum in Thailand.
Given that most museums, whilst interesting structures in their own right, do not tend towards this level of grandiose majesty, there is indeed a rather unusual story behind its inception, its half-century of construction that is as of 2024 still yet to be completed, and the eccentric millionaire that set plans into motion.
A Timber Sagrada Familia
One of the longest construction projects that is still incomplete is the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, which was first designed in 1882 and is expected to finally be completed in 2034, which is a turnaround time of a mere 152 years.
Naturally, since timber frame construction is far faster than using stonework, masonry and mortar, the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya, Thailand, is expected to only take a mere 44 years by comparison, taking less than a third of the time.
The buildings are similar in the sense that they are passion projects that outlived the rather eccentric individuals who drove them forward.
In this analogy, the Antoni Gaudi of the story of the Sanctuary of Truth is designer, businessman and millionaire Lek Viriyaphan.
Born to Chinese parents in Sampeng, he travelled frequently during his student years and developed a fascination with culture, one that would shape his legacy in Thailand, albeit one that was delayed by the ill health of his father and the need to take on the family business.
He developed the means to pursue his love of cultural heritage through a portfolio of companies successful in Thailand, which included the Mercedes Benz manufacturer and distributor Thonburi Panich, Monton Bank (later merged to become Krungthai Bank), and Viriya Insurance.
As he got older, he wanted to find a way to preserve Thai culture, particularly Thai architecture and would start to design museums and cultural heritage sites that replicated long-lost historical landmarks in the country.
He created the Ancient Siam Museum, which is believed to be the largest outdoor museum in the world, which consists of a mix of replica constructions of historical sites and monuments in Thailand, some scale models and a few original pieces inspired by Thai heritage.
Originally conceived as a minigolf course, by the time it was established in 1972 the concept had changed to an education-focused establishment, although its sheer scale was still enough to impress onlookers
Alongside this was the Erawan Museum in Samut Prakan, which whilst most notable for its gigantic statue of a three-headed elephant was one of the largest stores of priceless ancient artefacts from Thai history, mostly sourced from the collection of Mr Viriyaphan.
However, he wanted to take this concept further, and develop another historical museum, but rather than present a replica of a historical or mythological structure, he wanted to create a modern building using historical techniques that would last long after he passed on.
To that end, he opted to use various types of wood, with the main post structures constructed from ancient Taiken wood, alongside Teak, Mai Deang and Mai Panchaat wood, three of the four being native to Thailand.
Constructed near the Gulf of Thailand, it has the rather unique challenge of being a wooden building close to the coastline that is not using the types of weatherproofing coatings, laminated engineered timber and techniques more commonly associated with high-tech plyscrapers.
Architecturally, the Sanctuary of Truth’s design is partly inspired by ancient wooden castles and partly by temple structures from a range of traditions, including not only Thai but also Buddhist, Chinese, Hindu and Khmer (in other words, architecture such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia).
This does make it somewhat unusual and unorthodox, somewhat befitting the unorthodox nature of the man who designed it. The most famous element of the entirely wooden building is the exceptionally detailed wooden carvings, idols and sculptures, many of which are structurally significant parts of the museum.
Part of the motivation, besides general eccentricity, spiritualism, philanthropy and the desire to leave a legacy is creating a project that necessitates the training and retention of traditional Thai construction techniques, such as tenon and mortise joinery and wooden handcrafting.
According to the folk history surrounding the building, one of the motivating factors for why Mr Viriyaphan wanted to make the sanctuary was in response to the Cold War, which by the early 1980s had escalated in tension to the point that nuclear armageddon was not outside the realms of possibility.
This tension arguably reached its zenith two years into the project, when on the night of the 26th September 1983, a malfunctioning early warning system nearly ended the world were it not for duty officer Stanislav Petrov, who ruled, correctly, that it was a false alarm.
Unlike the other buildings, which used a range of materials to largely preserve dying heritage, the Sanctuary of Truth’s use of timber reflects the building’s proposed nature as a living building, one that despite looking ancient is continually evolving and developing.
Even after 44 years of constant development it is not yet complete and has the particularly morbid fact in common with the similarly uncompromising Sagrada Familia in that it outlived Mr Viriyaphan himself.
Over 19 years into its construction on 17th November 2000, Lek Viriyaphan passed away long before the Sanctuary of Truth could be completed, but in the 24 years since then, it has continued to develop in scale, size and detail, showcasing the potential for what wooden construction can do.
Whilst constructed in the 1980s as a symbol of a better, peaceful approach to life, love and politics, its legacy in a construction world on the precipice of change is perhaps to show a glimpse of a past and a future built on timber frames.