/ Story: Phattaraphon, Kor Lordkam / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Nilai Asia /
Blackbird Hotel in Bandung remembered for its modern white building has undergone exciting expansion by adding a trio of unique round shaped rooms to its vibrant Indonesian country garden setting.
The new extension, aptly called “The Drum Rooms” for its likeness to a set of percussion instruments, is the pride of the Blackbird Hotel located in the major West Java city about 3 hours’ drive from Jakarta, the capital.
Occupying 200 square meters of land inside the hotel compound, the trio of round shaped rooms offer opportunities to discover stimulating new experiences in travel, comfort and relaxation in the form of innovative design in synch with the rhythm of nature.
A river rock path winds among the trees and round shaped rooms set on the ground, standing back to back for increased privacy.
Built of wood in varying shades of brown, the three of them sit beautifully ensconced amid lively green surroundings. They are viewed as a unit apart from the nearby main hotel building.
Marketed under the name The Honeymoon Suites, the new extension project was quite a challenge event for experienced builders. It was built while the Blackbird was operating normally. Like so, every precaution was taken to ensure that nothing would impair its ability to perform business functions.
This was achieved by avoiding wet construction, such as poured cement or concrete, at the same time focusing on dry construction, which included materials such as wood and steel framing preassembled in the factory.
The new extension now stands out from the rest thanks to the unique building envelope made of timber in a beautiful mix of brown tones. The wood used in the project came from many different sources.
Multiple pane skylights illuminate the bathroom upstairs while a louver window allows fresh outdoor air into the room.
For good ventilation, louvered wall panels let air flow freely into the room and illuminate the interior space during the daytime. Each of them has a bedroom with bath on the first floor. The second floor holds another bathroom with a bathtub under multiple pane skylights with a view of lively green treetops and blue skies.
For harmony, unity and variety, the extension project also contains penthouse suites built of timber in complementing shades of brown.
There is more. Besides the round shaped room trio, the extension project also includes two penthouse suites at the top of the main hotel building. Built of timber and steel framing to avoid impacting ongoing business operations, they come complete with a food preparation area, living room, and a small balcony plus a semi-outdoor Jacuzzi bathtub.
From a distance, they add visual interest to the white hotel building and prove a perfect complement to the round shaped room trio on ground level.
The louvered walls of the penthouse suite serve as engine that drives natural ventilation.A beautiful array of large windows connects the penthouse bedroom with the vibrant natural environment.Redefining bathing experience, the bathroom lies illuminated by a round-shaped rooftop skylight mimicking a Jacuzzi bathtub below.
Taken as a whole, they evoke admiration through size, color, texture and well-thought-out design. And the result of all this: a beautiful piece of modern architecture amid nature’s peaceful embrace. A unique travel experience, no doubt. Swing by the Blackbird next time you’re in Bandung.
/ Story: Ektida N. / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Rungkit Charoenwat /
Here is a café and roastery with an ear-grabbing name. The Thingamajiggy Coffee Roaster stands in the middle of the rice fields of Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim District. A metamorphosis of purpose, it’s performing a new function as café with panoramic views of the stunning mountain landscape. The brand may be hard to say, but it certainly holds the attention of listeners while its rustic appearance merges into the farmhouse vernacular symbolic of the Northern Region.
The room of this Chiang Mai café in itself has only 21 square meters of space. At the outset, that was a difficult situation that tested the ability of the design team at Yangnar Studio, a homegrown atelier based in Chiang Mai. But they stepped up to the challenge by creating a functional business space, in which everything on the premises was fused into a single entity.
And the result of all this? A piece of vernacular architecture worth remembering. It’s a wholesome destination for coffee lovers that fits right into its surrounding farmlands and the reality of simple life in the countryside.
Built by locals using local building materials, the small coffee shop merges beautifully into farmland vernacular.
To begin with, the project owner wanted an oasis of calm where customers could sit back and relax as they enjoyed a good cup of coffee with nothing to obscure the view of the landscape. The design team responded with a three-part plan, including a small coffee shop at the front, followed by a cozy sitting area under a bamboo pavilion, and a restroom building at the farthest end.
Here, a 360-degree-view that changes from season to season can be seen all year round. Like a wallpaper from nature, it’s a design that seeks to connect more closely with the natural world for lighting and ventilation. Hence, there’s no need for air conditioning, which translates into huge savings and contributing in its small way to a sustainable future.
Going in the reverse direction, slat wood wall paneling is installed on the inside while supporting vertical beams or columns are on the outside.
In terms of design, the coffee shop gets its inspiration from old rice granaries commonplace in this part of the country. The interior holds a coffee bar service/ordering area complete with an assortment of bakery goods. Nearby, a west-facing bakery room provides insulation against hot afternoon sun, thereby keeping the bar and customer seating area cool and comfortable.
Plus, double height ceilings add a light and airy atmosphere to the room. From the outside, what looks like a two-story building is in fact a cross ventilation system which relies on wind to blow cool outside air into the room through one side, while warm inside air is forced out through rooftop vents and outlets on the opposite side.
Extended eaves overhanging the exterior walls offer protection against too much sun and rain.The building’s external envelope crafted of bamboo splits creates a more open and airy atmosphere in the room, plus it protects against humidity damage.
The little café amid the rice fields is built by artisans skilled in traditional carpentry using timber and other natural ingredients readily available in Chiang Mai, except for the load-bearing foundations that are made of poured cement or concrete to protect against soil moisture damage. As is the case with rice granary construction, slat wood wall paneling is installed on the inside while supporting vertical beams or columns are on the outside.
Apart from retaining much of its architectural heritage, the reverse exterior walls add visual interest that merges with a massive gable roof designed for sun and rain protection. In the fewest possible words, it’s a picture of modern countryside ideas blending together beautifully into one cohesive whole.
To make customers feel comfortable, this Chiang Mai café amid the rice fields has patio and outdoor furniture that can be set up anywhere under the bamboo pavilion canopy. It’s a relaxation room that conveys a great deal about the humble origins of mankind and their responsibility towards nature.
To reduce the chance of exposure to harmful substances, the bamboo shades and blinds are not chemically treated to extend their longevity of life cycle. It’s a design based on the belief that everything changes and everything will be replaced when the time comes.
A drawing of the floor plan shows functional spaces in relation to the trees and shrubbery thriving on the property.
The same applies to the method of construction that’s simple and straightforward. Take for example the bamboo pole footings that are wrapped in plastic bags for protection against humidity damage. Or the overhead black mesh rolls that create diffuse light and protect against the sun’s harmful UV rays. They, too, get changed from time to time to ensure customer comfort and satisfaction.
For a full view of the landscape, the three buildings are set in a direction parallel with the elongated plot of land.
/ Story: Kor Lordkam / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Paul Phan /
Overcrowding conditions in Ho Chi Minh City have given rise to both challenges and opportunities for the design team at MA Architects, a homegrown architectural practice in Vietnam. Back in the day, their office was on rental property with little to no room for flexibility. Albeit equipped with air conditioning and modern conveniences, the small workspace was lacking fresh air and ventilation, a far cry from the environment conducive to a relaxed atmosphere and creativity.
Coconut fiber coverings shield parts of the roof for best interior lighting and insulation.The front façade in cool-toned gray stands sandwiched between a vacant lot and a tall building on the street corner.
Because of that, they decided to break out of the confined space into a home of their own. The new office stands sandwiched between two properties, a tall building on one side and a vacant lot on the other. Its front yard landscape is infused with green foliage.
Thoughtfully devised, the design atelier with an awesome cool gray façade is open to plenty of sunlight and fresh outdoor air plus trees and shrubbery. And the result of all this: a workplace ambience free from disturbance, one that’s good for staff’s ability to create and stay focused on their tasks.
The hallway holds a reception room that’s light and airy.
Bringing the outdoors inside, the office holds workspaces set on concrete slabs along one side and a strip of sand earth for in-ground gardening on the other.
The small, 100-square-meter office space is nestled in a peaceful city neighborhood. It occupies the full extent of a rectangular shaped lot measuring 5 by 20 meters.
The building has a narrow frontage to the street. Its external envelope is built of brick masonry plastered to form a smooth hard surface. In front of it, a small earthen terrace hemmed in by lush greenery provides a neat appearance.
An isometric drawing shows three principal dimensions of architectural features with elements of nature integrated in interior design. / Courtesy of MA ArchitectsAn architectural drawing shows the positioning of natural elements in relation to upstairs and downstairs rooms. / Courtesy of MA ArchitectsIn cross section, a side elevation drawing illustrates cross air flow patterns through the workspaces and under the roof. / Courtesy of MA ArchitectsFlashback: A photo collage shows stages of construction in chronological order. / Courtesy of MA Architects
Downstairs, a spacious workplace lies connected to a woodworking shop in the back of the building. The meeting room is upstairs that’s open to allow plenty of natural daylight and cool breezes into the interior.
Overhead, the trusses that support the roof are made entirely of timber covered by transparent corrugated roofing materials for best indoor lighting. Where appropriate, sections of the roof are protected by dry coconut fiber coverings for insulation from the sun’s harsh glare.
A woodworking shop occupies the back room, from which a staircase leads to the second-floor meeting room.The woodworking shop lies on the earth floor with a kitchen and bathroom at the farthest end.
Because when it rains it pours in the Tropics, it makes perfect sense to plaster the entire building envelope. The hard and smooth surface goes to work protecting the building from extreme heat and wet weather all year round.
Although relatively small in size, the office interior crafted of wood is impressive thanks to an open-concept, well-ventilated layout. While dry coconut fiber coverings over the roof make the interior feel cool and dry, the uncovered part works like a skylight turning indoors into a well-lighted place.
Besides light and wind, the architect also integrated other elements of nature in the design, among them earthen floors that cover parts of the ground level. Only the workspace and kitchen floors are made of concrete slabs for ease of use and safety.
Nearby, earthen floors add a warm, natural feel to the interior with plenty of room for growing plants in-ground. As the architect puts it, being in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city, anything that brings a touch of nature, however small, is priceless.
The second-floor meeting room is open to natural daylight and connects to the trees.
A building material of choice, earthen flooring makes it possible to fill the interior with healthy green foliage along the entire wall. Earth and sand absorb and release some moisture, which contributes to a relaxed indoor ambience.
At the same time, vegetation in the front yard and decorative indoor plants both in ground and in containers go to work in tandem keeping the new office building cool and cozy just like home.
/ Story: Ektida N. / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Son Vu, Trieu Chien /
Lung Vai School stands in a small village and namesake located in the northernmost corner of Vietnam. Only 55 households of the Hmong tribe live in this mountainous terrain on the Vietnamese border with China. The natural environment is pristine, but it’s hard to get there from anywhere. Public utilities, such as water and electricity are virtually nonexistent, not to mention schoolhouses of standard sizes and qualities capable of meeting children’s learning need.
A trio of school buildings stand on a mountaintop. Circular roofs merge into the farmland vernacular and rugged terrain.
This school construction project was undertaken by AA Corporation, an interior design and furniture manufacturing industry in Vietnam. It cost 2 billion Vietnamese dongs to build, roughly 80,000 US dollars.
Its primary objective: bring educational opportunities to minority Hmong children. The schoolhouse complex performs a dual function as center of learning for kids and a venue for cultural activities in the area.
The project consists of three adjoining buildings situated a stone’s throw from the village on a mountaintop. It offers a breathtaking panorama of the landscape covered in the morning’s blue haze. The schoolhouses with circular roofs call to the mind an image of wild mushrooms shimmering in the sunlight amid a dewy meadow.
The trio includes one schoolhouse for the kindergarten, one for elementary school classrooms and the other housing the teacher’s office, plus other facilities such as bathrooms, kitchen and multifunctional spaces supporting school activities. The schoolhouse project covers 250 square meters of land, perfectly adequate for the student populations at Lung Vai and neighboring villages.
From afar, the curved roof buildings prove a perfect complement to their natural surroundings. They are put together in a way that the roof of one building overlaps another to create coherence in architecture.
It’s a passive design strategy that goes to work facilitating the traffic between rooms, keeping the schoolhouses in shade and driving natural air circulation all day long. Like so, nothing disrupts the workings of mother nature.
In cross section, a side elevation drawing shows spatial relationships between rooms and how rainwater is harvested and carried to an underground storage tank.
In terms of the language of architecture, there is a distinct synchronization of smoothly drawn curves that twist and turn as they converge at the mountaintop. All the elements of design blend together into a cohesive whole.
There is wisdom in challenges. Because the project is tucked away in a remote location, transportation is difficult to put it mildly. It was a dilemma that tested the ability of the design team at 1+1>2 Architects. And yet they rose to the challenge by successfully completing the project in only six months.
The secret to a mission accomplished lies in using building techniques and materials readily available in the area in perfect proportions, in particular rammed earth construction.
Building with rammed earth or mud brick brings many benefits. It’s friendly to the environment and capable of reducing the ambient temperatures. Plus, it’s durable even in extreme weather conditions.
Pleasant to look at, a mixture of sand, clay and other ingredients gives a rich warm color of earth hues that allows the schoolhouses to blend perfectly into the natural world around it.
A clever hack to brighten the hallway, the void of space between the top of rammed earth walls and roof trusses is filled with transparent polycarbonate boards.
Rammed earth walls are capable of supporting the loads applied to them up to a certain limit. For strength and durability, the schoolhouses also contain parts made of other materials, such as steel framing supporting roof trusses.
Steel is chosen for speed of construction and overall robustness, especially where the distance between columns increases. Plus, it’s perfect for building a great variety of roof shapes and styles.
Large windows and generous wall openings above rammed earth walls allow natural daylight and cool breezes into the interior.
Taking everything into account, it’s design that pays attention to detail in facilitating indoor traffic flows and interactions between rooms. This is evident in there being four entry areas conveniently linked to stairs and ramps leading from one floor to the other, as well as the internal traffic routes connecting all the rooms.
The schoolhouse floor is raised slightly higher from natural ground level, adding visual interest to design. The hallway leading to classrooms is built wider than average to provide space for built-in bench seating on the side. And there’s still plenty of room left.
Other useful architectural features include the extended roof overhangs that keep the classrooms cool in the summer and dry in the rainy season. Priceless!
/ Story: Kanamon Najaroen / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki /
This eye-catching home with a glimmering tile façade is situated in Bao Loc, a town in Lam Dong Province on Vietnam’s Central Highlands. It stands surrounded by buildings made of concrete and metal scattered across the cityscape, calling to the mind the image of a hot and dry summer. The house is roofed over with ceramic tiles in subdued orange that fill the upper half of the external envelope. On the whole, it’s design that expresses the homeowner’s playful personality, curiosity and desire to do something new and different.
But the outer appearance seemingly lacking in vitality belies the fact that the interior is bright, airy and comfortable. Walk in the door, and surprise! There’s a lively courtyard at the center of the house plan illuminated by a rooftop skylight. The rooms are disposed around the plant-filled area enclosed by the walls, while rock garden ideas add visual interest to the interior landscape.
Far from being hot and stuffy, it serves as communal space that’s the heart of family life. It provides play room and a conducive learning environment for kids. For aging grandma and grandpa, it brings a special kind of pleasure — the joy of grand-parenting.
The house façade is covered in terracotta tiles in subdued orange, the same materials used for roofing.Serving for camouflage, louver windows with angled slats blend perfectly into the façades of glimmering tiles. They are part of passive design strategies for lighting, cooling and ventilation in the home.
To maximize space utilization and for the privacy of this house and its next door neighbors, the architect decided in favor of a home plan that occupies the full extent of the land. The result is a curious amalgam of regular and irregular geometric shapes that make up a series of seemingly windowless facades.
From the outside, it portrays an image of a complex house plan, kind of a single-story home with a mezzanine. But inside, the interior space is neatly planned every step of the way from the courtyard floor to the circular skylight on the rooftop.
The overall effect is impressive, thanks to open-concept design that creatively divides rooms without using building walls. At the rear of the house, sliding patio doors open to a small private garden that’s calm and peaceful, a perfect sight to create deep relaxation.
The center courtyard illuminated by a rooftop skylight connects all the rooms in the house.
There is more. To maintain the lush Tropical feel of the courtyard in a hot climate, most people simply water their plants using tap water that comes out of the faucets. That’s not the case here. To save water, the architect chose a different course of action.
They brought the outdoors into the home and put it work watering the plants when it rains. In doing so, they made the corrugated tile roof incline inward toward the center of the house plan, whereby harvested rainwater is directed to the courtyard and out via an underground conduit.
This eliminates the need for installing the gutters and downspouts on the outside of the building, a clever hack to protect neighboring houses from a splash back during rain.
Master Plan / Courtesy of The BloomFirst Floor Plan / Courtesy of The BloomEntresol Plan / Courtesy of The BloomSection / Courtesy of The Bloom
For the most part, the living spaces are on the ground floor, except for a small mezzanine that’s the children’s bedroom.
For a relaxed indoor ambience, the ceiling is painted a cool-toned white. The tall side wall that reaches all the way to the roof truss has a large semi-circle window that admits natural daylight and fresh outdoor air into the room. Overall, the house is roomy and well-ventilated, thanks to double height living spaces.
The interior is light and airy, thanks to openings in the building façade where roof trusses meet the bearing wall.
Viewed from outside, a trio of louver windows with angled slats fixed at intervals blend perfectly into the façade covered in orange tiles. They are the same materials as those used to build the house’s corrugated terracotta roofing. The louver windows are part of passive design strategies that utilize the natural environment to provide lighting, cooling and ventilation to the building.
The children’s bedroom on the mezzanine is spacious and airy, thanks to a large window and double height ceiling.An operable glass wall system separates the bedroom from a small private garden, creating a spectacular space for relaxation.
The external envelope covered in orange tiles is the biggest factor that gives this house curb appeal. Among other things, terracotta tiles are the materials of choice the architect picked for the protection of privacy in the home. In his words, they “communicate” directly with the climate characteristic of the locality.
Plus, they add the charm of rustic life to the home, at least from the perspective of Grandma and Grandpa who live here. All things considered, it’s a bioclimatic home that uses the natural environment in which it stands to create a perfect place for peace and relaxation.
Going in the reverse direction, the roof inclines inward toward the center of the house plan, whereby harvested rainwater is directed to the courtyard and out via an underground conduit.
/ Story: Kanamon Najaroen / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Quang Dam /
Here’s a Tropical-style home located in Da Nang, a coastal city in central Vietnam famous for its gleaming sand beaches, Buddhist shrines and the Marble Mountains. The beautiful Han River runs through it. The hybrid timber and concrete home is appropriately named “The Hiên House” for its lively green façades, Hiên being Vietnamese for semi-outdoor room along the outside of the building. Overall, it’s a design that comes from thinking outside the box to create a relaxing space in the open air.
The house’s external envelope is simple yet contemporary in style enhanced by verdant balconies and terraces symbolic of homes in the Tropics. Plus, there’s a unique Vietnamese flair to it. As the architects intended, it’s a layout that speaks volumes for a lifestyle that seeks reconnections with nature.
The concept is manifested in the way the ordinary balconies and terraces transform into the proverbial “breathing space” for nature to recover from disruptions. That said, it makes perfect sense to live more sustainably in this day and age.
Wood and Concrete House
Situated away from a densely populated urban area, the wood and concrete house occupies the full extent of a long and narrow lot sandwiched between two roads. It’s home to three generations of a family highly skilled in traditional carpentry living in one household.
There are four stories of living spaces, excluding a rooftop deck. By design, the floor plans cater to the needs of different generations and hence vary in size and appearance from one level to the next. To celebrate the family’s distinguished career in carpentry, the architects made woodworking front-and-center concerns in house design and interior decoration.
During construction, the homeowners were also on hand to provide technical expertise at various stages in the process, especially where traditional Vietnamese woodworking skill was needed.
The light and airy front entrance is visible from the driveway covered in stone pavers.
To help protect the environment, the design team at WINHOUSE Architecture, a design atelier headquartered in Da Nang, chose to use reclaimed wood instead of newly cut timber from the lumberyard. The recycled building materials used in this project included parts of the staircase, such as treads and risers taken from old homes that had been torn down previously.
Other parts were adapted from old decking, post sleeves, balusters and handrails as well as wooden fascia. They were made suitable for a new use or purpose. And, importantly, they were easy to transport and repair without using specialized tools.
Timber is durable even as it ages. It’s safe to handle and capable of withstanding heat and humidity in the air over a long period of time. Old and weathered wood has a natural appearance that’s beautiful and needs no preservative chemicals to prolong its lifecycle, which translates into big savings and convenience.
Using reclaimed wood in combination with local knowledge and modern techniques add a new dimension to construction technology.
Balconies and Terraces for Free Air Circulation
What sets the four-story house apart from the rest is its surprising room ideas and lively green balconies that fill up the entire front façade. They are integral to a design that brings natural light and fresh outdoor air into the home. At the same time, they help dissipate heat from the building keeping the interior cool during the daytime.
Elements of design common for Southeast Asian architecture, the roofed open-air platforms along the outside of the building, be it the balcony or the terrace, perform many useful functions. Among other things, they expand the living areas, protect against the elements, and provide space for sitting rooms and passages for walking along.
First Floor Plan / Courtesy of WINHOUSE ArchitectureSecond Floor Plan / Courtesy of WINHOUSE ArchitectureThird Floor Plan / Courtesy of WINHOUSE ArchitectureIn cross section, a side elevation drawing shows space planning decorated with plants working in tandem with wall openings to admit natural light and fresh outdoor air into the home. / Courtesy of WINHOUSE ArchitectureIsometric visuals show reclaimed building materials being adapted to suit new purposes on all four levels of the new home. The message is clear: save the Earth and cut costs. / Courtesy of WINHOUSE Architecture
As is often the case with most houses, the elements of design such as balconies and terraces are built on the outside of the house. But in this particular case, the architects think it wise to incorporate them in the interior as well, sort of like going in the reverse direction. First they put in an inner courtyard at the center of the ground floor plan.
Then, by disposing the rooms around the courtyard, the areas with a faint light, such as the sitting room and workspaces, suddenly become well-lit and well-ventilated. It’s a clever hack to bring the outdoors into the home. The result is a comfortable living space filled with natural light and fresh air that contributes to feelings of relaxation.
The kitchen in the farthest room is well-lit and well-ventilated.Going in the reverse direction, the terrace that in most cases lies along the outside of the house is put inside overlooking a lively green inner courtyard.
Taking as a whole, the traffic patterns and space design make the long and narrow house plan feel roomy inside. Walk in the front door and you come to a hallway that’s light and airy, thanks to a rooftop skylight illuminating the stairs connected to a foot bridge over the nearby inner courtyard. There is no need to turn on electric lights during the daytime, which translates into big savings.
Illuminated by a rooftop skylight, the staircase and foot bridge spanning the void over the inner courtyard make traffic flow easy and convenient.
A well-lit foot bridge crafted of reclaimed timber connects the major living spaces in the home.
Climb a flight of stairs to the second floor, and surprise! It’s divided into two separate parts, the front room and the back room linked by a foot bridge that spans the void above the inner courtyard.
The same space planning applies to the third floor, except for one thing. The next staircase leading to the fourth floor is positioned further toward the back of the building. The front part holds a bedroom with a balcony decorated with lush greenery.
Cross over the foot bridge, and you come to the back room containing a workspace and sitting room. The fourth floor contains a quiet, more secluded reading room with a bright and breezy small garden for relaxation. It’s a comfortable living space and the light is more diffuse under the canopy of trees.
Plants growing luxuriantly make the house façade green and lively.
Local builders skilled in traditional carpentry reinforce wood beams and pillars for increased load capacities.
In conclusion, the wood and concrete home called “The Hiên House” lives up to its name. All the elements of good judgement in design go to work turning it into an oasis of calm. Everything works out as it should, from a well-lit, well-aired inner courtyard to the plants, trees and small gardens thriving luxuriantly on the balconies and terraces. Perhaps, one word describes it all, salubrious!
/ Story: Wuthikorn Sut / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki /
Here’s a beautiful good-sized home with exposed brick walls in subdued orange. It sits peacefully nestled among lush greenery in Nha Be, a suburban district of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. By design, it’s the perfect home size for four sisters who recently decided to come home to care for their aging Mom. A nice place for their family reunion, the brick home is filled with real warmth and memories growing up together back in the day.
Connecting Home and Garden
Designed to fit a long piece of property, the rectangular house plan holds five bedrooms plus a roomy communal space that’s the heart of family life. The architect puts the face of the building closer to the road which passes in front of the house leaving just enough room for a small front yard.
Like so, it allows a huge space for the backyard garden devoted to trees and shrubs and an outdoor sitting room.
Inside, the spacious room shared by all family members lies front and center on the house plan. To bring fresh air into the home, all the rooms are connected to the outdoor spaces in front and back of the building.
The front yard holds a small garden that’s an important factor in curb appeal. The interior is comfortable thanks to double-wall construction. The perforated outer shell performs a dual function protecting the house from heat and glare and serving as privacy screens.
Overall, it’s a design that lets the earthy, woody scents of nature permeate the air. Up front, healthy green foliage transforms the communal area into a calm, pleasant place enlivened by plenty of natural light streaming in through generous openings in the walls.
Open-concept design and floating furniture ideas make the communal room feel spacious, light and airy.An opening at the center of the house plan connects the first floor with the second, resulting in good visual and spatial continuity. The absence of risers between the treads of the staircase makes the room feel spacious and well-ventilated.
On one side of the floor plan, a flight of stairs connects to the second floor and continues to the room just below the roof that acts as a buffer against the sun and heat. The absence of vertical risers between the treads of the staircase creates visual and spatial continuity, plus good air flow in the interior.
Overhead, a shaft of sunlight streams through the rooftop skylight making the home feel bright and airy all day.
A semi-circle skylight lets sunlight shine through turning the home into a well-lighted place.
Brick the Material of Choice
The two-and-a-half-story brick home, including the room under the roof, is built almost entirely of bricks for the best indoor climate. Needless to say it’s designed for healthy living.
The first floor is a perfect example of communal space with plenty of room for a generous sitting area, dining room and kitchen. It speaks volumes for a culture of caring and sharing that’s the essence of humanity.
A patch of lush greenery in the front yard makes the sitting room feel warm and invitingly comfortable.
For practical reason, Mom’s open-concept bedroom is on the first floor. It’s protected from the sun’s harmful rays by perforated brick walls that form the outer shell. The inside is clear of anything that might be a tripping hazard.
The perforated brick wall forms the outer shell protecting Mom’s open-concept bedroom.
Meanwhile, the four sisters each have their own bedrooms on the second floor. They are equal-sized rooms connected by a balcony overlooking the communal space on the first floor. At the very top, the space under the roof becomes a devotional room for traditional veneration of the family’s ancestors. It has a quiet sitting area with a view of the surrounding landscape.
The bedrooms on the second floor are plain and simple. Windows on the interior walls bring back that peaceful easy feeling.The top floor under the roof contains a devotional room for the veneration of family ancestors
Taken as a whole, the natural environment is pristine thanks to an irrigation canal that runs past the back of the property. Both sides of the waterway are covered in greenery growing luxuriantly in the wild. It’s easy to get why the architect puts in a backyard garden here, a clever hack that blends perfectly into the lush landscape.
The house is built strong using concrete frame and concrete floor slab construction, while the external envelop is made of bricks in assorted orange hues fired the old-fashioned way. Perforated brick facades enable interior spaces to benefit from natural daylight. Gaps between bricks in the house’s exterior walls admit light and fresh outdoor air into the home.
A material of choice, the vintage style bricks can absorb humidity from the nearby water body, which translates into interior thermal comfort all year round. Plus, they effectively filter out dust and pollution in the air.
The siting of the house in relation to others in the community. — Courtesy of Tropical Space
Apart from protecting against heat and glare, brick walls add a touch of timeless elegance to the home. Perforated facades double as privacy screens that prevent people from looking in and keep the home cool without air conditioning.
The light that shines through is more diffuse, while holes in the brick walls act as engine that drives natural ventilation. Plus, brick walls require little to no maintenance, and they look like new after many years later.
First Floor Plan — Courtesy of Tropical SpaceSecond Floor Plan — Courtesy of Tropical SpaceAttic Floor Plan — Courtesy of Tropical SpaceIn cross section, a side elevation drawing shows the feel and functionality of the house plan. — Courtesy of Tropical Space
Backyard Garden Made for Relaxation
One of the house’s outstanding features is the backyard garden with an outdoor circular bench capable of seating several people. Built of bricks in subdued shades of orange, it’s the family’s favorite meeting place in the morning and evening.
Because it’s round, it creates more space for family members to come together face-to-face, talk together, walk together strengthening the bonds of sisterhood and relationships made in heaven.
An outdoor circular bench made of bricks in assorted orange hues adorns the backyard garden designed for face-to-face family gatherings in the morning and evening.
An aerial view shows the brick house in subdued shades of orange nestled among lush greenery with a tree lined irrigation canal in the backdrop, a healthy ecosystem that helps cool the environment.
/ Story: MNSD, Kor Lordkam / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Courtesy of Soar Design Studio /
Ray Chang of Soar Design Studio grew up in a peaceful environment set amid the beauties of nature in Taiwan, an island at the junction of the East and South China Seas. He developed an interest in the Truth of Nature, finding moral strength that lies beyond the realm of capitalism and the increasing globalization of the world economy. It’s a conscious cognitive process that, in a gradual way, enabled him to formulate new thoughts and a sense of perspective different from that of his contemporaries. These qualities are often manifested in his architectural masterpieces and other designs influenced by Eastern philosophy. Obviously they embrace the beauty of change in nature in an era characterized by a whole range of pursuits of certainty in uncertain times.
Through the years Ray Chang has won acclaim for his architectural works, among them the Golden Pin Design Award, one of Asia’s most coveted prizes for best designs. With that being said, he’s one of Taiwan’s up-and-coming, young architects to watch, especially in the residential, commercial, restaurant and café design category.
He founded the Soar Design Studio in 2012, a year notorious for many bad events on a global scale. Amid tumultuous times, Ray even asked himself what was it exactly that he had a passion for.
TERRA Bean to BarWild HouseRi Ri Chun
The following are excerpts from an interview we did recently with Ray. It touched upon his thoughts and philosophy, the attitude and theory he held that guided his many successful designs. They evoke the image of a real architect questing after truth, one inspired by the beauties of nature and the deep meanings it brings. Here’s a glimpse into this thought.
Q: When it comes to creating a design, you often draw an analogy between man-made structures and the workings of nature. Where did you get this idea from?
A: “Living in the countryside, of course nature was part of my growing up. I believe it’s possible to make architecture blend perfectly into its natural surroundings.
“There are plenty building materials and designs all around waiting to be discovered. We only need to pay attention to detail. Focus on feelings and how you react physically and psychologically as you reconnect with nature. And those good feelings should come naturally to you.
“I tried to free myself from the constraint of Western style architecture, preferring instead to pay attention to the ideas and designs that give great aesthetic pleasure from the point of view of Eastern philosophy. To put it simply, I tried to think outside the box, trust my instincts, be honest with my personal ideology and give special importance to the circumstances that form the setting of the project site.”
TERRA Bean to BarTERRA Bean to Bar
Q: You said that you wanted to free yourself from the constraint of Western style architecture. Why is that so?
A: “Western style architecture is a branch of knowledge founded on scientific thinking, a set of reasoning processes which is a big help in terms of construction. But we need to have our own design guidelines. In the Eastern world, it’s a crossover between architecture and spirituality. It’s a concept that has implications in design. We focus on feelings, and we listen to our hearts.
“I have a Western style architecture foundation from which I cannot escape. But at least I can make a difference by integrating the two approaches so as to create a successful design. I grew up in a rural area where works of architecture were few and far between. It was a learning environment that made me think differently and hence design things in my own way.
“It’s neither the Japanese style nor the Chinese style. But, taken as a whole, it’s something that epitomizes Eastern philosophy. It’s about making appropriate adaptations to merge into the natural environment, rather than trying to dominate or control it.”
Life in a Treehouse / “It’s this house in the woods that enhanced my childhood experiences. At the time, all I ever wanted was a fun place to live, and this house came in handy to give me the inspiration going forward, a home in nature’s peaceful embrace.”
Q: Is that the reason why you became interested in “Wabi-sabi”, a Japanese aesthetic concept, and the Truth to Materials approach to architecture.
A: “I think “Wabi-sabi” is about natural simplicity. It’s the concept of impermanence and the transience of life.
“Take for example a piece of architecture that I created back in 2016. It was a renovation project aptly named the “Old House in Wabi-sabi”. As I was working on it, I discovered it took on a life of its own. It had a rich history judging from the traces left behind through time and the power of storytelling that came with age. Together they became my front-and-center concerns.
“I refrained from applying new principles to it, but preferred instead to let inspiration happen during the designing process. Long story short, it’s this project that introduced me to Wabi-sabi, the traditional Japanese aesthetics.
The Old House in Wabi-Sabi
“I’ve always been fascinated by the Truth of Nature, which is the core concept of Wabi-sabi. It’s one of several abstract ideas from Eastern philosophy. There are also Chinese belief systems governing how people think and behave, among them a thought credited to Laozi, literally “The Old Master”, and the ancient Chinese text Zhuangzi that deals with the philosophical problem of change.
“Overall, they combine to give me a foundation or moral principles guiding my thoughts and my work.
The Old House in Wabi-SabiThe Old House in Wabi-Sabi
“Precisely, I’m not in business to build structures or spaces that will last for all eternity. That’s not for me. Rather, I want to create something that’s beautiful in its time.
“So, whether I’m working on an old house or a new one, it’s of the utmost importance to reconnect with nature. When humans are linked with the natural environment, it calls to the conscious mind the image of Wabi-sabi, a piece of architecture that accepts the natural cycle of life. It leaves behind the traces of time that act as a catalyst of change.
“I use the word “complete” to describe the subtleties of change effected on the surface of an old building material. The same textural subtlety cannot be produced again on a new material. Each trace of time is unique and can never be repeated. And that’s the power of storytelling that captivates me.”
Q: Does the context of a project, physical or cultural, have any significant impact on your design? How?
A: “To answer that, I’d rather use the term “neighborhood” or “community” rather than the word “context”.
“In modern urban planning, the original circumstances that form the setting of a place are long gone. Plus, the real estate market has expanded at a faster pace now than ever before. New landmark buildings have mushroomed everywhere. I’ve always thought that the term “neighborhood” or “community” would be more appropriate for the present circumstances.
“Locality” is another word that I’m interested in. In fact, we should pay attention to the “landscape” and try to understand the characteristics of the “people” and their ways of life. This will give us a better understanding of cultures and social interactions in a locality.
“It’s synergy and a sense of belonging that I experienced growing up in rural Taiwan, where neighbors came together, talked together and good times were had by all. Well-thought-out architecture, such as shops, restaurants, café, et cetera, can play a role in bringing back those fond memories.
TERRA Bean to Bar
“I adapted an old house making it suitable for new use and created a welcoming atmosphere in which authentic Taiwanese tea was brewed and served the traditional way. It connected with nature for health and well-being according to Eastern philosophy.
“While doing that, I spent time in that old house every day to get the feel of the place and everything about it from sunshine to surrounding lush green fields. Inspired by the location and the house interior, I changed the floor plan almost weekly until I found the right balance.”
Zhao-Zhao Tea LoungeRi Ri Chun / A neighborhood restaurant gives off charming Taiwanese vibes. It’s a design that reflects local culture that seeks reconnections with nature through well-thought-out plans and the use of simple materials. It won the coveted Golden Pin Design Award 2022 in the Spatial Design category.
Q: Your designs are mostly residential and commercial spaces. Will you follow the same principles in doing larger projects?
A: “I’ll give you an example. We’re in the process of developing a large-scale project, the initial phase of which involves transforming a neglected area of grounds into a public park. A tall building will come after that. In Taiwan we have to wait a year or two to catch up on some paperwork and get everything legally approved. While there’s no construction going on, the unused grounds transform into an open public space for people in the neighborhood.
“It’s filled with plants indigenous to Taiwan with a small teahouse in a peaceful country setting. The teashop provides reflections on the Wabi-sabi concept that finds beauty in imperfection and change taking place over time. As soon as construction gets underway, the teahouse will move out to serve a new purpose as school building in a remote area. Every step of the way, people are aware of the cycle of change taking place in the community.”
Q: From then till now, are there any serious challenges preventing Soar Design Studio from achieving its goal?
A: “We established a business offering our design styles in the midst of uncertainty in the real estate market. Like everything else, starting is often the hardest part. There were some clients who didn’t get what we’re trying to achieve. But things have gotten much better lately. We got a lot more work coming in thanks to our ability to get the message across and present our concept and our belief to a wider audience.
“By the way, I’m still a paper-and-pencil man who prefers drawing by hand to using apps. It’s great to begin with hand drawing for it helps me think and discover new, exciting possibilities. The computer comes in next to finish the job. It’s the main tool to get things done and communicate with others. I’m trying to find the right balance even as I speak.”
Soar Design Studio Office
Q: On the design principles that embody Eastern philosophy. How are they catching on among the Taiwanese? Are they well received by the young generation?
A: “They seem to be popular with small social groups outside the mainstream of Taiwanese life. Nowadays, Western cultures still have an influence on the perception of beauty among most people.
“The clients who come to us are mainly those who appreciate beauty from the Eastern perspective. By participating in competitions at the international level, we have been able to create greater awareness of Eastern concepts through our well-thought-out designs.
“In reality, we may not be able to keep Western influences out of designs created by Taiwanese architects. I think that Taiwan being an island is at an advantage. We have long-established cultures and distinct identity of our own, but everything is changing fast. The question is: how can we begin to carry on work at preserving our design principles amidst challenges?
“I’m really pleased that young generation architects have made local values front-and-center concerns in their designs. So Taiwan can expect unique and interesting phenomena in architecture in the foreseeable future. I hope that we’ll be able to strike the right balance between Eastern and Western values.”
/ Story: Kor Lordkam / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Infographic Designer: Chittawat /
In this presentation, we take a look at war memorials across Southeast Asia, ones that inspire people to be cognizant of the turbulent past, live in the present and look to the future.
Wars have the potential to bring destruction, death and losses, not to mention physical and mental injuries. They have long-lasting impacts on the social and economic fabric of countries. Soldiers who fought the battle knew only too well what it meant to suffer from a psychological trauma. So did civilians who accounted for the majority of war-time casualties.
There is no denying that violent conflicts bring painful experiences hard to be reconciled with. In memory of the hardships and tribulations, monuments are erected. Some are built in remembrance of those who died heroic deaths. Others serve as grim reminders of the terrible things that happened. Sadly, life that’s lost cannot be brought back again.
The countries of Southeast Asia are no strangers to tragic events of the past. Each one of them has a sense of history and heritage to pass on to its next generations. That’s reason enough to commemorate the struggles, freedoms and notable events that have come to define a country’s distinct character.
The Rizal Monument
Manila, the Philippines
Erected: 1913
The Rizal Monument is a memorial to José Rizal, the Philippine national hero, writer and leader of a reform movement. He was widely recognized for his writings that centered on liberal and progressive ideas, freedom and individual rights of the Filipino people.
An advocate of political reform in the Philippines, he was arrested and brought to trial for the crime of rebellion after the Philippine Revolution broke out. He was found guilty and eventually executed by the Spanish colonial administration in 1896. The Spanish-American War brought Spain’s rule on the islands to an end in 1898, only to be followed by the Philippine-American War between 1899 and 1902.
Memorials in honor of José Rizal were erected in several places, the most well-known of which being the Rizal Monument built in 1913. It’s situated at Rizal Park, also known as Luneta Park, one of the most famous landmarks in Manila.
The Rangoon Memorial is part of the Taukkyan War Cemetery, the largest of the three battlefield cemeteries in Myanmar. It’s located about an hour’s drive from the Yangon city proper.
More than 27,000 names of men of the Commonwealth land forces who died in military operations across Burma (now Myanmar) are displayed here. The Taukkyan War Cemetery is a Commonwealth burial ground for more than 6,300 soldiers who perished during the Second World War, of whom only 5,500 men could be positively identified.
The Tugu Negara, or National Monument, is a 15-meter-tall bronze sculpture in the center of Kuala Lumpur. Designed by Austrian-American artist Felix de Weldon, it’s a memorial to those who died fighting for freedom. The Tugu Negara features a sculpture of seven human figures representing seven key attributes of Malaysia as a nation, namely, courage, sacrifice, leadership, suffering, strength, unity and vigilance.
Taken as a whole, it’s a reminder of the struggles against the Japanese occupation during World War II and the loss of many lives during the Malayan Emergency, guerrilla warfare fought in then British Malaya between communist pro-independence fighters and the combined forces of the Federation of Malaya, the British Empire and the Commonwealth from 1948 to 1960.
The Civilian War Memorial is a heritage landmark dedicated to civilians who died during the Japanese occupation of Singapore in World War II from 1942 to 1945. It’s the brainchild of Singaporean designers from Swan and Maclaren Architects, a homegrown architectural and industrial design firm.
The memorial sculpture standing 68 meters tall consists of four pillars representative of people of four races, namely Malay, Chinese, Indian and Eurasian, who perished during the war. The number of civilian victims taken away and executed by the Japanese occupation forces has been unknown, but the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce reported a figure of 40,000 deaths.
The Patuxai, literally Gate of Victory, is erected in remembrance of those who died fighting to protect their fatherland during World War II. It’s also a memorial to the struggles that resulted in the country gaining independence from French colonial rule in 1949. It’s modeled on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, except for the decorating sculptures that convey a great deal about the culture and belief systems unique to Laos.
Together they form the basis of a mix of religions, namely Buddhism, Brahmanism and Hinduism that’s evident in the figures of deities and mythical creatures from ancient literature. They include Kinnaree, the female bird with a human head; and Erawan, the three-headed elephant. The Patuxai is a memorial landmark in the center of Vientiane, the capital of Laos PDR.
The National Monument, also known as Monumen Nasional, or Monas, commemorates the struggle for Indonesian independence. It stands as a testimony to the hardships and the fight for freedom from the Dutch who ruled Indonesia from 1816 to 1941, only to be followed by the Japanese occupation which ended in 1945.
Indonesian architect Friedrich Silaban submitted his design for the National Monument in 1955, but the project was further refined and eventually completed by another architect, R.M. Soedarsono.
The obelisk (square stone pillar) carries the torch of Indonesian independence at the top decorated with bronze and gold. It stands in the middle of 80-hectare parkland that’s part of Merdeka Square in the center of Jakarta.
The Son My Memorial is dedicated to victims of the My Lai Massacre that took place at Son My village, Quang Ngai Province, formerly South Vietnam. The indiscriminate killing of civilians by United States Army personnel happened at the height of the Vietnam War in 1968. The GI’s arrived in the area expecting to engage the National Liberation Front (NLF), but ended up killing innocent civilians instead.
As fighting escalated in the area, it was estimated that more than 500 lives were lost. The world reacted in shock and horror. The Son My Memorial is depicted as a time of unwavering resolve in the face of tragedy and great suffering. Now the village is home to a museum and paraphernalia that people keep as reminders of the tragic event.
The Choeung Ek Genocidal Center is located 15 kilometers from Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. Formerly referred to as the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, it’s the best-known among a few hundred sites that communist Khmer Rouge forces used to exterminate their adversaries during internal conflicts that took place between 1975 and 1979.
It was estimated that more than 20,000 people were killed and buried in mass graves at this site alone. Approximately two million lives were lost at the hands of the Khmer Rouge countrywide. Choeung Ek is now home to a memorial museum dedicated to victims of the Khmer Rouge.
It’s a tall building with multi-tiered roof design symbolic of Buddhist architecture. Inside, piles of human skulls and bones are on display as a grim historical reminder. Outside, the surrounding landscape calls attention to years the country was turmoil.
The Hellfire Pass, or Chong Khao Khat in Thai, is a preserved historic site located in mountainous terrain in the western part of Kanchanaburi bordering on Myanmar. It’s home to the infamous railway cutting site on the former Burma Railway line built during World War II by forced labor including allied prisoners of war from several countries.
About 12,800 allied prisoners died of malnutrition and disease along with another 90,000 Asians who perished building the so-called “Death Railway”. The Hellfire Pass that was the most difficult section of the then Siam-Burma railway line has been preserved in memory of the allied prisoners and forced labor working under harsh conditions cutting through rocks under torchlights at night, a sight conjuring up the image of fires of hell.
/ Story: Kor Lordkam / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: MinQBui /
This narrow lot house is located in Can Tho, a modern city in the South of Vietnam. It lies on the south bank of the Hau River, one of several estuaries through which the Mekong River empties into the South China Sea. Like any busy city, it’s no stranger to incessant activity and overcrowded streets. That’s a practical difficulty for the design team at Da Vang Studio, a homegrown architectural practice based in Ho Chi Minh City. And they rise to the challenge by integrating as much green foliage as possible in the house plan. The result is impressive. The gardens house with a narrow frontage to the street transforms into an oasis of calm, one that offers plenty of comfortable living spaces in close touch with nature.
The solid external envelope keeps the house interior safe and secure.
The elongated house plan occupies the full extent of the land that measures 4.5 meters wide and a whopping 23 meters long. As may be expected, the external envelope of the house also doubles as the perimeter of the garden.
The exterior walls are built tall and unable to be seen through for privacy reasons. Yet, the design team has found a way to provide physical ease and relaxation. They called their design approach “Fitting”, meaning everything has to be kept in proportion, nothing more or nothing less than what’s necessary.
Albeit small, it’s a light and airy, well-thought-out house plan.
The Floor Plans of Nhà Voi 7 Gardens House courtesy of DA VÀNG Studio.In cross section, the elongated house plan illustrates linear arrangements of rooms, functionality, and greenery spaces. Correct building orientation paired with solid exterior walls protects the home from the sun’s harmful rays. Picture by Courtesy of DA VÀNG Studio.Healthy green foliage lining the walls and the face of the building keeps the front yard light and breezy.
The kitchen and dining room combo lies at the front of the house plan illuminated by a full array of rooftop skylights.
The two-story house on a narrow lot offers plenty of usable spaces arranged in order of priority. Go in the front door, and you come into the hallway that connects to a dining room and kitchen.
The living room is halfway down the passage with a flight of stairs set against the wall leading to the second floor that holds two bedrooms.
The light and airy living room lies halfway down the passage decorated with small patches of greenery.Adding visual interest to design, arched structures separate the living room from the stairway connecting to the second floor.
The quiet, more secluded master bedroom lies at the very end of the first floor that opens to a small sun-kissed courtyard. It’s protected by a lattice patio cover that lets the sun shine through and drives natural air circulation.
The light and airy master bedroom on the first floor opens to a small backyard garden.The master bedroom has a view of the bright and breezy backyard that lies protected by a lattice patio cover.
Calming color and texture add a relaxing effect to one of the bedrooms on the second-floor.The glass-brick wall admits natural daylight into the second-floor bathroom decorated with plants.
What makes this tiny house unique is the fact that all the indoor and outdoor rooms are enclosed behind solid walls. The feeling of being boxed in is nicely compensated by small interior courtyards and patches of greenery designed for comfort and relaxation.
Of the seven green spaces incorporated in the house plan, the front yard and the backyard are the biggest and the greenest. Adding a touch of nature to the interior, low-light and easy houseplants are positioned at intervals along the walls. Even the bathrooms have small patches of greenery that’s easy on the eyes.
Although small in size, this gardens house comes complete with comfortable living spaces and modern conveniences for healthy living.
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