Rajini School, also known as the Queen’s School, was founded by the Queen Consort of King Rama V. Today, it is recognized as a distinguished boarding school for well-mannered ladies, renowned for its excellent administration, high standards, and a curriculum that emphasizes arts and handicrafts, morality, and self-discipline.

The project I contributed to was the school’s third branch, located along the Bangpakong Riverside in Chachoengsao province. I was part of the design team from the project’s inception through to the completion of construction.

Beyond researching modern education models to inform the learning space design, I initiated my own user research. For this, I analyzed a video created for Rajini School’s 111th anniversary, which captured alumni sharing their memories and impressions of the school. In these interviews, the alumni were encouraged to speak freely among peers, allowing authentic stories to emerge. By carefully listening, I identified recurring words and themes, then organized them into a taxonomy diagram capturing the school’s character, user needs, and potential activities. This research drew from 142 alumni accounts, spanning graduates from 1942 (RJ38) to 2011 (RJ107).

The interviews also revealed lifestyle challenges linked to the school’s older facilities. However, since these stories spanned seven decades, I cross-checked the findings with the new school’s teachers to verify which needs were still relevant.

Although my research was conducted independently and unofficially, it sparked meaningful discussions about user needs not included in the client’s original design brief. The insights directly informed alternative design proposals, many of which were ultimately incorporated into the final design.