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Baan Gongsi: A Perfect Fusion of Chinese and Thai Cultural Heritage
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Baan Gongsi: A Perfect Fusion of Chinese and Thai Cultural Heritage

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Supachart Boontang / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul and Arsom Arch Community and Environment Co., Ltd. A division of the Arsom Silp Institute of the Arts /

This urban home named “Baan Gongsi” is beautifully crafted in keeping with Chinese heritage in architecture mixed with defining features that are characteristic of the traditional Thai-style home. The perfect visual blend is the brainchild of Pongsakorn Tumprueksa and Nattanan Pokinpitak of the Arsom Silp Institute of the Arts.

Baan Gongsi
The two-story home that’s the main villa on the property features large double doors providing a grand entrance and promoting natural air circulation. In every part of the house, passive design strategies create a comfortable and energy-efficient indoor environment, and hence there’s no need for mechanical air conditioning. The bottom line is heat doesn’t build up inside it.

Architecturally, it’s a well-thought-out design that seeks reconnections with nature at home and, at the same time, keeps family heritage alive. Homeowners Thianchai and Noree Niyom, both of them of Chinese descent, want to live simply and traditionally, embracing a lifestyle that values a culture of sharing and caring.

Thianchai’s sister also lives nearby in the same compound, which explains the concept of Baan Gongsi, a colloquialism for extended family living arrangements.

Baan Gongsi
A garden slate walkway leads to an elevated pool hemmed in by Applied Chinese architecture. The tiled roofs with slightly upturned eaves evoke memories of a style that first became standard during the Song Dynasty. It makes the main building and surrounding annexes feel lightweight and delightfully charming.
Baan Gongsi
The center court pool stretches across the entire length of the veranda. It provides plenty of room for exercise. Meantime, the interior spaces are kept cool by breezes blowing in over the pool.

At the same time, it’s a design that embraces elegance in architectural aesthetics. There’s a courtyard with swimming pool at the center of the house topped by tiled roofs with curved sides. A striking feature of Chinese style, the unroofed area enclosed by the buildings doubles as engine that drives natural air circulation keeping the home cool and comfortable round the clock.

The well-conceived design also ensures the building fits in well with the hot and humid climate prevailing in this region. Speaking of a fusion between two cultures, there’s a large open-air platform that provides easy access to all the rooms, a layout quintessential of Thai-style cluster homes in the past. The Thais call it a “chaan” meaning a gallery or semi-outdoor room overlooking the garden.

The main villa and nearby annexes are disposed around the center courtyard. The sprawling design allows a healthy dose of morning sun to pour into the interior living spaces. In the nighttime the courtyard is aglow under the moonlight.

Baan Gongsi
Overhangs of tiled roofs protect the buildings from harsh afternoon sun. Diamond-shaped tiles at the far end blend well with Chinese-style slightly curved roofing on either side of the pool.
Baan Gongsi
Tiled roofs with slightly upturned eaves are in keeping with the home’s Chinese character. The buildings make use of large structural timbers for primary support of the roof tiles.

The center courtyard has been the heart of family life and one of the most important elements of cluster home design since time immemorial. It brings joy to the family and supplies every part of the home with fresh air.

Here, everything exists for a good reason. Among others, a stone paver patio adjacent to the family’s ancestral home serves as a venue for morning tea. Nearby, the swimming pool brings the health benefits of good exercise. They’re there for the taking. Overall, it is a piece of architecture designed for the salubrious lifestyle of an extended family.

Baan Gongsi
The second-floor balcony looks out over the pool and garden landscapes to the further side. The wood deck in itself is reminiscent of Thai-style homes in earlier times.

Baan Gongsi is a well-crafted home, one made with attention to detail and quality to provide safety and protection against external disturbances. The floor plan offers smooth transition from one area to another. There’s a welcome room with patches of greenery connected to a stone paver patio leading to the Moon Door that’s the house’s main entrance.

From there, a stone paver garden pathway provides access to the main villa and nearby annexes. The center courtyard itself lies protected by a lacy canopy of mature trees making every day an enchanting experience. Because it’s situated amid the bustle of the city center, the home relies on plenty of lush vegetation to protect against noises and air pollution.

Baan Gongsi
The interior features open-concept living spaces that stretch from the dining area to sitting room to the library and, beyond, the veranda at the far end.
Baan Gongsi
The bathroom features common elements of a contemporary style with a minimalist feel to it. The shower section is semi-outdoor reminiscent of a traditional Thai-style home. Floor tiles with antique patterns complement cool-toned whites on the walls.
Baan Gongsi
Lush greenery adds a refreshing touch of nature to the center courtyard.

As for build quality, real wood is the material of choice and one of the most outstanding features of the house. What makes it aesthetically pleasing is the slightly curved eaves characteristic of Chinese architecture. Needless to say, it’s a wholesome place where nature and culture coexist in peaceful harmony, a home beaming with pride.

A stand-alone house of Buddha serves as a reminder of Thai architecture in earlier times.
The Moon Door, adapted to sport a more contemporary look, provides access to the cluster home environment that lies beyond.
Baan Gongsi
A street view of the home showcases the gracefully curved gable roof overhangs characteristic of traditional Chinese architecture.
A stand-alone house of Buddha serves as a reminder of Thai architecture in earlier times.
A stand-alone house of Buddha serves as a reminder of Thai architecture in earlier times.
Baan Gongsi
[Left] Concrete footing protects timber piles from humidity that could pose a threat to the home in the long term. / [Right] Primary roofing support is crafted the old-fashioned way utilizing of large structural timbers. The crescent-shaped cutout at the top of the pole allows the ridge beam to rest securely for extra durability.

Owner: Thianchai and Noree Niyom

Architect: Arsom Arch Community and Environment Co., Ltd. A division of the Arsom Silp Institute of the Arts

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Co-Housing: Harmony Between Two Different Lifestyles
livingasean

Co-Housing: Harmony Between Two Different Lifestyles

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Samutcha Viraporn / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Rithirong Chanthongsuk, Soopakorn Srisakul, Thamawit Wangkijsoonthorn, Bussakorn Kuankit /

“It’s a co-housing arrangement. Mine is more of a dynamic, full-of-life home. The house next door is my brother’s. It appears to be more private in the midst of a tranquil setting.“

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Between the different spaces, natural radiance is all in the eclectic details. Despite its modern edge, the open seating area rekindles a fresh interest in terrace design of a Thai style home.

The homeowner, Suthiphong Pongpawasuit said I was kind of speechless for a bit when I heard him express his feelings about the co-housing house. It could be that I was expecting the most beautiful replies like always. No offense intended. It was the most honest and unpretentious of feelings.

“I could feel a warm and friendly atmosphere, and appreciate the meaning of “home” as he defined it. I have come to one that reflected the true personality of its owners.” The two houses are surrounded by pleasant grounds made the two brothers happy in their own way.

The two buildings brought out differences in their lifestyles and their preferences.

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An array of overhead windows let a healthy dose of morning sunshine into the cozy seating area. Wrought iron detailing in the multiple-paned windows creates an interesting light and textural display on the surfaces below.

The first building

The first building belongs to Suthiphong. It is concrete chic based on a straightforward design. The walls are fabricated of unornamented concrete finishes and an interesting mix of textures and materials. Floating systems of electrical conduits conjure up images of an urban industrial loft apartment.

The interior features gorgeous living spaces. During the day, natural light shines through large overhead windows with wrought iron detailing, creating an amazing shadow play. There is a sense of visual continuity that connects seamlessly with the exterior as soon as the large door slides open.

On the outside, peaceful lush landscaping under a tree canopy can be seen in full view. On the inside, different furniture styles add a hint of interest in a subtle way.

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Awesome overhead opening lets natural light into the relaxed living room and nearby stairway. Well thought-out design makes the area playful and inviting.

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The layout epitomizes a relationship of mutual benefit between the two brothers. What goes on in one house can be seen from the other.

Obviously, the co-housing house is designed for the local climate. Oftentimes we complain of too much sun, winds, and rain. But since we call this country home, why not make the most of the extreme weather conditions?

They are the natural appeal of this Region. That is why we see all natural elements being incorporated into the design scheme. Here, the sun, the winds, and rain are all taken into account in framing the house within a beautiful botanical border. That makes living in a co-housing house a life fulfilling experience.

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The working area and nearby kitchen are neatly incorporated into the total living space. The interlinking design takes into consideration personal preferences and lifestyle.

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The bedroom, which is supposed to be private and personal, is not exactly cut off from other living spaces. The awesome opening allows the guest area below to be seen in full view from the bedroom.

The second building

The second building belongs to Suthiphong’s brother, Kittiwat Pongpawasuit. Unlike the first house, it comes in a mix of white, cream, and gray tones, which together give it to a strikingly handsome appearance.

The design is light and airy and emphasizes a warm and peaceful atmosphere. Brick walls are painted white to minimize any alteration of natural light and color reflecting on the surfaces. The home, especially its living spaces, is all about enhancing a seamless indoor-outdoor relationship.

Crisp, clean landscaping can be seen all the way to the swimming pool, thanks to large single-paned glass doors that slide open and neatly disappear into the walls. The living room gets nice cool breezes from the swimming pool and is set facing north to avoid the harshest of the afternoon sun.

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Exterior walls on the north side are open to natural light all day. Downstairs the seating space is made comfortable by nice cool breezes blowing in over the swimming pool.

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The swimming pool is literally a few steps from seating areas on the terrace. There is an unobstructed, gradual descent from the veranda to the garden.

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The easy-to-maintain kitchen design features a countertop crafted of unadorned concrete finishes. A red brick wall subtly separates it from the adjacent guest area.

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The bathroom is inspired by industrial loft design. Details are reduced to just clean, straight lines within the modest style.

Design relationship

The two designs may contrast in personality, but architect Kraipol Jayanetra of Alkhemist Architects found a relationship between them by opting for like materials, textures, and mutual décor ideas.

By this was meant the use of naked, unornamented concrete finishes, industrial-style electrical conduits, wood furniture, and a plenty of accent pieces.

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The guest area of one of the houses lies fully open to bring in the outdoor atmosphere.

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“I started out with something small but interesting, and worked my way up until I arrived at a complete unit,” said Kraipol.

That being said, every part of the co-housing buildings, be it vertical or horizontal spaces performs the functions it is intended. Overall, a great mix of patterns and textures makes the two houses appear in perfect harmony with each other. The difference is in the details.

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[left] Playing with patterns light switches are installed in a way that they playfully mimic the appearance of a naked brick wall.                         [right] Shadow play wrought iron detailing create beautiful works of art at no cost by casting light and shadow patterns on the interior spaces.

This has been a story of two youthful homes in a co-housing house that coexist to complement each other. One is overflowing with life. The other is tranquil and handsome in its own way. They enhance and improve each other’s curb appeal, and set the stage for a simple fulfilling lifestyle.

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To protect against the intense heat of the sun particularly in Thailand, perhaps it is wise to opt for double-layer roof design. It keeps homes cool by reducing the amount of radiation from reaching the interior living spaces. The vents between each layer allow increased air circulation and keep the heat out.

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There are so many ways to texture your walls and ceilings. If smooth, fine-grained designs are not your style, you might want to go for coarse-textured, more natural looking surfaces. One alternative is the naked, unornamented concrete that rough to the touch. The design is playful and full of life. Any rough surface, whether concrete or brick. 

 

Architect: Alkhemist Architects

 

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