The Elephant Temple draws from the traditional layout of the Thai “wat” while also questioning it, reconfiguring its sequencing of spaces to emphasize elephant daily life. While non-human centered, the elephant temple is not meant to be completely exclusive to elephants. The mutualistic coexistence of elephants and humans is key to the Ban Taklang, “Elephant Village” society, and thus it is important to continue facilitating and supporting an even more harmonious relationship. Ultimately, the elephant temple is not strictly religious but rather a spiritual site. It is a place for elephant playing, socializing, rehabilitating, living, and even dying. It is not a place for humans to worship elephants from afar. It is a place of celebration of the daily rituals of elephants but also their entire lives from birth to death.
