/ Story: Phattaraphon / English version: Bob Pitawkong /
/ Photographs: Minq Bui /
Can’t wait to escape all the noise and pollution? Here’s Phu Yen House a one-story home amid lush landscapes way out in the country. It’s made comfortable by light and breezy inner courtyards with a plunge pool. Plus, ultraclean white walls give peace of mind knowing family privacy is protected.
The house is in Phu Yen, a south-central province at the midpoint between Ho Chi Minh City and the Da Nang/Hue Region on the South China Sea. It’s the holiday getaway of a family who has lived and worked a long time in the city. Inspired by simple living, they discover the countryside has never lost its allure. And Phu Yen comes in as a handy location to reconnect with the great outdoors.
Named “Phu Yen House”, it’s a secluded family retreat during summer and public holidays in Vietnam. For the little children, the single-story home is a pleasant and fun place in which to grow, learn and play, away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
The white house among the trees is the brainchild of Story Architecture, a design atelier based in Ho Chi Minh City. Its immaculate white walls are built high for a good reason – provide safety and protection from prying eyes. From a distance, accents of green on the front door prove an interesting complement to the perfectly neat and clean walls.
Step inside. It’s a wow! The inner courtyard enclosed by the walls is spacious. There are no glass partition doors or solid structures dividing the interiors into smaller rooms.
Lush houseplants develop vigorously on one side, while exotics thrive in containers on the other. In the in-between space, a sheltered communal area with distinctive green accents lies, separating the courtyard from a nearby plunge pool made for kids.
For peace and quiet, the bedrooms, living room, kitchen and dining room are situated at the farthest ends. Everywhere, curved symmetrical structures span openings in the walls. They form readily distinguishable areas characterized by a plain and uncluttered appearance, making the home safe for children.
More than anything else, it’s a home built on a budget, which is evidenced by the use of simple building supplies sourced directly from within the community. Plus, the house plan is uncomplicated, easy to keep clean and tidy. It’s without doubt a dream home safe and snug in the warmth of Vietnam’s countryside.
/ Story: Kor Lordkam / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Rungkit Charoenwat /
Here’s a gorgeous modern home nestled in the wooded hills of Nakhon Nayok Province, roughly an hour’s drive from the capital. It’s a good-sized home built on 12 Rai of valleylands (just shy of 5 acres). The surroundings are naturally beautiful no doubt, and the design team at Stu/D/O, a Bangkok-based architectural practice, is determined to leave everything in its pristine condition. It involves detailed environmental assessment to reduce human impacts on ecosystems and, at the same time, create a wholesome atmosphere for relaxation.
The vast expanse of the forests is vital headwaters to many tributaries and rich in ecological corridors that are key to the survival of the region’s native fauna. And that takes priority over any other matter concerning the siting of the home.
Like so, the building is made less visible to avoid disrupting the ways of nature. It’s a house without fences by design that accepts things as they are. So wildlife can wander leisurely by, plus existing trees on the property remain where they have always been to minimize the impact on the environment.
That explains why the elements of the landscape are integrated into the home plan. It’s a design that considers human needs in connection with other things in the environment. And the house’s appearance reflects this line of thought.
Like poetry in motion, graceful curves wind around a stand of trees, six of them in all, creating good design flow that’s in sync with the rhythm of the wild. Curved concrete barriers prevent an encounter with wandering wildlife and provide safe outdoor room for the home with a center courtyard.
Within the confines of the place, a beautiful two-story house plan is created. Freeform curves fill the ground floor where a sitting room and kitchen space flow together as one. There’s a workshop cum hobby room nearby. Together they take up one side of the floor.
At the center court, a swimming pool connects to the semi-outdoor sitting room along the outside of the home. There are housekeeper living quarters and service areas at the opposite end.
The freeform concrete structure on the ground floor differs strikingly from the rectangular-shaped second floor that sits on top of it. It’s the perfect stark contrast where geometric rigidity meets graceful fluidity.
There is the beauty of humble materials such as timber cladding that adorns the exterior walls on all sides. The second floor contains bedrooms with personality that varies from room to room.
Taken as a whole, it’s a salubrious place made for relaxation, a country villa thoughtfully devised to incorporate environmental considerations into the design process. And it’s done with respect for nature.
/ Story: Warapsorn / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Sungwan Phratep /
An artist’s house is never just a place to live. It’s a collection of creative spaces. Let us now turn to the studio home of Chamnian Thongma, one of the country’s most famous artists and sculptors. Many prefer to call him just “Thongma.” The artist is widely known for having produced many life-size figurative sculptures. His works are soft and sweet with a little bit of rawness to them, the likes of which aplenty right here at this chic studio home.
Not affected by the passage of time, the studio home boasts the simplicity of exposed brickwork on the exteriors. Among other things, the most attractive feature is the door shutter with a classic antique feel.
The place is nestled at the heart of an old housing development just off of a major thoroughfare in Chiang Mai. Thongma came across it while working on a decorating project at the home of a friend of his, which happened to be right next door.
When he first bought the place, the one-Rai (1,600 sq.m) land was teeming with long tall grasses. After all the clutter was hacked out, it was a beauty just like it had been when the project was completed many years back. It took him just four months to build this new home from start to finish.
Thongma started out with simple design with the work studio occupying the front section facing the highway. The residential wing is at the rear looking out over a small stream where the soothing sounds of water flowing in the background can be heard night and day.
The home plan consists of three one-story buildings looking very much alike but serving entirely different functions. They all have simple gable roofs.
The studio’s main entryway sports a different kind of appeal with the door shutters showcasing classic antique design. Next to it stands the residential section, which consists two white buildings.
The fasciae covering the ends of roof rafters are made of reclaimed wood boards. Together they add a country rustic charm to the home. The two residential buildings connect to each other via an unpaved courtyard at the center of an L-shaped floor plan.
The first residential building houses Thongma’s bedroom, while the second is reserved for guest accommodations. Both of them possess a full array of wall openings to let natural light shine through in all directions.
They double as engine that drives natural ventilation keeping the interior living spaces cool and comfortable all day. Plus, they reduce the harsh appearance and irregular surfaces of the exterior walls.
The house interior is bedecked with décor items from Thongma’s collections. They consist of old furniture from France arranged and utilized in ways that embrace the natural appeal of a European country home.
On open-concept interior design, Thongma humbly said he felt more content with a simple way of living. “It’s good enough as a shelter protecting him from the elements. It’s warm, inviting and enjoyable here, thanks to plenty of chic décor ideas.”
It came as no surprise that Thongma preferred spending time in the open air to being indoors. The natural beauty of the environment was just irresistible. It has all the features to take him straight to nature – the stream, the mellifluous sounds of leaves rustling in the trees, and the lacy canopy of fully grown trees.
Thongma wrapped it up nicely. “Nature and our lives are inextricably linked. It is cool to be able to live in a nature-inspired environment in order to create works of art.”
And that’s exactly what he’s been doing from the start. The studio home best describes who he is and what he is about.
/ Story: Wuthikorn Sut / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /
“We want a Thai-Isan style home, the kind that not only embraces vernacular design typical of the Northeast but also fits in well with the social and cultural environment,” said homeowner Pierre Vermeir when asked about his traditional-style country home in Udon Thani’s Baan Dung District. Having lived in Thailand for a long time now, Pierre is quite at home with the Thai way of life. He is also passionate about the warmth and hospitality indigenous to the region.
The new house that’s warm and full of character sits on land that has been the family home of Nittaya Pansamdang, Pierre’s better half. When the home they’ve lived in needed repairs, the couple thought it wise to go for a complete teardown to make room for a new one. And that’s where Kanika Ratanapridakul, of Spacetime Architects, came into play and turned ideas into a reality.
“Pierre wanted a Thai-style house, a wooden one that’s comfortable to live in and not too big. He made that clear from the get-go,”Kanika said.
“As I got around to working on it in earnest, it became clear that the country home was for me as well. It was more suited to my character than other types of design. So it made communication easy because we ended up pursuing the same line of thought.”
The first floor raised at plinth height boasts an airy hallway reminiscent of the unique ground-level living space of a house perched high on sturdy poles. The exterior walls are crafted of timber in clapboard patterns alternating with glass louvre windows and fiber cement boards. The three types of building supplies were the materials of choice for their simple, clean appearance.
“The house is built strong using ordinary building supplies and methods no different from others in the community,” said Kanika. “It’s the coming together of the right materials, the skills, and well-planned design on a budget, resulting in the perfect form, color and texture that merge into countryside vernacular.”
Pierre is obviously pleased with the result. The beautiful country home in Udon Thani stands in peaceful harmony with the rural landscape. To ensure there is no obstruction of view, the boundary fence formed by densely growing bushes and shrubs is kept at the right height.
Taking everything into account, the house plan is truly a breath of fresh air. Upstairs, balconies with deck bench seating in the front and back look out over the surrounding countryside. Downstairs, simple clean decks and patio ideas enhance the garden view and offer visual continuity connecting the home with others in the community.
The front façade, especially, overlooks an outdoor area where children from within the neighborhood run and play.
From a design perspective, the home represents a juncture where vernacular and contemporary styles are married. The house main frame is built of H-shaped steel beams for strength and durability, while the layout, build quality and visual elements are quintessentially Northeastern Thai, aka Thai-Isan.
On top of its pleasantness, the house is created for easy, comfortable living, physically and mentally.
Asked how he finds living out in the country, Pierre says: “It’s not the same. Imagine living in Bangkok and then making a trip to visit family in Udon. Life would have been different.
“Compare that with having a home in Udon and commuting to work in Bangkok from time to time. The latter makes sense. It is comforting to know there is a country home awaiting your return, one that is peaceful, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.”
“I want a simple country lifestyle. After all, life isn’t about just me alone. It is about reaching out and interacting with others in the community. And that is what makes Thai-Isan culture unique and warm. There is a touch of country in the lifestyle, and I find that delightfully charming and attractive.”
Pierre now commutes a few times monthly between Bangkok and his new home. In future, he intends to live permanently in Udon Thani. Here, life just gets more fun hopping on a motorbike ride to a nearby market and back.
He enjoys cooking and inviting friends over for dinner. Occasionally he entertains visitors from overseas. Speaking of which, it seems a new trend is fast rising as more people are looking forward to living “life in the slow lane.” To Pierre, that’s life.
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