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Terra Cotta Workshop: A Pottery Factory Embraces the Beauty of Geometry and Storytelling Power

By kangsadank
September 4, 2024
CULTURE,DESIGN

/ Quang Nam, Vietnam /

/ Story: Kangsadan K. / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Trieu Chien /

Showcasing geometry in architecture, an earthenware factory stands enclosed by stunning brick walls in a brownish orange hue. Aptly named the “Terra Cotta Workshop”, it’s unlike anything else out there. The building exuding friendship and goodwill is located in Quang Nam, a city on Vietnam’s Central Coast known for a richness of heritage and vibrant culture. It’s the brainchild of Tropical Space, a design studio acclaimed for its environmental responsibility manifested in the use of common materials, notably bricks made the old-fashioned way. Together they give rise to an architectural style that’s aesthetically pleasing, plus it’s a perfect fit for the humid Tropical climate prevailing in the region.

The building offers 682 square meters of industrial space. It’s a unit of construction added to an existing plant belonging to a ceramic artist. In term of spatial planning and relationship between different elements, the Terra Cotta Workshop is divided into three parts, namely, the observation zone and the earthenware workshop, both of which are disposed on the periphery within the building.

They are connected to the old factory building via an outdoor passage along the side. From here local artisans can be seen going about their specific trades in an area near the river. The third part contains a kiln for firing pottery and baking earthenware, also called terra cotta. The furnace itself is about two decades old. It’s the heart of the studio workshop in which goods are manufactured.

An area map shows the location of the Terra Cotta Workshop in relation to the old studio building. Courtesy of Tropical Space / Courtesy of Tropical Space

The first floor plan illustrates spatial arrangements of the workspace enclosed by brick walls made of geometric shapes. / Courtesy of Tropical Space

A drawing shows the mezzanine floor plan in relation to the furnace located at the center. / Courtesy of Tropical Space.

A front elevation view in cross section shows the relationship between buildings that combine with one another to form a whole. / Courtesy of Tropical Space

An isometric drawing shows the coming together of the various parts of the circular building housing the kiln for firing pottery. / Courtesy of Tropical Space.

The building’s outstanding features include, among other things, countless rows of openings in the brick walls. Placed at eye level, they afford clear views of every step in the clayware manufacturing process. A good customer experience begins with the corridor paved with the crushed remains of earthenware. It’s a distinctive aspect that provides a glimpse into the world of pottery making industries. Further along the path is the place where the clay is worked into dough with the hands as it transforms into ornamentally shaped outlines ready to be fired into finished products.

A passage paved with the crushed remains of earthenware allows access to different parts of the studio workshop.

An earthenware manufacturing zone lies adjacent to a river.

The walls made of quadrangular and circular shapes are designed to enclose and divide an area of land into well-connected workspaces. Apart from providing an uninterrupted view of the manufacturing process, the openings in brick walls allow plenty of natural light into the interior, further enhancing the timeless beauty of brick architecture.

A circular brick wall encloses the kiln for firing pottery that lies at the heart of the Terra Cotta Workshop.

Plus, they promote good ventilation keeping the studio workshop cool. Above and beyond all other consideration, the furnace at the center of the floor plan makes it possible for visitors to observe every step of the process. At the same time, the factory layout is neatly planned to create indoor-outdoor connections while taking every precaution to reduce environmental impacts. This is evidenced by the building’s exteriors made of fired clay that blend beautifully with the surroundings, a distinctive feature that is Tropical Space’s signature.

A mezzanine inside the kiln for firing pottery is illuminated by light streaming in through the rooftop and the perforated wall.

Generous openings in the brick walls provide a glimpse into the world of pottery making.

In the big picture, the Terra Cotta Workshop is the story of wisdom traditional to the people of Vietnam, an account of history and culture retold by designers who embrace materials sourced directly from nature. The result is a factory that has a spacious layout with well-proportioned workspaces, plus they make friends with nature and open to welcome visitors with open arms. And that’s precisely the message the design team at Tropical Space is trying to communicate.

A view from a higher angle shows the Terra Cotta Workshop in relation to the old studio building.

Architect: Tropical Space

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Long An House: A Charming Brick House in Vietnam

TB House: A One-Story Brick Home and Green Leaves of Summer at Every Turn

By livingasean
May 2, 2024
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Son La, Vietnam /

/ Story: muanpraes / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Trieu Chien /

People change locations at some point in time, and reasons to move are aplenty. Among others, the desire for better living is pretty common. The same applies here, as this young family has discovered. Their new address is a one-story brick home made attractive by the earthy reddish brown of perforated brick facades set amid lush greenery.

One-Story Brick Home Vietnam — Perforated brick facades regulate fresh air and natural daylight streaming into the home and double as outdoor privacy screens.

Named “TB House”, it’s nestled in a peaceful residential neighborhood of Son La, a city in Vietnam’s Northwest.

For the young married couple who lives here, everything about it brings back childhood memories, those carefree days of summer and a home snug by the warmth of beautiful landscapes. Bestowed with mountains, forests and rivers, Son La comes in useful as the right location for their new home.

The husband, who knew the geographical area very well, came across this piece of land during a weekend house hunting trip. It lies on the crest of a wooded hillside with dark green forests in the background.

Small rock formations stick out of the ground where large trees stand as if nature has left a lasting imprint. Almost instantly he got to thinking about building a humble abode here. The question was how to leave everything where it’s always been.

And that was where the design team at Trung Trần Studio was brought into play. They were tasked with creating a home that would best fit the owners’ needs, at the same time conserving all the existing natural elements in the landscape – the hillside, the trees, the rock formations and, most important of all, its friendly, welcoming atmosphere.

A diagrammatic representation shows the positioning of living spaces and functional areas disposed around greenery-filled courtyards designed to create indoor thermal comfort. / Courtesy of Trung Trần Studio

The result is a one-story, split-level brick home with breathing brick facades thoughtfully devised to regulate fresh outdoor air and natural daylight streaming into the interior. And it’s achieved without cutting down existing trees on the property.

The floor plan simply has abrupt alternate left and right turns to avoid cutting down the trees, ascending a small mound to stop at a bank of stone that makes the retaining wall protecting the backyard garden.

An open-concept floor plan improves foot traffic flow between rooms, turning a modest amount of space into clean, well-lighted interiors.

A curious mix of graphic tiles on the kitchen backsplash adds intrigue and interest to interior design.

On the whole, it’s a simple house plan starting with a paved platform up front that serves as a car park. A set of concrete steps leads to the front door that opens to the entrance hall, while the dining room and kitchen lies furthest to the rear.

There’s a playroom by the small inner courtyard that ensures the little children can be seen in full view from anywhere inside the home.

The family living room with wood wall paneling is invitingly comfortable by any standards. At the farthest end lie three bedrooms, tucked in a calm secluded area away from noise and distractions. For privacy, all the bedrooms have windows that open to charming backyard garden views.

From an architectural point of view, the breathing wall concept offers many advantages. Among others, it creates a sense of connection between indoor and outdoor living spaces.

High above, the uppermost branches of the trees provide shade keeping the home cool during summer months. They blend with retaining rock walls that add usable land for planting and relaxation. At the same time, the roofs made of fired clay tiles are covered in slow-growing lichens reminiscent of homes in times past.

A retaining rock wall creates usable space for planting, while a roof made of clear polycarbonate sheeting protects a utility/wash room at the rear from the elements.

Taken as a whole, it’s a vintage-inspired humble abode that exudes a timeless appeal as evidenced by the use of simple building supplies sourced from within the community. Needless to say, the lush landscape makes it feel cozy and warm, while architectural details enhance the easy lifestyle and advocate for sustainability.

Architects: Trung Trần Studio (www.facebook.com/ArchitectsAndAssociates)

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Proud Phu Fah Muang Chiang Mai: A Hotel at Nature’s Edge Embraces a Mix of Modern and Traditional

By livingasean
February 28, 2024
CULTURE,DESIGN

/ Chiang Mai, Thailand /

/ Story: Phattaraphon / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Nantiya /

A hotel chain widely recognized in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim District for the past 15 years has opened a new branch in Muang District in what is seen as a major expansion of luxury, comfort and style. Proud Phu Fah Muang Chiang Mai advocates living next door to nature while showcasing an intriguing combination of modern design with rich culture and beautiful traditional crafts. Its design concept keeps firmly to the belief that being in nature provides deep relaxation. And the result of all this is a resort hotel that’s environmentally conscious, plus it’s tailored to the needs of specialized segments of the market.

Needless to say, the hotel landscape is out of this world. Like taking a spellbinding journey into the woods, Proud Phu Fah Chiang Mai is a perfect escape away from the crowds, where the air is filled with the continuous murmuring sound of water flowing and leaves rustling in the trees creating detailed mental images of the beautiful northern landscape.

The brainchild of Full Scale Studio, a homegrown architectural practice, Proud Phu Fah Muang Chiang Mai embraces reconnections with the natural world. It consists of a pair of three-story buildings thoughtfully devised to merge into countryside vernacular, at the same time reaping the full health benefits of sunshine and fresh air.

The main idea is to let the aroma of nature permeate through the landscape. Such is manifested in a pair of well-maintained giant rain trees providing shade and a focal point in the center courtyard. By design it has become a favorite place of relaxation and rejuvenation among hotel guests.

Well-maintained trees keep the center courtyard in shade for much of the day.

Front and center, well-thought-out planning ensures that all the rooms have access to the best view of the natural surroundings. The first building, called Building A, is directed at a 45-degree angle to soak up a wonderful panorama of the mountains, while the second, known as Building B, is set along the 90-degree line for a beautiful orchard view.

Where appropriate, new trees offering fragrant flowers are added to the existing contiguous woodlands, resulting in uniform composition.

Architecturally speaking, it’s a project that emphasizes the use of concrete, brick and wood directly sourced from the locality as the building materials of choice. Aside from giving a sense of identity and cultural heritage, they double as storytelling tools conveying a great deal about the love of nature and preservation of traditional crafts.

An example of this is Minimal Lanna, a type of room that advocates Minimalism in art infused with a mix of traditional crafts and modern interior design.

The room has furniture beautifully crafted of teakwood, ceramic tiles, and ceramic washbasins with kid design custom-painted by the property owner, plus decorating items in a variety of finishes handcrafted by local artisans and contemporary artists in the region.

Overall, it’s a design that places great emphasis on the beauty of simplicity and the use of soft neutral tones for deep relaxation.

A type of guest rooms called Minimal Lanna advocates Minimalism in art with an interesting combination of local crafts with modern furnishing and decoration.

To reduce the harsh texture of concrete construction, red bricks come in handy for multiple applications. Among other things, the external envelope of Building B consists of brick walls inspired by the craft of basket-making known as “Lai Song” patterns in the vernacular of the Northern Region.

Like poetry in motion, the reflection of sunlight on the walls creates interesting sights and shadows that change from morning to evening.

A guest room on the first floor of Building B has a private onsen, or hot spring pool with a refreshing garden view.

For indoor thermal comfort, where appropriate perforate walls are built using contemporary cement blocks with holes in them that serve as engine driving natural air circulation and letting natural daylight stream into the interior.

In a way, they form an integral part that blends seamlessly with the landscape enlivened by the sounds of a babbling brook amid a forest garden with walkways made for relaxation. Together, they go to work connecting Proud Phu Fah Muang Chiang Mai with the idyllic natural setting.

Architect: Full Scale Studio, Tel. 08-9154-1758

Landscape Architect: H2O Design Co., Ltd, Tel. 08-1531-1871

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The Ben Tre Hotel: A Brick Hotel amid Lush Orchards, Fresh Air and Sunshine

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The Ben Tre Hotel: A Brick Hotel amid Lush Orchards, Fresh Air and Sunshine

By livingasean
February 5, 2024
CULTURE,DESIGN

/ Ben Tre, Vietnam /

/ Story: Kor Lordkam / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki /

A brick hotel in warm, earthy orange hues rises above the lush orchards and bountiful farms of Ben Tre, a charming coastal city on the Mekong Delta two hours’ drive from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Once a sleepy little town surrounded by rice fields and coconut groves, Ben Tre is emerging as a destination for eco-tourism. New hotel openings tell the story of travel trends in the region where fresh water and shorelines merge with the ocean, astonishingly beautiful by any standards.

The Ben Tre Hotel is located on an oblong piece of ground measuring 28 by 128 meters, with the narrow frontage abutting on a major thoroughfare. As might be expected, the unusually long hotel building extends almost entirely over the rectangle-shaped land and still leaves plenty of room for lush lawns, side gardens, ample parking garages and service areas.

brick hotel Ben Tre Hotel — The restaurant also has semi-outdoor room for guests who prefer dining al fresco.

The hotel lobby lies upfront on the ground floor, while a restaurant is located at the midpoint of the elongated floor plan. To avoid a monotonous regularity in the design, the team of architects came up with zigzag design, featuring abrupt alternate left and right turns all the way to the end.

There’s a refreshing change every step of the way. For relaxation, an array of cozy nooks adds visual interest to the corridor designed to soak up the view of dense green orchard landscapes.

A square opening in the perforate shell affords a vista of lush landscapes clearly visible from within the room.

The long passage along the outside of the building, aka the “single-load corridor”, means that hotel guests can enjoy the utmost privacy since there’s no unit situated directly across. It’s a thoughtfully devised building access arrangement, whereby all the rooms are placed only on one side. The same applies to the stairs that are semi-outdoors for better ventilation and lighting.

To add a rustic appeal, the hotel’s external envelope is built of handmade bricks sourced from within the locality. Bricklaying with openings in the walls, aka the perforate façades, offers many benefits. It allows for the expansion and contraction of the bricks when temperature changes.

A conceptual illustration portrays the layout of the building arranged in a zig-zag pattern across the site, harmonizing with the natural landscape by aligning itself with pre-existing trees and gardens. / Courtesy of Sanuki Daisuke Architects

The ground floor plan presents the usable public area of the building. / Courtesy of Saniki Daisuke Architects

The upper floor plans present the typology of guestrooms. / Courtesy of Sanuki Daisuke Architects

Plus, the perforate shell adds an aesthetic appeal to exterior walls and reduces the impact of outside noise, resulting in a more pleasant indoor environment.

Architect: Sanuki Daisuke Architects (www.sanukiar.com)

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Premier Office: A Nature-Inspired Brick Office Design Giving off Good Vibes

By livingasean
July 4, 2023
CULTURE,DESIGN

/ Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam /

/ Story: Wuthikorn Sut / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Triệu Chiến /

Though we cannot count on the weather to be calm and delightful at all times, it is quite possible to bring physical ease, well-being and relaxation into the workplace, even without air conditioning. And this brick office named “Premier Office” has proved to be the case, thanks to clever passive cooling techniques and greenery giving off friendly vibes.

Handsomely nestled within a calm Ho Chi Minh City neighborhood, the building offering rental office spaces boasts the timeless beauty of brickwork in masonry construction.

Not only do bricks blend nicely into the surrounding landscape, but they also provide interior thermal comfort by absorbing moisture to some degree.

When wet, they dry out by evaporation thereby keeping the ambient temperature pleasant during the daytime.

The seven-story building with a parking garage below ground level offers vacant office spaces for lease that let tenants do their own setup and decorating.

Unlike the usual design offering the same old same old typical of everyday commercial real estate, the rental business spaces at Premier Office are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and configurations, each of which is unique in its own special way.

As the architect intended, the new office block centers around the concept of climate-responsive design whereby forms, functions and nature blend together into one perfectly coordinated business property.

There is a courtyard-like open area at the center that affords an airy and bright atmosphere on every floor. It’s an architectural feature that goes together well with building facades made of ventilation blocks.

By design, the breathable envelope doubles as a passive cooling system that draws fresh outdoor air into this brick office and dissipates excess heat into the sky by rooftop ventilation.

Façade and Ventilation Conceptual Diagram Courtesy of Tropical Space

First Floor Plan Courtesy of Tropical Space

Second Floor Plan Courtesy of Tropical Space

Third Floor Plan Courtesy of Tropical Space

Fourth Floor Plan Courtesy of Tropical Space

Fifth Floor Plan Courtesy of Tropical Space

Sixth Floor Plan Courtesy of Tropical Space

Seventh Floor Plan Courtesy of Tropical Space

For the health benefits of natural light, the building envelope is constructed with spaces in between bricks. These little openings in the wall work in tandem with the skylight over the courtyard-like area at the center.

Together they create interior thermal comfort by admitting a defused light to illuminate the room, meantime protecting it from the sun’s harsh glare.

It’s a clever hack to promote well-being, by which only the indirect light filtered by brick walls and surrounding trees is allowed.

The architect believed that by integrating physical comfort in the design of this brick office, it would double as second home for many tenants working here.

To avoid invading people’s privacy, the business space for each and every tenant is easily identifiable and clearly defined by a brick masonry wall.

Even with that, all the rental spaces appear bright and airy, no doubt, a nature-inspired place in which to conduct business.

Owner: Nguyen Thi Thuy Linh
Architect: Tropical Space (https://tropicalspaceil.com/)

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Long An House: A Charming Brick House in Vietnam

Termitary House: Good Sunshine, Fresh Air, and Brick Walls

By livingasean
September 19, 2019
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Da Nang, Vietnam /

/ Story: Patsiri Chotpongsun / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki /

The fact that the house is made of clay has enabled brick buildings to make deep connections with the natural world in so many ways. More importantly, the structures built of small rectangular blocks derived from nature are endowed with the power of storytelling that provides a window on vernacular culture, the environment, and the way of life native to a locality. These qualities are manifested in outstanding works of architecture, the likes of which are obvious at this house in Da Nang, Vietnam that uses brick walls as the main building element.

Good Sunshine, Fresh Air, and Plenty of Room to Breathe — The hall at the center of the house plan is spacious and well-lit, thanks to the skylight positioned directly above it. It has room for plenty of functions ranging from a sitting parlor to dining room to pantry. The natural light cycle interacts with the interior spaces, resulting in different color renditions as day goes by.

It all started with a family’s desire to renovate their home on a budget. A team of architects from the design firm Tropical Space soon came up with an idea inspired by termite mounds.

They knew that the small soft-bodied insects built their homes by cementing masses of earth with saliva. Amazingly, they are quite capable of withstanding hot and humid climates for long stretches of time.

For this reason, the architects designed the house walls to be built of bricks placed on top of each other with a break between blocks to create little ventilation holes that allow in light and drive natural air circulation.

Designed for tropical living, the 140-square-meter box-shaped house wrapped in perforate brick walls is going by the name “Termitary House.”

To protect from heat, the team of architects put in perfectly opaque walls on the sides exposed to intense sunlight.

Meantime, the sides with less exposure to bright light had small openings built into the walls to promote air circulation, resulting in thermal comfort in the interior living spaces year round.

The same applied to the brick house façade that’s its most outstanding feature. The vertical flat structure was made of bricks fired the old-fashion way and laid with air holes at intervals all the way across.

The result is a breathing wall that allows in just enough light and a fresh supply of air. The light and spacious atmosphere lends a modern air to the home designed to be free from dust in summer and safe from inclement weather during the monsoon season.

More importantly, it’s about privacy that comes with unique design.

Situated on a rectangular plot with narrow frontage, this box shaped house is enclosed by brick walls with ventilation holes built into them. They serve multiple functions as privacy screens, breathing walls, and means of admitting daylight into the interior.

It’s a house plan that prioritizes thermal comfort as well as functions. The staircase, storage room and bath are strategically placed on the east and west sides.

During daytime hours they double as a layer of insulation to keep sunlight heat out. The hall at the center is spacious and well-lit, thanks to the skylight positioned directly above it.

The area offers plenty of space for a sitting parlor, pantry and dining area as well as easy access to the bedroom, bathroom and small reading room on the mezzanine.

Open concept design paired with perforated room dividers contributes to visual continuity that enables family to stay connected, happy and warm even on a busy day.

A small corridor lies between the outer brick wall and the inner wall decorated with transparent glass. Glass walls maximize natural light while protecting the interior living spaces from rain.

Well thought-out design adds privacy to the bedroom on the mezzanine. Opaque walls paired with perforated brick walls and skylight in the ceiling add a new dimension to design. Meantime, glass paneling for the wall is installed to protect the room from dust and inclement weather.

Breathing walls offer several advantages. By design, countless small holes in them let a moderate amount of light shine through, increase air circulation, and reduce interior temperatures to a comfortable level.

Upfront, the vertical brick structure provides an awesome privacy screen that’s energy efficient and allows people inside to see out. Made from inexpensive local materials, it comes alive when good sunshine creates movement and a shadow play on the surface.

And the show goes on day and night, thanks to the form, color and texture that give the brick wall its character.

The house walls are built of bricks placed on top of each other with a break between blocks to create countless small holes that allow light and air to enter and circulate freely. The resulting perforate shell contributes to physical ease and well-being in the tropical style home.

The night is aglow under the beams of electric light shining through the perforate shell. It’s a phenomenon that conjures up the image of a beautiful lantern symbolic of a joyful celebration.

This story is an excerpt from Modern Vernacular Homes Special Issue: Happiness Matters. (Available here in Thai and English)

Architect: Tropical Space by Tran Thi Ngu Ngon and Nguyen Hai Long

The Beauty of Simplicity in a Single-Story Home

By livingasean
July 11, 2018
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Ang Thong, Thailand /

/ Story: Patsiri Chot / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul / Styling: Somboon Kringkrai /

Right in the middle of a field in Ang Thong Province stands a single-story house that has become a community point of interest.

Owner Chamnan Chatchawalyangkul says, “At my age, I really needed to make this happen while I was still strong enough to get around.

“I don’t want to be a burden on my kids when I’m not so capable anymore, living in a cramped room with them worrying about me all the time.

“I needed to plan in advance to have a house where I can take care of myself. And the house will eventually belong to the kids anyhow.”

Chamnan’s design is spare and open, with excellent ventilation. With everything on the same level, each room is accessible by wheelchair.

One special place is a karaoke room for him and his friends. Architect Jim (Teerachai) Leesuraplanon tells us:

“Chamnan said he’d always lived in a rowhouse, a limited, safe space. Some people might want a house in the middle of an open lot to be open all around, but I think about safety, too.

“This is why we put the brick wall in front, and the iron bars, barriers that still allow light and air to pass through. I’d summarize the design I had in mind with the three words ‘balance,’ ‘blend,’ and ‘believe,’ expressing a balanced life, cause and effect, and faith.”

Standing in a rural field with a road in front, the house opens out on a rubber tree orchard in the rear.

Simplicity is the foundation of the design: a balance between vertical and horizontal lines and surfaces, no nooks or ridges to collect dust, and elemental materials such as concrete, wood, metal, brick, and gravel.

A metal frame lifts the roof at an angle to break the force of the wind. The floor is raised above the ground, facilitating maintenance work on utility systems beneath.

The front wall is a striking display of BPK brick, a local Ang Thong material, laid in a unique arrangement to create beautiful patterns of light and shade, with an additional layer of sliding glass windows for safety.

Around the house is laid a path of river gravel, so someone in the house can easily hear a person walking outside.

The big central living room is a great place to relax, but the real heart of this single-story house is the big porch.

When the folding doors are opened, the room opens up, and it’s much like an old-time Thai house, with the added benefit of a great view of the gorgeous rubber forest, just as the original design envisioned.

Owner: Chamnan Chatchawalyangkul

Architect: Teerachai Leesuraplanon

Visit the original Thai version of the article…

บ้านชั้นเดียวบนพื้นฐานความเรียบง่าย

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Long An House: A Charming Brick House in Vietnam

By livingasean
March 18, 2018
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Long An, Vietnam /

/ Story: Nawapat, Nipapat Dusdul / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki /

An attractive brick house in Vietnam’s Long An Province is the pride and joy of Tropical Space, a homegrown design studio specializing in mixing traditional Vietnamese brickwork with modern architectural styles.

Inspired by the beauty and durability of brick, Tropical Space recently built the innovatively designed home on 750 square meters of land.

The sloped roof house plan combines three separate living spaces into one modern home with strong architectural language.

The result is a beautiful blend of the traditional and the modern. There’s something that never changes. Brick is used here because it’s inherently a Vietnamese material used in building construction, and it’s indigenous to the area.

At the same time, with a deep understanding of Vietnamese culture and climate, the architects at Tropical Space are committed to the use of environment-friendly building practices and sustainable material selection.

The brick house in Long An is designed for a warm and humid climate. To maximize ventilation efficiency, the architects divide the sloped roof into two parts and put a courtyard in between them.

There are corridors connecting the two parts of the house. Meantime, perforated brick walls allow breezes to pass through and around the building.

Traditional Vietnamese design provides continuous functional spaces that stretch from the front to the back of the house. Boundaries between spaces are marked by the different quantity of light that varies from place to place.

It’s a brilliant layout that keeps the interior living spaces cool all year round without air conditioning.

The front yard floor is covered in brick pavers with holes capable of draining storm water fast and keeping ambient temperatures cool in summer. Next to the yard is a buffer space designed to create a beautifully transitional room from the yard to the living room, dining room and bedroom.

The kitchen is on the north side of the house plan along with other functions. It’s ideal for traditional Vietnamese cooking and offers very relaxing family rooms.

There are two bedrooms on the mezzanine with plenty of space for a quiet reading room and relaxation. The architects also put in stairs on both sides to easily connect with other areas inside and outside of the house.

This not only gives the children a play area, but also enables them to move around unhindered by solid walls.

Architect: Tropical Space

Right Renovation Leads to a Pleasing Hip, Modern Brick House

By livingasean
August 14, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Foryeah!/ English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Nantiya Busabong /

The houses in this area all looked the same when parents brought the owner of this newly renovated house here when he was a child; now he has renovated their home into a hip, modern brick house with 200 square meters of usable space on a property of 400 square meters.

modern brick house — The lower floor retains the old “tai thun” space below, a brick wall with angled patterns perforated for ventilation on the floor above.

“After studying abroad I lived in a condo for years, but modern urban life is too full of needless accessories, so I finally came back to this house for its serenity and privacy,” said Roj Kanjanabanyakhom, the owner and architect of his own home.

“I like peace and quiet, listening to music, watching movies, and that’s enough.”

A staircase up to the hobby room, apparently playfully designed for legs of different lengths.

The old house wall was removed in favor of tall “picture windows”

An architect himself, he was the designer and construction supervisor. Since the house was in an old condition, there were a lot of problems: leaks and seepage, rusty pipes, etc., even asbestos tile, now recognized as carcinogenic.

The structure of the house had to be almost completely torn down to its basic frame: pillars, beams, and a couple of walls.

Striking improvements were made to suit Roj’s lifestyle in both the new building at the front and the old house at the back. The newly built structure at the front consists of bright orange brick walls with ventilation spaces below.

A former open “tai thun” (the space beneath the stilt) area, half the ground floor, became his own bicycle maintenance shop, with the other half a carport.

On the second floor is a hobby workshop, and above that a roof deck where support pillars are capped with metal plates in anticipation of future additions.

At the back, the 2.4-meter outside wall of the old house was demolished and replaced with tall glass windows all around for a spacious feeling.

Bedrooms on the second floor were removed to create a “double space” area, and a projector was set up behind one wall for full-size movie viewing.

A skylight was put in to let sunlight in all day, relieving the stuffy, damp, dark atmosphere, and polycarbonate tile was laid on floor and walls.

“There were some difficult structural and material design limitations in the old house,” said Roj.

“Parts of the old roof weren’t able to support much weight, so besides replacing the asbestos with double Roman tile we used metal purlin trusses instead of wood.

“To avoid joint problems where the new roof meets the old gabled one, we used steel-reinforced flat slab concrete, which will be able to hold the weight of future additions.

“Sometimes it’s easier and cheaper just to tear everything out,” he continued. “But I renovated because I wanted to preserve the memories here,” said Roj with a smile.

And so here’s a home filled with remembrance, ready to bring present and future memories into the mix.

Owner/Architect: Roj Kanjanabanyakhom of Atom Design (www.facebook.com/atom.design.bkk)

The Ironwood: A Chiang Mai Vacation Home Out in Nature

By livingasean
March 30, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Chiang Mai, Thailand /

/ Story: Monosoda / English version: Peter Montalbano /

/ Photographs: Nanthiya Bussabong /

Mountains, streams and forests in Mae Rim District embrace the open-air vacation home of a Bangkok metropolitan lady who has chosen tranquil Chiang Mai Province over big-city distraction and confusion.

chiang mai vacation home — Up front stands a beautiful Ceylon ironwood tree (scientific name: Mesua ferrea), also known as “Bunnag” in Thai. The building to the left side holds a reception lobby, with private residential areas upstairs. To the right is a spacious, open dining hall.

Three years earlier, this was just a holiday home for Lady Ying (Supapa Sanitwong). At that time, Prince Dighambara Yugala was in charge of it, and at his suggestion Lady Ying came to see if she should try living here permanently.

“Before, the house was surrounded by jungle. I explored a little each day, and found a nice view of the mountains. When the brush and grass was cut down, I found the river practically surrounded the house! Right then I fell in love with the place.”

Lady Ying bought the estate for her residence, naming it “Ironwood,” and put in a new building as lodging accommodation for visiting friends and family. Later, a hotel was added for guests wishing to experience the natural world of northern Thailand.

The name “Ironwood” refers to the Ceylon ironwood tree (scientific name: Mesua ferrea), also known as “Bunnag” in Thai. “This is a monument to my great-grandmother Jamreun (Bunnag) Sanitwong Na Ayutthaya, wife of Suwaphan Sanitwong in the reign of King Rama V. She’s not well-known, but is always in my thoughts,” she recalled.

The hotel has 5 rooms, each with a view of the Mae Sa River and the pleasant shade of big trees.

One of Lady Ying’s neighbors here is famous sculptor Jamnian Thongma, whose building design talents helped make her dreams come true. There are two zones on the premises, one in front and the other at the rear.

The front area holds two buildings; on the left, a reception lobby, with Lady Ying’s private residence above; on the right, a dining room and catering area. A walkway connects the buildings. The rear zone holds a riverside guest house.

jun161201_09333 — The simplicity of the bare concrete wall helps direct guests’ attention to the natural world all about.

Lady Ying walks us up the white metal spiral stair to her space on the second floor: a comfy, airy little studio with classic décor and a great view of the mountains.

The bedroom connects directly to a spacious bathroom; the kitchen is separated, and from there a stairway leads down to a greenhouse garden. The Ironwood grounds are shady and pleasant, landscaped by Siriwit Riwbamrung and Jaturong Khunkong of the Little Tree Landscape.

The rooms contain antique decorative items collected over several decades: wooden screens from Burma, handmade chandeliers from Italy, mortared columns from India: many remarkable masterpieces arranged to produce a multicultural atmosphere by interior decorator Sorasak Chatrakul Na Ayutthaya.

Taken as a whole, the vacation home has a remarkable mix of a natural setting and cultural atmosphere, with universal narratives everyone can understand. It’s a place that gives a sense of peace and tranquility, just waiting to be experienced.

The kitchen opens out to a stairway reaching up to the rooftop deck and down to the garden below.

Architect: Sorrasak Chatkul na Ayutthaya, Jamnian Tongma

Garden Designer: Siriwit Rewbamrung, Little Tree Landscape (www.facebook.com/Littletreelandscape)

Visit the original Thai article…

THE IRONWOOD – บ้านหลังใหม่ ในอ้อมกอดขุนเขาที่อำเภอแม่ริม

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