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Home Where Every Day is a Holiday

By fiatdusdul
May 18, 2020
HOUSES

Here is a modern one-story house with a charming interior courtyard, plus ample and airy multipurpose spaces. The gentle slope of hip roof design shields it from too much sun and rain, the prevailing climate in Thailand.

/// THAILAND ///
Story: Patsiri Chotpongsun / Photography: Rithirong Chanthongsuk / Designer: Looklen Architects Co.,Ltd. by Nuttapol Techopitch / Owner: Pacharanan Marittida

15 modern one-story house — A sectional L-shaped sofa dominates the living room filled with natural light streaming through front and back glass-window walls. Slanted ceilings prove a perfect complement to the gentle slope of hip roof design.

The well-lit living rooms are easy on the eyes, thanks to front and back glass-window walls that give the impression of more space.

Small house surprisingly spacious

The old house that had stood on this plot of land for 40 years was pulled down to make room for a new home. The new floor plan takes up almost the entire 64 square wah in extent. Albeit small, it’s fully equipped to suit the lifestyle needs of Pacharanan Marittida and her lovely canine companion..

Sharing his design inspiration, architect Nuttapol Techopitch said: “In the beginning, the old wooden house belonged to Grandma and Grandpa. The time has come for a decision to be made, so we thought it wise to go for a bright and airy home plan. The owner had many relatives living nearby and needed extra room to get together with family. Plus, she wanted a studio to give piano lessons. As music teacher, she played the piano at home a lot.” After site inspections, Nuttapol proposed an interesting alternative – build a new home. It would save her money.

The reason was obvious. The old two-story house sat on low land that was prone to groundwater flooding. There were no easy solutions. If the ground floor was raised even slightly to protect against water damage, there wouldn’t be enough headroom. The architect responded with light and airy designs for single-level, two-level, and split-level homes to choose from. The homeowner picked the one-story design raised above the flood level that measured 190 square meters.

The new house feels surprisingly spacious, bright and well-ventilated, while indoor and outdoor rooms are well-connected. There’s an open-roofed area at the center that’s used for planting trees. It’s a layout that places great emphasis on having ample space. High ceilings that are consistent with hip roof design make it suitable for hot and humid weather. The central courtyard that lies in the open air complements a look that’s stylish and very relaxed. Plus, it provides good air circulation.

On the north side, the open-roofed area is bordered by a wooden lattice that enables interior spaces to benefit from natural light, fresh air and sunshine. The interlaced structure also keeps the floor devoted for service spaces concealed from the view.

Beyond the carport, a courtyard lies mostly enclosed by glass walls that let natural light stream into the house’s interior. At the center, a thriving lettuce tree (Pisonia grandis R. Br.) adds a decorative touch to the home. — Beyond the carport, a courtyard lies mostly enclosed by glass walls that let natural light stream into the house’s interior. At the center, a thriving lettuce tree *(Pisonia grandis R. Br.)* adds a decorative touch to the home.

The owner’s love of woodworking is evident in décor materials made mostly of wood. Among them, a custom-made dining table set proves a perfect complement to the modern style home.

The heart of a happy home

Roof overhangs offer many benefits. For this modern one-story home, they give protection against too much sun and prying eyes. A living room that’s the heart of a happy home lies hidden from view and can only be seen upon entering the carport. The interior is decorated with an L-shaped, charcoal gray sectional sofa. The slanted ceilings are made of wood for its adaptability to a variety of designs while the rooms are surrounded by glass walls, thereby reducing the need for artificial lighting. The open concept floor plan, also in the shape of the letter L, provides a way to move through space unhindered from the sitting room to the dining area. Looking out the window, the center courtyard dominated by a lettuce tree (Pisonia grandis R. Br.) can be seen from every direction. The tree that has been in the family for a long time was dug up and replanted here to keep the yard lush green.

With plenty of room to run and play, the new home is a paradise for “Khamin”, the resident golden retriever.

As the architect put it, “To make the atmosphere relaxed and airy, we avoid putting in too much furniture. Where appropriate, wood accents add warmth to the interior space and create dimension. Wood is also great for the piano room. At first the homeowner intended to put a grand piano there, but later changed her mind and went for a digital piano to optimize small room acoustics. To give it a natural look, a mix of artificial and real Tabaek wood (Lagerstroemia floribunda) is used on parts of the exterior and wood lattice that borders the courtyard. Plus, color harmony between indoor and outdoor spaces makes the house even more appealing. Meanwhile, floor tiles in marble design give the impression of ample space.”

Built-in storage shelves provide a creative solution to dress up a blank wall. Each flat length of wood has enough room for a musical instrument and every conceivable gadget.

A solid wooden door separates the kitchen from family room. It’s one clever hack to banish the smoke and cooking orders, plus it’s easy to keep clean.

Warm, ingenious design for pure enjoyment every day

The interior is quite impressive. It even has a space devoted to “Khamin”, the beautiful golden retriever who comes and goes freely between this and the other house on the property. There’s also a special doggie nook in the carport with a sloped floor. It’s pet friendly and ideal for hyper dogs, thanks to seamless wash pebble finishes.

Pacharanan said, “The dog runs and plays everywhere inside and outside. We have to towel dry the hair and vacuum the floor often. Hence, non-carpeted floors make perfect sense, while special leather upholstery on the sofa is scratch resistant. This has made it possible for humans and dogs to share living spaces. Plus, there is plenty of room to lounge about when relatives visit. On the whole, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming, which makes every day feel like a vacation. The only thing missing is the seaside view. By night, it feels more like Khao Yai (national park) to sit in the living room and peer into the courtyard aglow under twinkle electric lights. The scenery is inspiring for song writing.”

Taking everything into account, it’s well worth it. The house with an inner courtyard is small, yet beautifully organized and made for pure enjoyment every day.

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A Stunning Breeze Block House for Avid Dog Lovers

By fiatdusdul
May 11, 2020
HOUSES

This impressive small contemporary house is the place where a married couple live with their seven dogs. House on stilt design paired with a breeze block wall allows plenty of air and natural light into the room. Pleasant and healthy, it’s a paradise for avid dog lovers and their fluffy companions.

/// THAILAND ///
Story: Patsiri Chotpongsun / Photography: Sitthisak Namkham / Architects: REUN Home Design / Owners: Roung Jobby Wuttinawin and Whan Paktranon

The side facing west gets double layer protection. While a rose apple tree keeps the house in shade during the day, a continuous vertical breeze block structure allows fresh air into the interior.

The sheer loveliness of man’s best friends was reason enough for a married couple, Roung Jobby Wuttinawin and Whan Paktranon, to build a home ideally suited for their needs. The problem was Whan had allergies. To avoid going about it in the wrong way, they left the planning in the good hands of architect Unnop Wongwaipananij of REUN Home Design.

The result is a modern, geometric-shaped stilt house with a shed roof that’s well ventilated, easy to keep clean and easy to update. The side of the house facing west is protected by a continuous vertical breeze block structure, plus a full-grown tree to keep the home in shade for much of the day. The under-floor space has a carport and laundry area with plenty of room for doggie nooks. In essence, it’s a small place with all the comforts of a full-functioning home where humans and dogs live in harmony.

Jobby’s favorite spot in the house has a big table that changes function from work to recreation to dining in a flash. Here, time well spent is time spent with best friends. In a quiet and calm environment, who needs a coffee shop?

By floating a couch in the middle of the sitting room, the designer creates the illusion of having more space. It’s a great way to optimize the room to cultivate a bond between man’s best friends and their owners, plus it’s easy to update and keep clean.

The modern shed roof dwelling is raised high above the ground on piles reminiscent of traditional Thai houses. The under-floor space has a carport, laundry area, and room for dogs to lounge about, play and get some exercise.

A dog’s dream house

“This house is built for the dogs. We just share a living space like a big family,” said Jobby with a laugh.

Sharing his story with us, Jobby said: “Originally I lived with Mom to the rear of the property. Other siblings also resided in the neighborhood. After I got married, I received this plot of land, about one rai, from Mom. We wanted a home that could accommodate all seven dogs we had at the time. Later, when three of them died, we adopted three new dogs after they had been injured. Who knows, we may have more in future.”.

The couple sought advice from Unnop, their architect friend who also took an avid interest in dogs. And the rest was history. Their new house is a salubrious place, one that’s bright, happy and easy to keep clean.

A section of the laundry room is cordoned off to make room for a dog yard with temporary individual crates for some that don’t get along.

A lightweight sofa can move easily to make the small living room feel bigger.

The bedroom is furnished with just the bare necessities consisting of a bed, sideboard, and desk. Open plan design makes perfect sense in a situation where dogs are allowed to sleep in the bedroom.

A happy state of mind in geometric design

The geometric house design that the couple requests is simple yet attractively modern thanks to its shed roof style. Stilt house design offers ample under-floor spaces for a carport, laundry area and plenty of room just for dogs. The floor is a flat slap that’s formed of concrete making it easy for future updates. It lies surrounded by lush green lawns and stable pea gravel paths that are ideal for dog runs.

Whan said that she discovered the benefits of breeze block construction while reading BaanLaeSuan magazines. Square concrete blocks with air vents are a perfect match for geometric house design. “In fact, I want to do more home decorating, but ‘Photo’ (her golden retriever) is only 9 months old and very active. So the open floor plan is the best solution at least for the time being. Living room furniture understandably comes down to the bare essentials. There’s a couch that floats in the middle of the room surrounded by dogs, while a computer desk for Jobby is placed against a wall. The dogs sleep in the same room at night.”

A design based on human needs and dog behavior

The blueprint is not only about humans sharing a living space with their canine companions. It’s also about creating functions suitable for their physical and mental health. Every little thing counts. The top half of the main gate is made of perforated metal sheets that allow dogs to see outside. The deck bench seat and stairs have steel railing that protects against slip and fall accidents. The floors are non-carpeted to reduce dust and allergens in the home. As a precaution, rough floor tiles are used instead. Curtains are made of washable material that’s easy to keep clean. Meantime, window sills are set lower with safety grazing to allow dogs to look outside.

In developing his design concept, the architect said: “Because the house faces due south, the front façade sees the most hours of sunlight during the day. So we put the building in the east side of the land with the bedroom at the rear to avoid heat buildup inside and for better privacy..

“To cool down the interior living spaces, the bathroom is placed along the side to provide a buffer against the harsh afternoon sun. This in turn keeps the bathroom dry and protects against humidity damage. For practical reasons, an air brick wall is chosen to allow southwesterly winds to enter and circulate inside. Nearby, an additional layer of protection is provided by a full-grown rose apple tree.”

There are many health benefits of owning dogs. They are reason enough to wake up feeling fresh, get out of bed, and step outside.

Even dogs need a vacation. Jobby, Whan and their four-legged friends are on a bird watching trip to Bang Pu, Samut Prakarn, which is only a short drive from where they live.

Asked what it’s like to live here, the couple said: “Overjoyed! We’ve made the most effective use of indoor and outdoor spaces, especially the main living room. The late afternoon is usually spent with the dogs in the under-floor room where fresh air is plentiful. Sometimes we take them out for a walk, go swimming or make a bird watching trip to Bang Pu, which is only 10 kilometers away. The seven dogs make living here a pleasure. Each one of them has its special doggie nook. We know they are happy to be here, too.”

A Bright, Seemingly Hovering House

By fiatdusdul
May 2, 2020
HOUSES

This light and airy house with lots of white looks like an optical illusion. Nestled in the heart of Vientiane, it appears to be floating above a lush green oasis with crystal clear pool water. The beautiful dwelling called “White House” is the work of Saola Architects, a homegrown design studio in Laos.

/// LAOS ///
Design: Saola Architects /// Furniture and Décor: Birds Follow Spring /// Photographs: Akira Sato

The pastel white house with 160 sq. m. usable internal space sits encompassed by its natural surroundings. As the architects intended, it has the general shape of the letter V. The ground floor is mostly enclosed by glass walls that afford the seamless integration of indoor and outdoor living spaces.

The architects said they got the design inspiration from a vernacular architectural style in Laos. The house plan, which reflects local traditions, has been adapted to make it suitable for modern living. This includes making the interior living rooms bright and airy, and connect to outdoor spaces with no apparent gaps or spaces in between.

The swimming pool is placed in a straight line along one side of the V-shaped design that in a way is dictated by the appearance of the land. As time passes, sunlight reflected from the pool puts on a spectacular shadow and light show on nearby walls. Because the ground floor enclosure is made mostly out of glass, only the upper part of the house is visible from afar and seemingly hovering above the landscape.

The inground pool provides passive cooling that drives natural air circulation, thereby improving the indoor thermal comfort. As pool water evaporates, air currents carry moisture or water vapor into and out of the room. As a result of that, the interior is kept cool without the need for air conditioning. The heat gain control makes the house comfortable to live despite a hot and humid climate.

Aesthetically, the house is a mix of bare concrete on the inside and lots of white paint on the outside. For an improvement of the indoor climate, wood is the main décor material for its ability to provide a soothing ambience especially in private areas on the second floor. By and large, the seemingly floating house is poetry in motion when kissed by the sun. It’s spacious, airy and bright thanks to open floor design, plus windows that allow plenty of natural light and good ventilation all year round.

A Naturally Peaceful Single Story Home

By fiatdusdul
April 23, 2020
HOUSES

Here’s a single story house built on a naturally peaceful plot of land. Blending in with the lovely surroundings, it makes simple living easy. The simplicity of design affords plenty of room to take a walk around or sit on the porch and enjoy the beautiful landscape. Inspired by the restful view of a Buddhist temple in Tokyo, it’s a perfect example of happiness at the deepest level.

/// THAILAND ///
Story: Patsiri Chot /// Photography: Anupong Chaisukkasem /// House Design: Anonym, /// Landscape Design: P do Landscape Studio

Architects Phongphat Ueasagkhomset and Parnduangjai Roojnawate of the Anonym design studio said the house plan was based on the experience of the homeowner who recently visited Tokyo and came away impressed by the pleasant, soothing ambience of Japanese traditional architecture. A detailed investigation of the work gave them the design inspiration that culminated in this house’s uncomplicated atmosphere.

Although the homeowner had a relatively large piece of land — roughly half an acre, he didn’t want a big house. What he has wanted all along was a single level home without an ostentatious display but had all the necessary conveniences for simple living. His dream home was an intimate hideaway that merged into a lush green oasis – a salubrious place to heal and recharge reminiscent of the Tokyo temple he visited.

The house sits on the transverse plane that runs parallel to the front yard. Floor-to-ceiling window design lets natural daylight and fresh air into the central living room and a courtyard that lies furthest in. The garden path that gets the most traffic is covered in artificial grass that doesn’t become soggy after it rains.

A few steps separate the natural level of the site from the house floor set at plinth height. The finished floor is the same level all the way through, which affords layout flexibility and the impression of a bigger space.

A driveway runs past the front yard and ends at the carport beside the house.

A wood table and chairs from the old house perfectly complement dining room interior design. The open floor plan connects indoor and outdoor spaces in the central courtyard.

Household furniture consists of what is necessary to create a comfortable home – a large sofa set and a pair of low wood chairs from the old house. The mantra of interior décor is simplicity in every aspect.

Running parallel to the central courtyard, the lovely enclosed corridor with glass walls creates visual continuity from the interior to the outdoor living spaces.

A gorgeous open floor plan promotes connectedness from the living room to dining room and kitchen. Different house functions are identified by furniture, while steel beams incorporated in the ceiling are reminiscent of the simplicity of a Japanese home.

From the outside looking in, the house sits hidden from view until the main gate swings open. On entering the compound, we come before a sloped garden that dominates the landscape. The peaceful abode is built parallel to the spacious front yard. The architect said that much of it was made from reclaimed lumber from the old house. This way, old wood is beautiful again after it’s polished and covered with a new coat of paint.

Sharing his story, the homeowner said: “This was our family home where Mom and Dad had lived for 40 years previously. The old house later turned out to be bigger than necessary after Mom and Dad had moved into a nearby home that the family purchased not long ago. After the ground floor was damaged during a recent flood, we thought it was time to tear it down to make room for a new one. The new single level house was made for living until retirement age, so design should be light and airy, clean and simple with no steps, plus all the rooms have access to garden views.”

Creative design makes the built-in bookshelf and office desk beautifully blend in like they are a part of the house. Louver glass windows allow in natural light and fresh air from the tree-shaded garden.

Minimalist simplicity has pride of place in the master bedroom belonging to Mom and Dad. An old bed and a few important things dominate the room with a beautiful courtyard view.

A well-ventilated bedroom viewed from the central courtyard.

Putting pen to paper, the architect soon came up with a U-shaped house plan with a courtyard at the center. “By design, it’s positioned to reap the benefits of seasonal variations and prevailing wind patterns. This makes it comfortable to live, plus it’s cheaper to run without relying on air conditioning all the time. Like so, thermal comfort is achieved by raising the ceiling 4 meters high with insulation to keep the interior cool. Steel roof frames give it a lightweight feel and reduces the fear of confined spaces. Overall, it’s the Japanese-style roof frames that make the house look simple yet very attractive both inside and outside.”

There is uniform connectedness in design from the sitting parlor to dining room to kitchen, plus the Buddha room, bedrooms and home office. Every room boasts floor-to-ceiling glass doors that connect with the courtyard garden. Both the front porch and the veranda that connects to the courtyard garden are made especially large for increased relaxing spaces. All things considered, it’s design that lets nature spread throughout the entire property.

Clearly visible from every direction, the courtyard garden serves as lungs for the house. Shade trees are trimmed down to an ideal height so that they don’t block the view, while the understory is filled with ferns and mosses that thrive on large sponge rocks.

The service area wall has windows that blend in with other parts of the house.

A well-kept garden and courtyard space is designed to be seen from different angles.

The courtyard garden serves the purpose for which it’s intended. As heart and lungs of the house, it drives natural ventilation that keeps the air fresh and healthy indoors. The garden of luxuriant foliage can be seen in full view from inside every room. On the whole ,it’s a place to live in close touch in nature. Or just sit back, relax on the spacious front porch, and watch the garden grow. For the homeowner, his idea of paradise is to enjoy simple living and indulge in peaceful recollection of his visit to that temple in Tokyo.

From Old Home to Stunning House on Stilts

By fiatdusdul
April 8, 2020
HOUSES

This lovingly restored home on the canal is a hybrid of wood and concrete. Made of recycled materials from an old building on the property, it evokes memories of the house on stilts symbolic of the Thai way of life. Reclaimed timber paired with concrete framework and smart design elements creates a harmonious blend of traditional and modern.

/// THAILAND ///
Story: Samutcha Viraporn // Photography: Soopakorn Srisakul

The old house before a complete teardown to make room for a new home.

A New House with Old World Charm

Suthep Iam-on is the owner of an old house on the canal in Bang Pakong area. It has fallen into disrepair. At first, he had planned to just leave it at that and move on to build a new house closer to the road instead. He sought advice from architect Kasin Sornsri of Volume Metrix Studio about building a naked concrete home. But after inspecting the proposed site, Kasin thought it wise to do a complete teardown of the old home to make room for a new one using materials recycled from the old house.

The interior makes use of large, open spaces. Food is prepared in the farthest area enclosed by brick walls. The door to the master bedroom is opposite a dining table set that the homeowner bought from BaanLaeSuan Fair. In the foreground, a sitting room with sofa and coffee counter affords beautiful views.

The coffee counter with a view. The stairs leading to the second floor is to the right side of the room protected from sunlight by a solid wall.

Polished concrete surfaces adorn the front entrance. The doorway casing is made of reclaimed timber, while brickwork stands out as the main feature of the hybrid wood and concrete home.

Homeowner Suthep Iam-on walks toward the rear of the house. The corridor looks spacious as it is in the interior living space.

Explaining his concept, Kasin said: “Essentially it’s about building a new home that’s very much part of the spirit of the times. It’s a design that connects with the way of life of the ordinary people. At the same time, it doesn’t have to be the kind of Thai style house that we have grown accustomed to for years. Not many people appreciate that. Nor is it anything like a group of buildings of the Ayutthaya Period.”

Built by locals over 40 years ago, the old stilt house was in poor condition. Many home features did not meet living standards now, plus a few add-ons were put in place including concrete walls that enclosed the ground floor, which affected structural integrity. Nonetheless, the way of life here has remained unchanged and carefully integrated into the new design. In the process, every little detail was decoded into intelligent language. The result was an entirely new home built on a concrete structure. It has all the key attributes of the traditional Thai home, such as an open space on the ground floor, a platform along the outside for fresh air, and corridor connecting the rooms. They are wrapped in old timber recycled from the old house.

The sitting parlor showcases numerous trophies won as prizes for victory in bird contests. Not far away, a full grown tamarind tree keeps the living room in shade.

On the southwest side, the hallway that contains a staircase receives a fair amount of sunlight. It’s protected from too much sun by a tamarind tree and wood pillars recycled from the old house. Shadows thrown on the wall are on show again naturally.

The wing that contains a bedroom is covered in reclaimed timber. It’s raised on piles to protect from humidity and doubles as engine that drives natural air circulation. Variegated colors of old wood bespeak the vernacular choice of material.

Ground Floor Living Room, Simple Materials, and Lighting Ideas

The first eye-catching feature is concrete framework with polished surfaces paired with stunning wood accents. Reclaimed timber from the old house finds new purposes as flooring materials, interlaced structures resembling lattices, and pillars supporting lightweight parts of the building. Walk into the interior, and you come before an open floor plan that’s the hallmark of modern home design. Further back lies a courtyard with corridor connecting the rooms. There are bedrooms on one side and an open space on the other, which looks out over a garden and nearby Bang Samak Canal. As the homeowner puts it, the area arouses a sentimental longing for the past, especially memories of his father’s time.

One thing the architect is able to do is concentrate on significant features of the Thai house and incorporate them in the language of new house design. They include the use of transom windows, skylights, pillars, and lattices, which he carefully places at intervals. In so doing, large pillars recycled from the old house are erected along the western front to help protect the area exposed to the sun. By late afternoon, the soft glowing light from the sky alternating with dark areas creates a relaxing atmosphere like the Thai house in olden days. By nightfall, lanterns light up at intervals as a means of visual expression and make the home cozy and welcoming. The house built on stilts offers plenty of headroom on the ground floor to let fresh air enter and circulate from the southwest. Not far away, a full grown tamarind tree keeps the area in shade for much of the day.

From the canal looking in, the courtyard floor is covered in pebble stone pavers amid the vernacular garden that’s easy on the eyes. The homeowner’s son lives in the two-level wing on the right.

The ground floor with plenty of headroom is characteristic of the Thai style house on stilts. The area under the canopy of trees is kept cool by gentle breezes.

Old wood piles not fitting for building purpose find new life as garden sculpture ideas by the waterfront.

A garden path connects the house to a landing stage on the canal.

Under the canopy of tall trees, the ground floor is open to receive cool breezes blowing in from the southwest.

A warm and welcoming atmosphere embraced by nature.

The character and atmosphere of the place viewed from the waterfront garden.

The Allure of a Handcrafted Home

The house has many aviaries for keeping birds in. They are there by design. At different places, new decor items stand embraced by old artifacts as a means of visual expression that merges countryside vernacular with modern living. Together, they represent a source of pride and pleasure within the local community. More than anything else, it’s a handmade home in its own right. The architect’s message is evident. That is to say, a home doesn’t have to be of impeccable character. Bricks don’t have to be identical to make beautiful walls. “Likewise, if we look at life carefully, we’ll find that everyone is interesting in his own special way. All ways of life are just as beautiful,” said the architect.

The cube-shaped wing houses a sitting parlor that showcases trophies from victory in bird contests.

Despite its contemporary cube design, the house is built of simple materials with features that are the hallmark of the traditional house on stilts.

The hybrid wood and concrete home boasts a spacious ground floor that’s fully functional and perfectly suitable for modern living.

An archway forms a passage from the landing stage on the canal. This picture was taken during a dry season.

Seen from a distance, the house stands surrounded by mature trees that provide shade and make it comfortable to live.

The power of storytelling. A veranda in front of the house showcases a collection of tools ad utesils used by the people of Bang Pakong area.

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Baan Lek Villa: A House-Cum-Homestay in Chanthaburi

By fiatdusdul
March 19, 2020
HOUSES

This is a stilt house design where the contemporary style merges with rural vernacular in Chanthaburi. It’s built on the concept of home with a dual nature – a villa-cum-homestay. The design pays particular attention to the simple life and harmony with the surroundings, plus good positioning in relation to light and wind patterns makes it more comfortable to live.

/// THAILAND ///
Story: Wuthikorn Sut // Photography: Soopakorn Srisakul

Baan Lek Villa is the work of “Kaew” Rinrada Nirote, homeowner and architect at GLA DESIGN STUDIO, in collaboration with designer Pitch Nimchinda. It’s intended to accommodate her family, house guests and friends of her mother (“Lek” Kuna Nirote).

Rinrada came to Bangkok to further her studies and has worked there since graduation. Little by little it dawned on her that building a new house in her native Chanthaburi would be a good idea. It would give her a place to stay and a small office away from the city. She wanted a design that looked simple yet attractive, kept within the budget, and blended into the community.

The result is a home that merges with the surrounding countryside. Simple house design offers two distinctly different zones – private and public areas. The living space is raised up on piles, while the ample multi-use area underneath it is meant for dining and receiving guests.

Sharing her slice of paradise, Rinrada says that nowadays more people are yearning for a simple way of living. Advances in technology have made it possible for us live anywhere and still be able to work. What we need is a case for carrying clothes and a few personal belongings, plus a portable computer. Even better if you have a place of your choice that helps you relax in nature. Intended to make our breaks truly refreshing in the countryside, this house was complete only recently. So far it has received many guests and friends of her mother and brother.

“We didn’t intend to make it a family business. I was into hotel designing to begin with. Now that I have a house of my own, Mom has invited her friends over. They loved it and spread the good word. So we thought the time was ripe to provide the accommodation of guests. It’s important that they get to experience the relaxing side of Chantaburi town,” she said.

What makes this house unique is the architectural detail that’s right for the climate of Thailand. The design takes into account seasonal variations, such as sunlight and wind patterns, to create a comfortable environment. Rinrada got the inspiration for the multi-use ground floor from “Have you eaten yet?” a traditional expression of goodwill that Thais say as a sign of welcome. This explains why a dining table set and kitchen counter are there. The area doubles as waiting room for people who drop by for a visit just like old times.

Walk up the stairs and you come to a more private area of the house, which consists of a large balcony and main living quarters. Overall, the building is made of concrete that works well with beautiful wood accents. To make the building appear lightweight, the entire floor of the overhanging balcony is made of steel framework. Taken as a whole, it’s a perfect mix of concrete, steel and clever design that lets the beauty of natural wood stand out.

For an aesthetic appeal, the ground floor is covered to some extent by eggshell pebble pavers that seamlessly connect with the surrounding landscape. The garden sits in the shade for much of the day thanks to the house being positioned on the western side of land. The fact that it’s located in the further reach also leaves plenty of extra room available for future projects. For the time being, Rinrada intends to turn the front yard into an ample garden filled with large trees, shrubs and natural light.

Most importantly, Rinrada says it’s the understanding of the context that sets the main idea about good house design. Appropriate orientation involves more than just the sun’s path or seasonal wind patterns. Every little detail must be taken into account. This modest home is designed to blend with the environment and other key attributes that have made Chanthaburi town famous. It merges with rural vernacular and sprawling fruit orchards. It’s built of material that’s available locally, reclaimed lumber included. All told, it’s one that stands in perfect harmony with the community.

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Wood House Amid the Rice Fields

Relaxing Country Lifestyle

Old House, New Home

By fiatdusdul
January 13, 2020
HOUSES

A beautifully renovated 60-year-old house, a startling black beauty: this contemporary mix of old and new flows together as a single unit.

/// THAILAND ///
Story: Samutcha Viraporn // Photography: Rithirong Chanthongsuk // Design: Design Com-bini

Interior decorator Pauline and nationally known architect Somrit Soonthornrungsi have spent their lives in this mid-city house. Once it had a flooding problem downstairs; that plus termites and general deterioration meant it was continually under repair. At first they thought to build a completely new house, but out of nostalgia and time constraints decided to do a major renovation instead.

“Our daughter grew up here and was upset that we were going to demolish it, so I thought, ‘why not combine old and new?’ The result was a balanced, harmonious creation with a courtyard for breezes to pass through,” said Somrit.

As we look in from the front door the original house is on the right, across an open courtyard with planted walkway, and the second-floor verandah connects to the new house on the left. The old house is of wood and masonry, with mortar stripped to show the traditional brick. Downstairs is Somrit’s small workshop and a bike storage space, with the floor raised higher to avoid flooding from street level. The new section of the house is connected, but quite different because of its steel-frame construction. On the ground floor there is the company office.

The second floor is Pauline and Somrit’s main living area, connecting to the old house through the courtyard. There is a living room on the right before the large indoor kitchen, which retains its original makha wood flooring but was repainted black to match the black synthetic wood of the exterior, for an informal, natural feeling to complement the green view of plants and trees outside the glass walls.

Their daughter’s room, set up like a New York loft apartment, is on the third floor. At two points a mezzanine stairway connects the central porch to the rear verandah, from which you can clearly see the 2 floors of the old house. They all lived in the house during construction of a new, steel-framed gabled roof over the old one, which was finally torn out when construction was finished, leaving the kitchen ceiling to follow the new roof angles.

“The roof is a special black version of Shera’s “U-Slate” line. I’ve loved black since childhood, said Pauline. “When I was a kid I wanted to paint my bedroom black, but my parents wouldn’t let me!” The chic interior design work has black everywhere. The large kitchen is in tribute to both her mother-side relatives and her father, who love to cook. Besides the big kitchen pantry counter being a great place to socialize, it’s also good for informal dining.

Pauline selected furniture and décor in a “mix and match” style controlled by color, some items primarily functional and others reflecting personal style, combining old and new, cheap and expensive.

“It’s comfortable because this really reflects our way of life: the house isn’t built for show,” said Pauline’s father, “and we don’t want to be climbing up and down a lot of stairs in the day. Since coming here we’ve confined business matters to downstairs, and it’s a comfortable walk up to the second floor. The longer we’re here, the more we like it. Looking back, the old house seems stuffy, not a lot of open windows. Our lives changed after the switch.

“At first we thought the courtyard would be too small, but in the end, it worked out great!”

Once light and wind directions were figured in, design principles were applied to open the structure up, and the house clearly became more than brick, cement, wood, and steel, a happy combination of old and new narratives.

Somrit added “It’s impressive. Once the rooms were finished, furniture in, lights and water on, our home came to life anew. It’s a great comfort.”

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Box-shaped House in a Mid-City Garden

By fiatdusdul
December 24, 2019
HOUSES

To have more space for his three children, M.L. Varudh Varavarn (Vin) of Vin Varavarn Architects built this modern house amid a garden on a quarter-acre property in the heart of Bangkok’s Chidlom District.

/// THAILAND ///
Story: Samutcha Viraporn // Photography: Soopakorn Srisakul

“Children need a place with trees to run and play,” was Vin’s first thought in keeping all the original trees for the garden. Each room looks out on this great play area. “When we built the place we’d just come back from living abroad in a town house. There wasn’t really enough space for the kids there, so we made this home more about the kids than ourselves,” he told LivingASEAN.

Box-shaped House Vin Varavarn Architects — The house, the balcony, and the garden are simple components of a tropical house. Although porous from wood borer beetles, these folding doors are perfectly functional. The decorative garden stones were dug up from the property.

One primary building material was 20-year-old teakwood from Vin’s mother’s plantation in Kamphaeng Phet, much of which had been eaten hollow by wood boring beetles and couldn’t be sold to a lumber yard.

“We figured wood like this might give an interesting look. Talking with The Jam Factory contractor Subhashok gave us some ideas. We wanted something that didn’t look too slick, but had unique character and was durable. Wood, concrete, and steel were our main building materials.”

With porous teak, it’s best to cut the wood into narrow boards, sort out the more porous ones, then use the different types in different parts of the house. Wood with no holes is used for flooring. Even though you can see into the sapwood on some, porous wood panels can be used for latticework, folding doors/windows, and ceilings, which are not usually touched by people, and they can be patched where called for.

This steel-frame box-shaped house uses cement walls as artifice: for instance, the wall of rough concrete next to the parking area creates a vertical play of light and shadow on garden stone surfaces. Meantime, the living room’s big brick walls are surfaced with concrete poured in different concentrations, creating gray stripes in gentle contrast to the rough harshness of the concrete itself.

The house plan visually connects interior and outdoor spaces in a number of places: coming in the door, we first encounter an interior court with a tree, then walk around into the living area, dining space, and large open-plan pantry flanked on both sides by gardens, seeming to switch character back and forth between being indoors and outdoors. By the tree court is a latticed staircase of wood and steel leading to the 2nd floor, where we find a living area, children’s activity room, and all the bedrooms.

“The kids have been happy here, and feel more like staying at home, so we’ve achieved a nice level of success,” added M.L. Varudh. Before the evening came we got to see all 3 of Vin’s children as they got back from school to run, play, climb, and have fun, laughing and smiling, sometimes in the children’s activity room.

MODERN TROPICAL HOME IN INDONESIA

Vacation House in Bali: a Harmonious Mix of Industrial Style and Local Architecture

By fiatdusdul
December 5, 2019
HOUSES

Alexis Dornier is a German architect who nearly ten years ago moved to the village of Mas in Bali to build a vacation home. To properly house his furniture and art works gathered from all over the world, he combined modern building techniques with an ancient Javanese architectural style known as joglo. Based around four pillars supporting a tall roof, in olden times joglo architecture indicated the owner’s social status.

/// INDONESIA ///
Story: Patsiri Chotpongsun // Photography: Sitthisak Namkham

“This house was primarily designed to showcase the ancient art of joglo wood construction. Functionality was figured in afterwards,” said Alexis. “A modern steel support framework in the middle of the house adds a new element to the architectural tone, providing added support and making the house unique, but the essential artistry of the joglo structure was unaffected and remains essentially unchanged.”

Joglo architecture lends its character to two prominent spots in the house while also supporting well defined modern functionality. The first is where the multipurpose room connects to the living room, showing off the joglo high ceiling. Next to that is a display spot for outstanding works of art, where a grand piano is set. Both spots are bordered by clear glass walls looking out on the incomparable verdant green of the surrounding jungle vegetation.

As it opens into the spacious, high-ceilinged dining room, the kitchen also shows off the joglo architecture. Above is a unique and exciting mezzanine walkway of clear glass where skylights allow natural light to shine in below. A person walking here gets a close-up look at details of artistic work carved into the joglo wood, perhaps experiencing something of the past joy archaeologists have felt in making new and priceless discoveries.

“Hidden beneath this spacious living room, connected to it by a three-dimensional walkway with views in all directions (a spiral staircase reaching down from the mezzanine) you will find two large bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, as well as another living room. On your journey up or down you’ll see beautiful art works and striking views inside and out.”

3-Storey Town House That Makes Space for Nature

By fiatdusdul
November 22, 2019
HOUSES

Before moving into this 3-storey Chaeng Watthana townhouse, Architect and university instructor Bhradon Kukiatnun really put his heart into the design and décor to bring about a conversation among people, animals, and things, partly intentional, part by impulse. Here are imperfections that are either blemishes or beauty marks, depending on our viewpoint.

Bhradon’s business is booming, but designing his own house raised a tremendous number of new questions, not the least of which was how the new living space would accommodate his eleven cats!

“Three years ago I bought this place new, and it took 2 years to fix up. First problem: organize storage space to hold the tremendous amount of personal stuff needed in my life while still keeping the house orderly. Then, I didn’t want a typical town house atmosphere, but neither should it be jarringly different. Part of the answer is this new façade, using a type of latticework found elsewhere in the project that fits my personal lifestyle.

“There’s more than meets the eye in that front view: a lot of the functions are hidden,” explained Bhradon, as most town houses add a roofed-over carport in front. “To really express myself I had to go back and look at fundamentals with flexibility and an open mind. The space in front is limited. Would I rather have a carport there, or a garden? OK, garden: so I designed a garden where I could park the car! Quite different from having a carport decorated with plants.”

The design called for no structural alterations, but space was apportioned differently. The ground floor holds the living room, dining area, and pantry; second floor, a small bedroom and a workroom; third floor, the master bedroom. “Inside you might mistake a door for a wall, or vice versa: my overall concept was to focus on highlighting specific points, making them fit in by hiding some elements. In the living room, the TV wall is highlighted by hiding its functionality in a wall; the use of covering elements gives the feeling of being in a cave.”

During our conversation Ando, Bhradon’s first adopted cat snuggled up as if to join the group. “I learned a lot from raising cats,” he said, “they don’t think like people. Sometimes our human knowledge drowns out our instincts. But a cat! It wants to sit, lie wherever, just does what it wants. This allows single things to have more than one function: TV cabinet or sitting place? Or, for us, a storage spot. Think outside the box.”

We urban-dwellers all long for nature. Bhradon answered this with a garden area in the rear of the house: “I think gardens nourish the psyche, so I put a little green in the house, along with a small guppy pond, and it’s a perfect spirit-refresher.

“I like the ‘wabi-sabi’ way of design; the beauty of imperfection, of real life. Real life involves rust; it involves injuries. Can’t eliminate these, right? Recently my cat Kuma died, and I miss her every day. But through the sorrow of loss we see the beauty of living. Being natural is to be incomplete, and we have to live with the things that happen.” As Bhradon’s speaking voice gradually softened, an unspoken conversation brought into focus the future of the house, the man, and the cats, and whatever might lie ahead for them.

Blog : HOUSES

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Box-shaped House in a Mid-City Garden

To have more space for his three children, M.L. Varudh Varavarn (Vin) of Vin Varavarn Architects built this modern house amid a garden on a quarter-acre property in the heart of Bangkok’s Chidlom District.

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