The Asia Lifestyle Expo 2019 is happening now. Make yourself available and let’s go shopping! The premium international lifestyle trade show is promoting countless products and services contributing to the consumer’s way of life. While there, take the opportunity to attend a seminar on many interesting business topics. Want to succeed in business! Learn creative new ideas from business gurus. It’s free.
The show is a major confluence of ideas and lifestyle brands from across Asia. They include, among other things, gifts and souvenirs as well as home decorating items and lifestyle products from Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Turkey, and South Korea. It’s happening now on 21-23 August at Hall 98, BITEC Bang Na. Shop before it’s gone!
Some of the highlights you shouldn’t miss.
King Jim (HK) Co., Ltd. (Booth F-40) from Hong Kong
“KITTA Masking Tape” is available in a variety of widths and colors. Ready for use, it can be conveniently stored in card holders inside business planners. Have fun decorating your diary and business planner any way you like.
Kirin Cosmetics Co., Ltd. (Booth G-16) from South Korea
“Shampoo” that’s rich in naturally derived proteins and the pH balance to keep your hair beautiful and healthy.
A leading glassware manufacturer that strives to improve its products, achieve the highest quality, and answer consumer lifestyle needs. Articles made from glass are preferred for their ability to withstand stains caused by contact with oil, grease and odors.
Dongguan Xinjin Gift Co., Ltd. (Booth: 9G-14) from China
It’s your style! Customize your handbag, accessories and keychains with small ornaments that have the power to delight and arouse admiration.
Mercanlar Mutfak Esyalari San Tic As (Booth B-20) from Turkey
“Salt and Pepper Grinder Set” brings an exciting experience to the dining table. Made of safe and food friendly materials, it’s durable, scratch resistant, and suitable for everyday use.
Seize the moment! Take full advantage of the opportunity by attending a seminar given by well-known business gurus at the show. There are plenty of interesting topics to excite your curiosity. Here is the list of events.
22 August 2019
10.30-11.30: Topic B1: Lifestyle trends 2020: Sourcing the right products for your customers
11:30-12:30: Topic B2: Success factors for Thai retailers in the Digital Era
13.00-14.00: Topic B3: Miracle marketing: Invest a small amount earning million
15.00-16.00: Topic B5: Drive business and accelerate growth along with Big C
23 August 2019
10.30-11.30: Topic C1: Know the trends of E-commerce 2020
11.30-12.30: Topic C2: Make million through content creation
13.00-14.00: Topic C3 “Feng Shui” the auspicious directions for wealth, and “Wu Ching” the help to succeed in business
This house, with its hidden Western flavor, calls out for us to relax and drink in its peaceful atmosphere. Its owner, singer and MC Boy (Pisanu Nimsakul), had it designed as an escape from urban confusion: the green of plants, brown pebbled walkways, and a connection between his and his mother’s sections of the house allowing for both familiarity and privacy.
Boy’s house is on a thousand square meters in the Soi Yothin Pattana area, not far his old neighborhood. For the design he took the advice of his friend Sena Ling (Somkiat Chanpram) and hired Neung (Phanuphol Sildanchang) of PAA, whose work really impressed him.
“Meeting Neung, at first he just asked if I thought I could live with his style (laughs) . . . but of course, that’s exactly what I came for, didn’t even need to spend much time on the details.”
Neung added, “If the customer understands and trusts our best design work, it makes it easy.”
Boy wanted to be able to live with his mother and still have privacy for socializing with friends, so the house stretches wide, lengthwise along the property as it faces south toward the road. Mother and son’s sections have separate entries from a long walkway in the center of the property that essentially divides it into two courtyards, one a green area shared by Boy and his mother, and the other featuring a swimming pool that parallels a long porch accessible only from Boy’s section. This includes a gravel path running in from the carport along the rim of the garden fence so friends can come in without disturbing his mom.
Neung says “I wanted to have every room in the house able to open window and look out as if on a private courtyard, kind of exciting! So without a lot of artifice or excess playing around with materials I’ve created the sense that there are a lot of courtyards, as people enter at different levels.”
The central walkway has latticework screening between the two courtyard sections which keeps the buildings from appearing too separate, at the same time allowing for good air circulation on both sides. Trees are planted along the side to block the view from any neighboring houses that might be built in the future. In back he house abuts against a 3-storey townhouse in back with a wooden fence that blocks the view, covered with climbing plants such as cat’s claw vine.
To give the house a relaxing warmth, natural wood is used as much as possible. The weight-bearing steel frame is mostly hidden: some of the support pillars are completely natural wood. For the residential sections the roof is gabled, with long eaves to quickly drain water and heat, while in certain sections there is a modern-style flat roof. Various Western formats, proportions, and components have been inserted in a simple, unpretentious style. Interior décor includes movable furniture and light-colored cloth drapes for a gentle look that Boy’s sweetheart brought in.
“It came out just as designed! Coming into the house it feels relaxed, like being in a resort. It’s a pleasure just to look out the window. At the same time, it feels like I’ve come home,” added Boy, obviously a happy man.
FREE SEMINAR! YOU SHOULDN’T MISS Want to make your millions? Learn from business gurus atAsia Lifestyle Expo 2019
— 21-23 August 2019 at BITEC Bang Na
Starting a successful business isn’t really a big mystery. First things first, search the information that widens your knowledge and understanding of how a company works. Stay ready to act. Be on the alert for change and adapt to new circumstances. That’s enough to ensure your business success is within reach.
In the previous article, we presented information about the Asia Lifestyle Expo 2019, in which more than 500 exhibitors across Asia will participate from 21 to 23 August at Hall 98, BITEC Bang Na. More detail can be found at https://livingasean.com/explore/asia-lifestyle-expo-2019.
The Expo offers a series of seminars on exciting topics that we don’t want you to miss. They are handpicked to help you discover new knowledge and be prepared to deal with future challenges. It’s a rare opportunity for many influential business gurus to gather together in one place for a common purpose. In other words, plenty of information to share with you!
Date: 21 August 2019
Time: 11.15 – 12.15 Topic: Partnership with Giant: China Opportunities By: Miss Sirinada Preechavidhayakul Strongwave Co., Ltd. & Brand Manager Senada
Capture the critical success factors of fashion branding in China market. Meet the new generation management of SENADA; the leading Thai fashion brand, which firmly expands into the Chinese Upper Market. Understand the opportunity and threat of branding in China, partnership with distribution, and market-oriented design strategy.
Time: 13.00 – 14.00 hrs. Topic: Online Marketing Genius By: Dr. Ake Pattaratanakul, Professor, Marketing and Branding Chulalongkorn University
Online Branding is the key to ensure customer loyalty, gain market share in the highly competitive e-commerce arena. The branding guru makes you understand how to strengthen your brand by the synergy of online and offline. Be inspired by marketing for the future.
Time: 14.00 – 16.00 hrs. Topic: Overview of Global Lifestyle Industry By: Jirabool Vittayasing President of the Thai Gift Premiums & Decorative Association and Secretary-General of the Thai Lifestyle Products Federation Secretary-general of the Federation of Thai Lifestyle Products
How the Thai lifestyle industry has adapted to change amidst intense competition in the world marketplace. Countless online apps let people buy and sell and their fingertips. Now, where do we go from here to survive?
Time: 16.15 – 17.15 hrs. Topic: Make a Million with One Mobile By: Lecturer Mr. Cheeptham Kumvised PR, Writer, Blogger, Social Media for PR lecturer, Youtube Creator, Founder of www.teamdigital.com, Board of committee for technology communication of tourism authority of Thailand
Money made easy through M-Commerce. Bring your phone and join us at the seminar. Listen to Guru who influence top Thailand key success people both in private and public sectors.
Date: 22 August 2019
Time: 10.30 – 11.30 hrs. Topic: Lifestyle Trend 2020: Sourcing the Right Product By: Wiwat Hirunpruk & Mr. Pradit Ratanawijitrasilp, Design Trend Expert & Fashion Marketing Lecturer at Chulalongkorn University
Make topnotch lifestyle products Sustain your decision by knowing forward trends to reach the high potential target consumers. Create a practical design and marketing plan for higher turnover.
Time: 11.30 – 12.30 hrs. Topic: Success Factors of Thai Retailers in the Digital Era By: Worawoot Ounjai President of the Thai Retailers Association and Chief Executive Officer of COL Public Company Limited
Topic you shouldn’t miss if you want to jump into the competitive retail industry. Listen to the speaker, unlock the secrets to successful brand building in the Digital Age. He is renowned for generating awareness and promoting the OfficeMate brand. The multi-million-baht COL Company’s success story has its origin in his master’s thesis.
Time: 13.00 – 14.00 Topic: Miracle Marketing: Invest a small amount earning million By: Passa Palichaiwat Specialist in import-export of TCAT Cargo 5 years’ experience in Chinese exports to Thailand
The topic touches upon various aspects of e-commerce, from web price comparison to wholesale/retail businesses and steps in buying from Chinese websites, among them Taobao.com, and 1688.com. What to do if you don’t know Chinese? The speaker will show you the way, plus a look at the credibility of some online stores, and service provided by TCAT Cargo.
The much-traveled lecturer believes adventures are the best way to learn. In 2005 he resigned from a teaching job at Chiangmai University and started a journey on foot heading for Samui Island, his birthplace. More lessons were learned along the way. His book titled “Walk to Freedom” has become an inspiration for many.
Time: 15.00 – 16.00 hrs. Topic: Drive Business and Accelerate BIG C Growth By Bruno Jousselin Organization: Executive Vice President, Global Sourcing, Big C
Have you ever wondered what to do to sell your products at Big C? This session will show you exactly that. Learn about steps in the selection process and what rule applies from Mr. Bruno Jousselin, Organization: Executive Vice President, Global Sourcing, Big C, whose retail business experience spans more than 25 years.
Date: 23 August 2019
Time:30 – 11.30 hrs. Topic: Marketing Trends of E-commerce 2020 By: Mr.Pawoot Pongvitayapanu (Pom) Online entrepreneur, E-Commerce and Online media business leader, more than 20 years’ experience in Digital and Technology industry.
The speaker is the founder of TARAD.com, one of Thailand’s leading e-commerce companies. He will be sharing his knowledge in online trade and e-commerce trends for 2020. Want to start an online store? Then don’t miss out on it.
How to make your first million through creative content writing, photography, and video editing as the key factors to promoting business in the Digital Age. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or a newbie, using technology can improve your competitive edge.
Time 13.00 – 14.00 Topic:Feng Shui and Wu Ching for Business Success By: Piemsak Kunakornprateep Director of The Writing Development Institute, Show Host, Author in Business Administration and Investing, Lecturer and Marketing StrategistAnd: Mr. Visit Taechakasem CEO of a company specialized in design, construction, and interior decoration, and an authority on Chinese geomancy, or Feng Shui
Let’s familiarize ourselves with Feng Shui, a Chinese practice governing spatial arrangement and site orientation. If you’re in the market for decorating materials, it helps to know where to place them to create harmony with the surroundings. An auspicious setup within a place of residence can have positive aspects of your life. While there, learn about marketing strategies and investing from the two famous business gurus.
Just a reminder! The seminar is FREE! Booking open now so hurry limited seats available.
Special privileges for pre-registration to attend the show.
Privilege 1: You have the right to reserve a seat 15 minutes before the seminar starts. To enjoy the opportunity, register here: http://bit.ly/2JHS1EO
Privilege 2: Pre-register for a chance to win FREE AIR TICKET (Bangkok-Hong Kong)! See more detail at: http://bit.ly/2FM7TF5
Highlights of the Baan Lae Suan Fair Midyear 2019 August 3-11, BITEC Bang Na
The Baan Lae Suan Fair Midyear 2019 is taking place on August 3-11 at Halls 98-104, BITEC Bang Na. Appropriately themed “Hand and Heart”, the expo is a hub of home goods, decorating ideas and pastime activity for enjoyment and earning extra incomes. It gives the opportunity for an update on design and experiments with various methods and techniques.
Flashbacks: A glimpse into the Baan Lae Suan Fair Midyear 2018
The Baan Lae Suan Fair Midyear 2019 is an eye-opening experience to all things people love to do in their free time. The highlights of the show include fun activities for furnishings and home décor, Instagram worthy spots, places to chill out, and plenty of interesting exhibitions and retail businesses. Precisely, there’s something for everyone. You just have to be there and see for yourself.
Hand and Heart Theme Entrance
Above is an artist’s rendering of the entrance to the midyear home and garden fair. The striking architectural landscape is built of wood posts and beams connected by metal braces and adorned with beautiful rope crafts. The symbolic image expresses ideas and a whole new state of mind about the show’s Hand and Heart theme. The opening at the center provides a focal point that leads the viewer’s gaze in and around the sign that says “Baan Lae Suan Fair Midyear 2019”. Plenty of photography spots! Here are the highlights of the show.
Artisan Village
The Artisan Village is a group of handyman’s huts designed for people who love to DIY and make things. It consists of five homes, each catering to the needs of specific crafts. The atmosphere is like visiting a friend’s home and seeing how creative people turn their knack for crafting into cool projects and pastime activity. Whether it’s art or craft which results in a tangible object, the main idea is about doing what you love.
A home for people who enjoy making food and drinks
The kitchen is the hub of family life. The skill of preparing food isn’t just mixing and heating ingredients. It also involves raw material selection and processing. Here, the aroma of baked goods and a cup of coffee will overwhelm you. Drip for Friends, who’s an aficionado in coffee bean roasting and drip coffee making, will do exactly that. Also on hand will be Ninlabon Panin of Sunny Bear Coffee Roasters & Handcraft Bread Baker. They are renowned for their knowledge and skill in every step of bread, cake and pastry making, from yeast preparation to kneading moistened flour into dough and paste for baking. Stop by for a workshop on sourdough making!
A home decorated with embroidery
It’s a show about decorating with ribbons and various patterns by สาริศา ไชยเม็ง of Sacha Studio and crocheted items by Craft Therapy Studio. The latter is known for its physical and mental health treatment benefits. Textile crafts are found to increase self-esteem among people with depression and other health problems. Craft is good for home decorating, too.
A home for woodworking and leathercraft enthusiasts
The sounds of a hammer and a chisel fill the air as you walk into a show by Pakpoom Wittayaworakanof Meanwhile Woodwork. Witness leathercraft tools at work at Smith & Sons, which is renowned for its handmade custom footwear. If you’re looking for ideas to decorate your home with leathercraft and woodworking, you have come to the right place.
A home for ceramic lovers
We are surrounded by ceramic products in our daily living. But, do you know that the art of making ceramics involves a detailed series of steps and countless experiments? To satisfy your thirst for knowledge, we invited professional ceramicists from Mon Studio to create unique art forms that will surprise you. It’s a show serious ceramic lovers shouldn’t miss.
House of books, printing and graphic art
It’s a show for people who like to read, make art with paper, and try their hand at graphic art printing. For a plethora of interesting ideas, drop in at the Book House, a division of Baan Lae Suan Printing and Publishing. Paper art lovers will have the opportunity of meeting Kittinan Sawasdee of Artist Book Studio, who is well known for drawing and making story books by hand. His paper artwork makes great home décor items. At the same time, the Archivist Studio will be on hand to demonstrate steps in graphic art printing and other techniques that art lovers shouldn’t miss.
The Artisan Village also has a common area, where visitors are welcome to attend craft making workshops and exhibitions by experts from each of the five houses listed above.
my home
Welcome to “my home” Studio, and see for yourself the maneuvers that go on behind the scenes before a video clip is made ready for broadcast on “home hack” television program. The show presents a wide range of topics ranging from home improvements to arrangement ideas for the home office and bedroom, even the most cluttered space like the wardrobe. It’s a good opportunity to meet the capable teams from “my home” magazine and “my home” workshop during the show.
If you bring your well-behaved dogs and cats to the show, stop by at the Baan Lae Suan Pets zone. Receive a free cloth tote bag and pet food when you register at “my home” Booth located inside Hall 100. Have fun taking a selfie at the Baan Lae Suan Pets corner. Post it as your Facebook profile, and enter for a chance to win free accommodation at an iBis hotel, where pets are allowed. Nine prices are given out daily.
Not only that. On Sunday August 11 between 11 a.m. and 12 noon, Sunthara Sajjavatcharapong of Jojo Dog Master will give a talk on dog training and the art of communicating with your canine friends. Meantime, P. Hall of “my home” magazine and his dog named P. Moo will demonstrate a few handy hacks that every dog owner should know and share experience about obedience training. For your convenience, remember to bring a stroller in which your beloved pets can be pushed along without getting lost.
room Showcase
room Design Island
Room magazine is showcasing an imaginary island located at the center of the midyear expo. The striking architectural landscape symbolizes a perfect blend of health and a holiday atmosphere. It’s the product of a collaboration between “room” and its allies in the design industry, including Thor Gai Chon Studio, Gold House Décor, as well as Camp Studio, Palini, and Mitr.
room x Thor. Kaichon Bamboo
Inspired by bamboo handicrafts, the modular showcase is built using bamboo and trendy outdoor fabric materials designed for durability. It’s the work of “room” magazine in collaboration with Thor. Kaichon Bamboo.
room x Gold House
Three designer groups, namely, Camp Studio, Palini, and Mitr also participate in designing the imaginary summer showcase on the beach. The SOL OUT brand of outdoor fabric used in the construction is provided by Gold House Décor, one of Thailand’s leading manufacturers, distributors and exporters of home textile products.
room x Pakalolo
The right amount of coffee is good for you, so they say. Why not stop by at the Hawaiian style pop-up café by Pakalolo? The coffeehouse from Bangkok’s Soi Ari neighborhood is offering light meals and drinks during the nine-day expo. It’s time to fall in love with its pastry creations and “mocktail” recipes. Some items on the menu are created especially for this year’s show.
Several years ago Naiduangta Pathumsut and Rungroj Kraibut began building their farmhouse with meager savings. That of course didn’t produce the kind of home we see today, but it was enough for the concrete structure and the roof. Before long their enthusiasm, determination and a lot of hard work resulted in a beautiful home amid lush green fields. There is the pride and glory in it, no doubt.
They first started with a single-story home and named it “Ton Tarn”, which is Thai for the point of origin from which a stream or river flows. Naiduangta’s parents settled down and raised a family here a long time ago when the trees were still young and had only just begun to emerge from seeds.
They bequeathed a parcel of land to her and Rungroj to build this new house connecting to the original family home.
Folding doors of old wood open wide, giving the house an old-fashioned atmosphere.
By way of introduction, Naiduangta was born here in Suphan Buri, but moved when in kindergarten. Eventually completing Thai Language Studies at the Faculty of Education in Chiang Mai, she worked in Bangkok for a period of time before returning to Suphan Buri to help her father with his work promoting child literacy in this western province of Thailand.
Rungroj, a native of nearby Uthai Thani, studied environmental geography and has worked for the Seub Nakhasathien and Sarnsaeng-arun Foundations to promote learning about living with nature. After the great flood of 2011, the couple decided to put in a two-story home – connecting to the original single-story house – as a means to escape future flooding.
A multi-use spot opens on a wide view, with steel “cage doors” for security.Rungroj’s bicycle collection and workshop supports his hobby: cycling into Chiang Mai with friends, doing a solo trek to Uthai Thani, etc.
Rungroj can still recall how it all started: “If we’d waited to get all the money, we wouldn’t have been ready. We wouldn’t have started or done anything.”
With the help of local craftsmen, the basic structure was built in two years, but by then the money had run out and the work had to depend on just the two hands of “Craftsman Rung” for the wood walls, doors, windows, and some furniture.
“I used timber from Neem trees or Indian lilac (a tree in the mahogany family) and Burmese rosewood trees grown and harvested on our property. Plus, we had some old wood, doors, and windows set aside. After another two years the exterior looked finished, but there was still a lot of work to do.”
The kitchen wall has painted green shutters, “tank-shaped” chairs, and a simple shelf above the doorway.
The 9-acre property includes the parents’ house, the main house, and a rice granary. There’s a natural well with a planted bamboo border. Umbrella bamboo is grown for its edible shoots, and giant thorny bamboo for fencing. The bamboo orchard is in one area, rice paddies in another, and big, harvestable trees remain from the time of Rungroj’s grandfather.
“November to March is the perfect season for growing leafy vegetables we use ourselves, but we switch crops sometimes. Vine veggies like string beans, loofah, and squash are perennials. They provide a natural way to prevent disease and insects that often spread when growing just a single crop,” said Rungroj.
“The image of our house in the middle of the fields looks great. We can’t do anything about how farming in the area has changed: use of chemicals, burning sugarcane fields,” he continued.
“We can only adapt to it and build on our own natural world. Our joy is in the pride of doing things with our own hands. There’s nothing perfect in nature: it’s all a learning experience, like life as a married couple, gradually adapting. Where we can’t adapt, we create understanding so we can live together.”
Next to the house is a woodworking shop Rungroj also uses to store wood. Scaffolding used to build the house was converted to storage racks.
/ Story: Patsiri Chot / English version: Peter Montalbano /
/ Photographs: Anupong Chaisukkasem /
On the bank of the River Kwai, Kanchanaburi we stand beneath tall trees, their canopy of robust branches and green leaves filtering sunlight into shade as a cool, comfortable breeze riffles the water. The sight of the Erawan National Park forest fills us with awe. This enchanted spot is where Dr. Suwin Kraibhubes, CEO of Beauty Community, PLC decided to build his home on the riverfront.
“In the old days there was a resort here, but abandoned, it fell apart.” Dr. Suwin said.
“Coming here on a visit I found myself getting excited about this panoramic mountain view, the forest preserve and the peaceful river. I hadn’t known Kanchanaburi had such a quiet, pleasant riverside woodland as this.”
Dr. Suwin had always had a deep feeling for good design and home decoration. He followed this up with a lot of reading from many sources, and bought furniture and house accessories to add to his own collection and deck out this home in a style suiting this great location on the River Kwai.
“I had a lot of ideas, including building on the original resort’s foundations, and found an architect to help,” further explained the owner. “With modern-style gable roofs, the shapes are reminiscent of a tobacco-curing plant.
“I didn’t want to make the house too eye-catching, but more low-key, in tune with nature, so we used strong, dark colors with natural materials such as wood, stone, and steel, materials with beautiful colors and textures of their own, that also are easy to maintain.
“The result is a relaxed retreat where we don’t stay every day, but that fits in beautifully with the natural environment.”
Dr. Suwin’s personal living space is a compact riverside home on a hill directly above the water. The full residence extends across the property: another three steel-frame buildings are set in a quiet corner.
There is a separate structure in the center for use as a reception area and common dining room near a two-story house built to accommodate more family members and friends.
He also added, “I live on the river bank for comfort. It’s a little like a greenhouse: the walls are glass and face out on the river, giving both a beautiful view and privacy.
“Mornings I really enjoy looking out from the porch. I can see everything from there, it feels like we’re in the middle of everything!”
Dr. Suwin gets a lot of outdoor time here, playing in the water with the kids, kayaking, jet skiing, enjoying nature by the Tha Thung Na Dam. Sometimes in the cool evening air he sits out on a raft, socializing with his friends.
“I really love that this house has both the mountains and the river. Outside we get the full benefits of being close to nature: almost no landscaping needed,” he summarized beautifully.
“I love the big trees the most. They give this riverside home the refreshing, shady frame.”
/ Story: Samutcha Viraporn / English version: Peter Montalbano /
/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /
Starting with the idea of building a temporary residence from commercial containers, Charnwit Ananwattanakul of Wish Architect Design Studio had to analyze the different characters of the family members who would live there. In the end, this temporary project became a permanent home made from 15 containers where all family members reside happily together.
The container house has two wings, one used for the living area. The master bedroom is on the second floor. An open wood-floored multipurpose space runs longitudinally through the house as a sort of inner courtyard, enabling family interaction and serving as a channel for heat release and air circulation from front to back.
Similar decks in front and back follow the width of the house that’s set back a distance to reduce heat entering the container elements of the home. Trees planted in front add another level of protection from the western sun.
A partition at the far end creates a wind channel for air circulation, reducing any late-morning heat gain from the east side of the house.
To minimize heat and humidity, bathrooms are placed on the south side, some containing plants suggestive of old-time country houses where bathing was done outside, pouring from water jars. Another important feature is the sprayed-in roof insulation.
The living room is done in a spacious “open plan” style, connecting to the large food preparation area/pantry with facilities such as a coffee brewer, an island with a gas range, and storage shelves for kitchenware with a large protective screen to keep the space more orderly.
The second-floor verandah has a gap cut where netting is placed for people to sit, lie back, and chill; this also helps release heat and brings natural light into the central area, as well as giving it depth.
To avoid a fussy look, white was chosen as the primary color for interior décor of this container house.
Due to limitations on utility system installation, some metal posts had to be added to container walls and ceilings to accommodate electrical systems without further lowering the already rather low container ceilings.
Where appropriate, a framework of steel was constructed to meet the proportions of container walls. At the same time, wood paneling in shades of earth-toned brown was added to give the interior living space a warm feeling.
In front of the house, real stone is used in the staircase area to give the atmosphere of a modern-design garden, playing off the boxlike shape of the container house.
The fence also features a play of vertical and horizontal lines, using the language of design to simultaneously create a look of transparency and a sense of privacy. Each area is designed to suit the behavior of the family members living there, and this links the family and strengthens relationships all the more.
/ Story: Patsiri Chot / English version: Peter Montalbano /
/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /
This attractive, old-fashioned country home stands in the middle of huge swaths of paddies in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim District. The upper floor, all bedrooms, is built of wood. Downstairs the many open walls convey a great deal about the traditional Thai house with a “tai thun” (the open underfloor space) that’s spacious, bright and airy. It holds a living room, dining room, and coffee nook with a natural breeze providing cool comfort all day long.
The rural house built of reclaimed timber looks the epitome of a local tradition. Its design is the brainchild of Prakij Kanha of the Bangkok-based atelier Studio Miti Co., Ltd.
Overall, the building is impressive in its austere simplicity. But at the same time, the external envelope made of weather-beaten wood adds rustic charm to the home. The recycled building materials used in the project were taken from five old houses at various locations around Chiang Mai.
The house has a small courtyard along its length, a channel for natural breezes to blow that adds to an overall sense of relaxed informality.
There is a small courtyard enclosed by the walls of the house, creating a channel for natural breezes that go to work making the simple interior cozy and comfortable. Limitations on the amount of wood meant that a few downstairs walls had to be mortared in place. Where cladding boards were too short, sheet metal was used to cover the unfilled spaces.
The house was roofed over with Onduline, a kind of eco-friendly corrugated roofing sheets made of strong natural fibers. They are lightweight and suitable as insulation materials, and hence no need to install a ceiling.
For roof decking installations, oriented strand boards, or OSB, are used. OSB is a type of engineered wood similar to plywood. To keep the sun baked rooms cool during the day, gypsum boards are used to add a layer of built-in insulation.
There is a mix of tall windows and glass walls, and a central corridor connecting to every room in the house. It also doubles as air circulation channel.
Even the bathroom looks out on nature. The master bedroom has views of both Doi Saket, a mountain in the eastern part of Chiang Mai, and morning mists over the Ping River. On the opposite side, night after night you can watch the moon wax and wane.
The country house’s easy and chic interior décor is a mix of furniture and antiques almost entirely taken from the homeowner’s old place of abode.
A small mezzanine made of steel mesh flooring is home to objects of interest to collectors, including a post-World War II vintage bicycle, while photos on the wall give the air of a private gallery.On one side of the hall is a staircase made attractive by a mix of unfinished surfaces of wood, brick, cement, steel and glass.This is a homestay for nature lovers: the four guest rooms all have wooden furniture, stressing simplicity and panoramic views of the landscape.
Public electricity doesn’t reach out this far, so solar cells are used, and per-day energy use has to be carefully figured. There is no air conditioning, but the natural breezes here are deeply cooling.
On the whole, it’s a beautiful wood house set amid rice fields, a perfect place to get the peace and quiet. The sky can’t be clearer. The night is totally dark and tranquil. What could be better than that?
/ Story: Samutcha Viraporn / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /
It’s everyone’s dreams to have a beautiful home. And it takes a special kind of knowledge, skills and wisdom on the part of the architect to create one that’s both gorgeous and great to live in. This box-shaped house in cool-toned whites belonging to Thanaphong and Thinan Nakaprasit has what is needed for comfortable living.
Initially, construction was delayed for a period of time for Dr. Tonkao Panin, a professor at Silpakorn University, and Tanakarn Mokkhasmita, of the Research Studio Panin to properly develop a plan to build the house around a tree.
“Our old house had a high “tai thun” (the lower open space at ground level) and a tree that’s the focal point on the property,” explained Thanaphong. “We loved this place, but we wanted to change a few things. To put in a carport in the tai thun, the house had to be raised a bit higher to create more headroom. Our first house plan had a half courtyard with the tree only partially surrounded.”
Thanaphong and Thinan had seen the results of Dr. Tonkao’s design work in the past. They grew familiar with her lines of thought that stressed using simple geometric shapes to bring out hidden character and warmth. Especially for Thanaphong, it gave him further insights into the concept of utilizing proportions, a code to unlock the geometric secrets in classic designs, and a sense of security that’s a design challenge in architecture.
Having lived in a house with glass walls, privacy and security were important to Thanaphong and Thinan: they wanted more containment. Creating secure viewpoints for looking both out of and into the house posed a challenge for the architects. Solutions began with placement of a large tree as the focal point of the house plan. The rooms are disposed around the tree in the center courtyard and have views for monitoring the exterior of the house. People inside can hardly be seen from outside, while the addition of steel panels adds more security.
The security steel panels were originally designed to be of Exmet (expanded metal), but Thanaphong consulted with the architects and decided instead on perforated steel, adding a charming polka dot pattern to the latticework blocking off the long walkway behind the house by the canal.
“Environmentally, this is a great location: water and mountains are behind us, so we need practically no gardening of our own,” explained Thanaphong. Instead of being near the road, the house is set deep in the back of the .4-acre property. Besides the tree between buildings, the living room has a beautiful view of the natural forest on the other bank of the canal.
For easy maintenance, the property is landscaped primarily with grass lawn or paved with stones and large rocks, which are used especially for the shady, peaceful “tai thun” space (the lower open space), which gets no direct sunlight.
For movable furniture, Thanaphong especially wanted to bring some Modernform “black Iceland” items from their old house, which required some expansion of the kitchen. Other furniture is mostly from IKEA, with light color tones and light, simple shapes.
“The longer we’ve lived here, the more charm we’ve found in this house, its great functionality, and the open areas, the deck and the tai thun. This is a very special design. Completely separate from other benefits, just the view as we drive in lets us see past the buildings to the mountains, water, a panorama of nature. I love it,” the owner wrapped up beautifully.
Following our report on 10 must-see highlights of the Architect ’19 “Living Green”, an expo of architectural technologies, building materials, smart innovations and home decorations, it’s time for a deeper glimpse into the world of sustainable developments to show why living a green lifestyle is so important to us and our future generations. The 33rd edition of the architectural expo is doing exactly that. It’s the ASEAN’s major confluence of interesting ideas, news and information on how to live sustainably with a focus on innovative products, advances in construction, repairs and decorations. There are even more exciting discoveries that we want to share with you. Take a look.
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Graphenstone Stuki Premium: Innovative ideas to make your house work like a tree with awesome design and colors
(See real products at Jorakay’s exhibit, Booth S211)
Do you know that using 15 liters of paint (roughly 3 buckets) can sequester as much as 10 kilograms of carbon-dioxide in the air; thereby helping to reduce the overall concentration of greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere. That’s pretty much the amount work a tree does in one year. Introducing G Color Stuki Premium. The new paint product line represents a major breakthrough in research and development by the Jorakay Corporation Co, Ltd, a leader in the manufacture and distribution of products for construction, repairs and decorations. Its products are certified to international safety standards.
Jorakay’s G Color Stuki Premium is a colored cement for decorative concrete surfaces. It’s made of a mixture of high-quality limestone that’s sourced directly from nature. Stuki Premium is the result of Graphen technology that’s eco-friendly and capable of producing a family of colored cements that’s durable and suitable for both indoor and outdoor situations. Beautiful design patterns can be easily made using a small handheld plaster trowel. Three are 322 color shades to choose from.
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dECOLeather® Recycled Leather Veneer, 5650 Shagreen: Reuse of leather shreds to minimize the killing of animals
(Get the feel of real products at Formica Thailand Booth F507)
The dECOLeather® brand of recycled leather veneer is a composite of shredded leather scraps collected from leather goods manufacturers. An alternative product from the Formica Group, the durable laminate is beautifully crafted for decorative coverings, interior design and other surfaces. Ensuring that nothing goes to waste, dECOLeather® works by making good use of every small piece of leather destined to be discarded or destroyed as rubbish. In the recycling process, leather scraps from garment cuttings and other manufacturing activities are reduced to fine particles and then mixed with synthetic resin to form a hard, flat and flexible material for decorative coverings. After that, a variety of design patterns are printed on the composite material. For this exhibit, four design collections are on public display. They include whiptail stingray, buffalo hide, sea lion, and crocodile decorative patterns. You will love the stingray design. See it at the Formica booth.
dECOLeather® is a line of alternative products designed to be perceived as similar or comparable to genuine materials for which it is intended to substitute. The most important point at issue is about saving the environment. It comes in handy for the consumer who has a taste for leather goods but dislikes the killing or hunting of animals for their skins. Advances in the manufacturing process ensure that recycled leather veneer is more durable than leather in general, making it a material of choice for interior decoration, table top, and other surfaces to name a few. It’s water impermeable, easy to install, flexible and available in many colors.
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XPOSH Series: Luxury water-saving faucets and winners of the Red Dot Design Award 2019
(Get the feel of real products at COTTO Booth S308)
If you prefer a touch of luxury and save energy at the same time, look no further than an impressive line of water faucets for the bathroom sink from COTTO. The XPOSH Series features a single handle with one-hole mixer tap design that lets you use just the right amount of warm water when needed. It comes in a variety of colors and finishes that please and pleasure your senses, among them Starlight Silver, Matte Onyx, Midnight Silver and Starlight Gold. Each model features eye-catching design that has won the Red Dot Design Award for 2019.
Nicknamed “a jewel in the bathroom”, the XPOSH Series is considered not only a luxury, but also a perfect example of advances in technological innovations. That’s what COTTO is about; save the energy needed to make hot water. It’s easy to use simply by pushing the handle slightly to the side. The XPOSH Series has a smart mechanism hidden inside the cartridge that turns on and starts heating water after only 4 liters has passed instead of 6 liters that’s normally the case. In the process, this mechanism helps save both water and electricity at the same time. It’s an interesting development compared to the standard instant hot water faucet that consumes more energy.
Reverie Rethinking FormRivulet Rethinking Flow
For design aficionados, the COTTO exhibit also features showerheads in a variety of styles and finishes, among them the “Rivulet Rethinking Flow”, a three-dimensional abstract form designed to let you enjoy the delightful spray of water as if you were bathing in a stream. There’s also the “Reverie Rethinking Form” showerhead, which is a mix of metal casing and crystal parts. The design mimics a mass of small soap bubbles kissed by the morning sun, immediately appealing to say the least.
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DOS WaterPac Pro: A space saving water tank rich in functions; it’s more than a storage
(See the real product at DOS Life Booth S104)
DOS WaterPac Pro is a technological innovation under the brand name DOS Life. The water tank with pump has become an instant success story. It won a 2018 DEmark Award, an official accolade for design excellence in the Industrial Goods Category, and the Good Design Award, or Gmark for short, in 2018. The underlying logic and reasoning for the design is about saving space and maximizing the utilization of vertical space.
Designer Vichit Choopho obviously tries to make a connection between the lifestyle of the new generation and modern conveniences that contribute to an easy way of living. A water tank that’s rich in functions turns out to be one of the four must-haves in every home. For this reason, DOS WaterPac Pro is designed to be more than just a water storage. It’s a source, means and process of supplying water for the entire household, and in a succinct way reflects the taste of the homeowners.
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STOCK HOME BROWN: Wood-look porcelain tiles designed to reduce waste
(See the real product at Duragres Booth S305)
Stock Home Brown is a line of wood-look porcelain tiles that’s part of the Recycled Tiles series manufactured by Duragres. A metamorphosis of purpose, it’s made by converting waste into useable raw materials, including tiles that have been damaged in the manufacturing process. The result is an impressive array of 20×20 inch tiles for covering floors and other surfaces. In the end, the main concept is about ensuring nothing goes to waste and that every piece is made to the highest international standards.
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KENZAI x JUNSEKINO Architect + Design: Bricks designed to break the traditional rules
(See the real product at KENZAI Booth S212-1)
“I want a building material that allows light to pass through and provides protection from rain.” Jun Sekino of the architectural firm JUNSEKINO Architect + Design has carried out a thorough search for the ideal material. The answer is a line of translucent bricks made of various raw materials binding together to form a perfect building block.
The new kind of brick is made of a mixture of clay and polycarbonate, a synthetic resin that’s the strongest of all plastics. The part that’s translucent is only five millimeters thick. Because it’s so strong, the brick can be used to build a wall up to three meters tall with no need for a lintel across the top. It’s water impermeable and allows light to pass through the part that is polycarbonate. There is practically no limit when it comes to controlling the amounts of light shining through. In so doing, the architect can use any brick laying patterns to add a new dimension to the interior living space. More importantly, it translates into a big saving on electricity use.
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MO31 (ECO PLUS): One-piece toilet sanitary ware with washbasin and a water recycling system
(See the real product at MOGEN Booth S305-1)
Wouldn’t it be nice if wastewater from the washbasin can turn around and be used again to flush the toilet? That’s actually the case with M031 (Eco Plus), a revolutionary one-piece toilet sanitary ware that comes with a washbasin and a recycling system designed to cut down on water use.
MO31(ECO PLUS) from MOGEN is the first water-saving sanitary ware system that uses Siphon Wash in coordination with Flush. Made using solid ceramic technology, the toilet bowl requires only 3 to 6 liters to flush. Innovative design ensures the toilet bowl and water reservoir is built tough, its surface smooth to the touch, and the toilet seat stable and easy to operate.
Every model in the MO31(ECO PLUS) series comes complete with an installation kit that includes hoses, clean water supply line, stop valve and rubber gasket that seals the junction between two surfaces.
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The above-mentioned technological innovations, products and services are on view at the Architect ’19 Expo that’s happening from April 30 to May 5 at Challenger Halls 1-3, Impact Exhibition Center, Muang Thong Thani. There isn’t much time left, and we don’t want you to miss out on it.
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