Jan Glasmeier, Architect
After working in Thailand for several years, Jan Glasmeier founded Simple Architecture in Bangkok in 2016.
Simple Architecture promotes sustainable architecture that meets a social purpose. The design process is highly collaborative and consultative at each step, ensuring that the plans that are sensitive to the local context, environment, and needs of the client.
The buildings showcase the flexibility, durability, and sustainability of local materials and natural building, often centring around bamboo and adobe mud bricks. By using affordable natural materials, Simple Architecture can bring beautiful, functional and sustainable architecture to marginalised communities at a lower cost than conventional architecture and construction firms, while also training local workers in natural building methods.
Key projects that Glasmeier has co-designed include Kwe Ka Baung School, Mae Tao Clinic campus, and Araksa Tea House. Various designs have been nominated for and won several awards, including the 2014 DETAIL Award. The work has been featured internationally.
Jan has been teaching and lecturing at a number of events in Thailand, Germany, UK, Taiwan, India, Malaysia, Egypt, Austria, Switzerland, France and US.
Education & Professional Position (selection)
01/2017 – present, Simple Architecture, founder/general manager, Bangkok + London
09/2021 - 02/2022, guest lecturer “vernacular architecture”, University of Bath, UK
10/2020 - 02/2022, guest lecturer, Prof. Christian Bauriedel, Hochschule Augsburg, Germany
10/2021 - „research project on the usability of various clay mixes“, Collaboration with Prof. Jury Troy and Andreas Loeffler,
HFT Stuttgart, Germany
01/2020 - 07/2021, Guest professorship at BASEhabitat,
University of the Arts Linz, Austria
01/2012 - 12/2016, agora architects, co-founder/general manager, Mae Sot, Thailand,
01/2010 - 12/2011, Arup, senior architect, London + Singapore
10/2006 - 12/2009, Foster + Partner, architect, London + Abu Dhabi
10/1999 - 6/2006, Diploma in Architecture from TU Darmstadt
09/1997 - 06/1999, Apprenticeship as Architectural Draftsman at Boell + Krabel, BDA, Essen