At the entrance to the Matalay development in Khao Lak, Phang Nga, Thailand, an observation tower is turning heads for an unusual reason. Goya Tower, designed by Thai architect Boonserm Premthada and Bangkok Project Studio, is built from hundreds of handmade circular bricks made primarily from elephant dung.
The tower follows nearly six years of research into bio-based building materials. Premthada began exploring elephant dung around 2020 in Ban Ta Klang, a village known for its long relationship with domesticated elephants. The idea centered on plant fibers from the elephants’ diet, which can act as natural reinforcement inside a brick-like unit.
Working with local mahouts and craftspeople, the team developed a process that dries the dung, blends it with cement and small amounts of water, presses it into molds, and cures the pieces in sunlight rather than kiln firing. The bricks were first shown as experimental objects and later entered collections including MoMA and the M+ Museum. Goya Tower is the first inhabitable public building to use the material at this scale.
Named after a female elephant born in the region, the 543 m² tower is made up of cylindrical columns that support raised walkways spiraling upward. Each column is assembled by threading the circular bricks onto central steel reinforcement rods, creating a repeated stacked pattern and a textured exterior. The units measure about 330 mm in diameter and 50 mm thick, and they’re produced in five natural tones that shift in a planned color sequence.
For contractors, the project is a reminder that “brick” is not always fired clay or a standard concrete masonry unit. When a design calls for nontraditional, handmade units, it puts a spotlight on basics that can make or break the job: consistent molding, curing time in the local climate, careful handling and staging, and field coordination so reinforcement and stacking stay true to the engineer’s intent and the architect’s layout.
Read the full, original article from Parametric Architecture here.