Blog : Architect

Vernacular Houses around the ASEAN
livingasean

Vernacular Houses around the ASEAN

If you are interested in design based on local needs, local materials, and local traditions, you will find vernacular building exhibitions well worth a visit.

/// Thailand ///

 

The expo area features 5 show pavilions designed by the design firms.

Five show pavilions are open now at Architect ’18, the ASEAN’s largest building technology exposition organized by the Association of Siamese Architects (ASA). It’s happening on May 1-6, 2018 at Impact, Muang Thong Thani.

Plastic crates filled with clay are readied for the show at Architect ’18.

Other attractions range from a photography display by Vernacular Built Environment and Cultural Heritage Studies Group, and exhibitions by various architectural firms, to retail businesses, and seminars featuring distinguished speakers from Thailand and abroad.

The expo’s must-see events include a show pavilion by Boon Design, which presents building techniques using materials readily available in a locality, such as plastic crates for fruit transportation filled with clay.

Inside one of the show pavilions dedicated to vernacular-style living
The dark exterior that is characteristic of the Boon Design show pavilion

Designer Boonlert Hemvijitraphan said: “Traditionally, earth has been a material of choice for home building while plastic crates come in handy as byproducts of the industry. The choice of materials is often dictated by availability in a particular area. Homes can be made of anything, whether it’s earth or wood, so long as they are adapted to suit local needs and requirements.” Like so, a vernacular house in Southeast Asia may appear dim on the inside because there are only a few openings. Lace fabrics on the windows tell stories of clever adaptations to suit local weather conditions.

Vernacular houses on the waterfront in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand
photograph reflects local beliefs and customs around the Region.

The building techniques differ from country to country across Southeast Asia as illustrated by the photo exhibition by the Vernacular Built Environment and Cultural Heritage Studies Group. Its members include Isarachai Buranaut, Kullphut Seneevong Na Ayudhaya, Somchai Chuechuaychu, and Surapong Jamniyom.

 

You may also like…

10 INSPIRING MODERN TROPICAL HOUSES

 

WOODEN THAI HOUSE IN THE LANNA TRADITION

Cambodia Architect & Decor 2017
livingasean

Cambodia Architect & Decor 2017

Cambodia Architect & Decor 2017 made a prominent display of construction materials, furnishings, and architectural designs. Living ASEAN was in Phnom Penh to bring you this report. Check this out.

/// CAMBODIA ///

More than 150 local and international brands participated in Cambodia Architect & Decor from June 8 to 10. The event held at the Diamond Island Convention & Exhibition Center showcased construction materials, furnishings, and architectural designs fitting the needs of Cambodia’s construction market.

 

The trade show, now in its second year, offered the opportunity for manufacturers and designer professionals to capitalize on the growing importance of design in Cambodia’s booming construction market.

A platform for exchanging ideas and experiences, the event included seminars and a student design competition in association with the Cambodia Society of Architects (CSA). The contest was held under the theme “Provincial Gateway to Cambodia Heritage”.

CSA Design Competition, The winner 
CSA Design Competition
CSA Design Competition
CSA Design Competition
CSA Design Competition
CSA Design Competition

The trade expo was seen as a timely response to Cambodia’s GDP growth rate, which is expected to top 7.1% in 2018, and which attracted US$8.5 billion worth of investment last year.

Cambodia Architect & Décor is organized by ICVeX Co, Ltd. and the Cambodia Society of Architects (CSA), in partnership with TTF International Co, Ltd.

Link: www.cambodiaarchitectdecor.com

 

Architect Expo ’17 Has Begun
livingasean

Architect Expo ’17 Has Begun

Architect Expo ’17 is happening now at Impact Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok. Living ASEAN discovered many practical new products and ideas that will surely benefit people who want to build things. Drop by before the show ends this Sunday May 7.

/// Thailand ///
Photography: Rithirong Chanthongsuk

The ASEAN’s largest building technology show is on from 10 AM to 8 PM daily. Here are three reasons you can’t afford to miss this annual event.

Baan Baan Case Study

ASA Emerging Architecture Awards 2017

1. Varied exhibitions on dwellings

Embracing the concept of simplicity in life known as “Baan Baan: Reconsidering Dwelling,” the center of the exhibition hall was dedicated to 16 small exhibitions show casing many different ways of living.

Start with “In Remembrance of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej”. The show comes in two parts: The“Architect of the Land” exposition, and the“Pictures of Our Father,” which presents a collection of images sent in by designers to commemorate the great king.

In Remembrance of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej

In Remembrance of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej

In Remembrance of H.M. King Bhumibol AdulyadejThe “Traditional and Vernacular Thai Houses” exhibition features models of vernacular residential architecture from different regions and ethnicities around Thailand. Some house designs were influenced by shared cultural heritage with ethnic groups in neighboring Myanmar and Vietnam.

Traditional and Vernacular Thai Houses

Traditional and Vernacular Thai Houses

Traditional and Vernacular Thai Houses

Traditional and Vernacular Thai Houses

Traditional and Vernacular Thai Houses

Traditional and Vernacular Thai HousesThe “Baan Baan Case Study” display features a variety of dwelling places in many shapes and sizes, each suited for a specific budget and designed by Thai architects. The name of the show may sound esoteric to many viewers, but essentially it’s about building within budgets.

Baan Baan Case Study

Baan Baan Case Study

2. Models showcasing works by leading architectural firms

It’s the show for people who want to build things. Once a year, leading architectural firms put on a public display of works by their designers. It’s nice to drop in and get inspired by many creative projects and designs, ranging from hostels, townhouse renovation ideas, holiday homes, and more. Don’t miss out on these great ideas.

Designed by Octane Architect and Design
Designed by Awaken Design Studio

Baan Baan Mockup: Designed by Vaslab

Baan Baan Mockup: Designed by IDIN Archotects

Vann Molyvann: The Forgotten Masterpieces of Phnom Penh
livingasean

Vann Molyvann: The Forgotten Masterpieces of Phnom Penh

/ Phnom Penh, Cambodia /

/ Story: Jeremiah Pitakwong / Photographs: Samutcha Viraporn, Damrong Leewairoj /

There is more to Cambodia than Angkor Wat. Phnom Penh itself is a city with a legacy from its glorious days. Many may have lost in time. But some remain; including the architectural buildings designed by Vann Molyvann.

The Royal University of Phnom Penh's library building. Exterior pillars support the building weight (no pillars inside). The building is surrounded by a pond containing raindrops from a gutter.
The Royal University of Phnom Penh’s library building is surrounded by a pond. The building weight relies mainly on the exterior pillar.

 

The Institute of Foreign Languages's meeting room. The floor is elevated and the roof helps tackle with the heat.
The Institute of Foreign Languages’s meeting room. The floor is elevated and the roof helps tackle with the heat.

Phnom Penh is equipped with a great city-planning. Temples and palaces in the city have a hint of Southeast Asian style component incorporated with French colonial architecture. Although parts of these heritages are deteriorated, their good old days can still shone through.

Among high-rise buildings and growing villages indicating Cambodia’s improving economy, old and valuable buildings are neglected as the government and foreign investors prefer the “Modern” which suggests “Prosperity” rather than renovating its old ones.

However, old doesn’t mean out. Vann Molyvann, has designed “Modern” principal buildings since the 1960s.

Vann Molyvann was born in 1926. He was granted the scholarship from Cambodian government to study architecture at Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts in France, where many modern architects are nurtured.  After the graduation, he served as a State Architect in 1956 and also played an important role for a period.

11
The lifted walkway in the back gives a shade to the pathway below.
Details of light boxes a roof and a facade of the Institute of Foreign Languages group of buildings
Details of light boxes a roof and a facade of the Institute of Foreign Languages group of buildings

His significant works was designed and built within 1974; The National Theater (later torn down), the National Sports Complex (a.k.a. Olympic Stadium), the Institute of Foreign Languages inside the Royal University of Phnom Penh, Chaktomuk Conference Hall (renovated). All of his works could be considered as modern and would definitely be treated as national treasures if they were in Europe.

Since the government policies regarding these building are unknown, their futures are uncertain. For those who have an urge for a modern building, a quick sightseeing trip to the remaining site is highly recommended. Also, don’t forget to check out www.ka-tours.org where you can book a private architecture tour in Cambodia conducted by Cambodian architecture students.

The exterior of the National Sports Complex.
The exterior of the National Sports Complex.

02

A yellow transparent fiberglass partition at the entrance and a gutter below.
A yellow transparent fiberglass partition at the entrance and a gutter below.

 

Vann Molyvann has designed a proper ventilation system for a tropical climate.
Vann Molyvann has designed a proper ventilation system for a tropical climate.

 

An area inside the stadium and a press observation deck overlooks the amphitheater.
An area inside the stadium and a press observation deck overlooks the amphitheater.

 

09

06

 

Details of the indoor stadium roof.
Details of the indoor stadium roof.

At the age of 89, Van Molyvann has returned from his fugitive in France and now living in Siam Reap. While many might have already forgotten about his iconic buildings, it is safe to say his pages in the history will never be erased.

X