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Renovation Brings Comfort into a Modern Home

By livingasean
February 13, 2019
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

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

/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /

The family’s firstborn son is married and household members have increased. For the past 40 years, the old house located on a residential estate has gone through various stages of repair and expansion. The time for further improvements has come, and the Sattayavinij family thought it wise to renovate the dated, tired-looking home, turning it into a modern home that’s warm, livable, and in sync with the present time.

Woranol Sattayavinij, the firstborn, is an architect at the reputable company Architects 49 Limited. And the responsibility to remake this modern home rested with him.

Earlier on, the family had entertained the idea of tearing down the old house to make room for a new one set on 96 square wahs (384 square meters) of land.

Fully aware of the family’s lifestyle needs, the kind of place they wanted, and the limited budget they had, he had a change of mind and went for a renovation project instead.

Modern Home — Tall aluminum latticework that makes the front façade protects the west-facing home from harsh sunlight. It provides a buffer against solar heat gain building up in the interior. On the street, black iron lattice fencing promotes natural air circulation and doubles as a privacy screen.

“I made a walkway connecting to the courtyard that has become our sitting room. Using my stock of lumber and wood recycled from the old house, I mixed teak with Makha wood (Afzelia xylocarpa), and gave it a fresh layer of paint,” explained Woranol.

“It was a mix-match since the boards came in different sizes, but nothing serious. Now mom and her sister seem really pleased that it’s a nice spot to sit and catch the cool breezes.”

A flight of garden steps leading to the house interior is canopied by overhanging trees thriving along the fence line. The corridor offers enough room to stroll around in the privacy of home.

“The question is: How can I go about it coming up with design that’s open, bright and well-ventilated?” he added.

“First, the land itself isn’t oriented in a direction that can avoid getting direct sunlight or minimize solar heat gain. Besides, it’s a modest home. There isn’t much room for the long roof overhangs needed to protect it from the elements.

“So I solve the problem by putting a courtyard at the center of the home plan to make the interior light, airy and very comfortable.”

The unroofed area between the buildings becomes a small courtyard garden. At the further end, the architect puts in a long seat for people to relax under the shade.

An empty space between buildings looks stunning from the architectural perspective.

That said, Woranol chose box-shaped design featuring twin rectangular buildings that run parallel to each other with a courtyard in between.

The little oasis that’s open to the sky contains a small garden with a wood deck made for sitting and catching some fresh air. It serves as engine that drives natural air circulation all day. This creates a comfortable atmosphere in the entrance hall.

As for the A/C, who needs it anyway?

The forward part of this modern home has a carport that’s separated from the street by wrought iron fencing. The black on the fence contrasts with the silver on aluminum latticework protecting the building.

From the outside looking in, it’s clear that privacy protection is high on the list of priorities. It’s achievable without sacrificing the desire to live in close touch with nature.

The raised passageway around the courtyard is built of old wood worn by long exposure to the weather. Concrete steps provide easy access to the garden floor. It’s a place to sit with your legs hanging down, enjoy a patch of greenery, and shoot the breeze on a lazy afternoon.

Evergreen Korean banyan trees (Ficus annulata) lining the fence and the house exterior reduce the harshness of concrete construction and make the home appear more environmentally friendly.

The modern home with 450 square meters of usable space boasts a bright and airy interior, thanks to open floor plans that emphasize interconnectedness throughout.

Modern glass room dividers promote visibility and warm social interactions within the family. Steel construction saves time and makes the interior living space appear spacious and lightweight.

In the end it’s all about feeling good and living better.

An Indian cork tree (Millingtonia hortensis), the courtyard’s main attraction, develops a healthy crown near the studio and the bedroom on the upper floor.

While they allow natural light and fresh air to pass into the courtyard, metal lattice panels also double as privacy screens and safety precautions against intruders.

Woranol further explained, “I made a walkway connecting to the courtyard that has become our sitting room.”

“Using my stock of lumber and wood recycled from the old house, I mixed teak with Makha wood (Afzelia xylocarpa), and gave it a fresh layer of paint.

“It was a mix-match since the boards came in different sizes, but nothing serious. Now mom and her sister seem really pleased that it’s a nice spot to sit and catch the cool breezes.”

“For security purposes, iron latticework is preferred over solid walls. To keep the sun out, the perforate shell is lined with trees. There is an Indian cork tree (Millingtonia hortensis) that has grown tall to shade the interior and give sweet-smelling white flower,” added Woranol.

“We also put in a Common Tembusa tree (Fagraea fragrans) which grows slowly, and a Brazilian rosewood (Jacaranda obtusifolia) which is loved for its beautiful purple flowers.

“The courtyard floor is covered by a container garden intended to make cleaning easy after seasonal heavy rains. It’s OK to get wet sometimes, but it’s better than being enclosed by solid walls.”

His choice of furniture speaks to the minimalist style of interior design. The idea of less-is-more translates into an interior living space that’s open, easy on the eye, and conducive to natural ventilation.

It’s easy to get why everyone likes to hang out together in the hallway downstairs that connects to the lush courtyard garden. The natural environment helps them feel relaxed all day every day in this modern home.

Owner/Architect: Woranol Sattayavinij

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In Nature’s Peaceful Embrace

Surrounded by Warmth and Happiness

Modern House in Bangkok in Nature’s Peaceful Embrace

By livingasean
January 31, 2019
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Punchat / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Wison Tungthunya /

It’s next to impossible to find peace and privacy in the midst of movement and activity of Bangkok’s busy Sathu Pradit neighborhood. But this modern house in Bangkok is one that defies the odds. The freedom of being observed or disturbed by other people is accomplished in ways that most would deem impossible. The difficult situation is solved, thanks to clever design and interior decoration by Integrated Field Co., Ltd. in collaboration with Na Laan Studio Co., Ltd. the landscape designer.

The homeowners wanted a place in which to spend their post-retirement years. That was the homework assigned to the capable team of designers at Integrated Field.

They were looking at creating a home that would be the heart and soul of the family. That was the main idea that went into building this house on an area just shy of 2 Rai (roughly three-quarters of an acre). However, there was a problem.

Modern House in Bangkok — The sun shining through the skylight above the courtyard creates a natural play of shade and dancing light as time progresses. The trees and vegetation beneath the canopy need sunlight to thrive.

The land was in a densely populated area surrounded by high-rise buildings, especially in the north and west directions. The architects dealt with the difficult situation by creating a home plan that wrapped around a lush central courtyard designed for the benefit of family togetherness.

This way, the house is now complete.

The ground floor exists in open view, so everybody can participate in the activities within the house.

The plan consists of an ancestral hall, living room, and dining space with large opening glass walls. It offers the view of a central courtyard that’s made for family gatherings.

There is visual continuity that allows everybody to be in the sight of everybody else. Only the service areas, such as the kitchen, bathrooms, and living quarters for housekeepers are separated from the main hall.

Silver oak trees (Grevillea robusta) come in handy to shade the house façade against the sun coming in the south direction.

An array of bi-fold doors opens to connect to the courtyard garden and other parts of the building. Bright and airy design allows natural light and wind to blow into the interior all day.

A Buddha room sits in the common area near a run of stairs leading to the upper floor that contains bedrooms for all family members. For the utmost convenience in modern living, each bedroom comes complete with a workstation, living area, a bathroom en suite.

Apart from the capacity for interconnection among household members, the house’s most outstanding feature is contact with the natural environment that’s apparent in a lush inner courtyard.

The building is oriented to have the front façade stand facing south, a direction that isn’t likely to be observed or disturbed by other people. It stands to reap the full health benefits from southerly winds that keep the house cool naturally all day.

In so doing, an array of bi-fold doors is installed, while transom windows are fitted with nets for ventilation. Meantime, a skylight that illuminates the interior also doubles as engine that drives natural air circulation.

modern house — All the bedrooms are fitted with insulated glass to protect from solar heat gain and reduce noises from the outside.

On the side that’s exposed to intense sunlight, double concrete walls are installed, while the windows are fitted with insulated glass. Outside, the walls are canopied by overhanging trees that have become the house’s first layer of protection from the elements.

What’s obvious here is that design isn’t about bricks and mortar alone. Rather, it has a lot to do with promoting the comforts and quality of life for people living in it. As this modern house in Bangkok has shown, it pays to have a good grasp of the location and ability to overcome the challenge in the most effective way.

By keeping the hustle and bustle of the city life outside, peace and tranquility at home is accomplished. Plus, it’s a lush courtyard in the design that adds up to a salubrious atmosphere in which to live.

Architect: Integrated Field Co., Ltd. (www.integratedfield.com)

Landscape Designer: Na Laan Studio Co., Ltd. (www.facebook.com/nalaanstudio.co.ltd)

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Turning a Cold 20-Year-Old House into a Bright and Airy Tropical Home

A Home with Hip Roof Design Where Every Day Is a Holiday

Family Home Surrounded by Warmth and Happiness

By livingasean
January 23, 2019
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Atta Otto / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Rithirong Chanthongsuk /

A Swiss chalet-style building had been a family home for more than thirty years. Eventually, it was in need of repair and restoration. The Panikabutra family gave serious thought to renovating and returning their two-story wooden home to its original condition. All things considered and when a decision had to be made, the homeowners thought it wise to have it demolished to make room for a new home.

Reclaimed wood from the old house was prepared for reuse in a new single-level building designed for mother, Khunying Pannang Panikabutra. Her daughter, Thapanant Suwittayalangkarn, shared the story behind it.

“Old wood taken from the house that Dad built a long time ago was still in very good condition. It was considered so valuable. Besides that, it was legal as timber prepared for use in the building.

“Dad always insisted on the legality of things. Generally, it was beautiful reclaimed wood. There was some of it that had fallen into decay and new materials had to be purchased including old house poles.”

The new home plan is arranged around a central courtyard with a beautiful lawn as its main attraction. It’s a great way to frame a view since every room opens to the lush, refreshing garden landscape.

This is especially true where the main hall and dining room connect to a wood deck with furniture, a perfect setting for relaxing outdoor living spaces.

The design is about disposing the home plan around a central courtyard. This way, the problem of a lack of natural daylight in the interior is solved. It immediately freshens up the room and makes it comfortable for everyone, especially older members of the household.

The dining room and nearby sitting parlor get a good view of the inner courtyard, thanks to large opening doors that stand tall from floor to ceiling. Soft hues on the sofa upholstery creates a calm and serene atmosphere to make one feel more relaxed. It’s easy to get why this area has become the family’s favorite hangout.

Free from being observed by other people, the house’s five bedrooms have their place and private facilities around the courtyard garden.

The building being raised on piles at least a meter from the street level is a decided plus. The rooms are clean and uncluttered thanks to the under-floor space being used for utility systems.

Meantime, preparations for this family home are put in place to take good care of the elderly parent.

An open space between walls offers room for a shady tree, while wood lattice fencing serves as an engine that drives natural air circulation. Together,
they create a spectacular light and shadow play that’s constantly changing with time.

Sharing her thought, Thapanant said:

“From our experience before Dad passed away, the old two-level home proved inconvenient since we were responsible for taking care of people in poor health.

“The safety precaution already in place wasn’t good enough. When we decided in favor of building a new family home, my brother looked into every design detail. We put in a garden walkway around the courtyard with direct access to Mom’s room. That was our idea of making space available for mobility exercises.

“Everyone felt secure now that, to protect against slips and falls, all the rooms were set at the same level including the bathroom floor. We also put in a ramp linking the house to the carport to be ready should a wheelchair be required in future.”

Architect: Apisit Suecharoen

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

House in Trees: Well-made Home on a Narrow Lot

By livingasean
May 24, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Bac Ninh, Vietnam /

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

/ Photographs: Trieu Chien /

Having to build on a narrow piece of land, an architect creates an urban home ingeniously designed to utilize the space in imaginative ways. Relevantly called “House in Trees,” the slim plan makes the best of circumstances by letting nature permeate.

The so-called “House in Trees” sits on a narrow lot measuring 5 by 15 meters in Tu Son, a county town in Bac Ninh Province, Vietnam.

The area is fast becoming industrialized as the city grows. Putting it mildly, the impacts of urban growth are already being felt, from noise to traffic fumes and other negative effects that come with industrialization.

On top of that, the location dictates that the house be built facing west.

Be that as it may, the design team at Nguyen Khac Phuoc Architects succeeds in creating an uncluttered, incredibly relaxed home for a family with two teenage children.

Where the land is so narrow, the only way to go is up. The slim floor plans afford three bedrooms with baths, living room, kitchen, carport and storage, as well as an entertainment center, worship room, laundry.

The five-story home makes good use of two void spaces, one in front, the other in the center court.

Because the front façade is facing west, the architects fill the front void space with a leafy tree to protect the interior living spaces from hot afternoon sun and traffic fumes.

The second void space at the center is filled with greenery while lush shade keeps the homeowners naturally cool all year round. The idea is to let nature permeate as much as can be.

Tall bamboo and leafy trees diffuse natural light during daytime hours and protect the interior from gusty winds and rain.

The greenery-filled center court not only evokes a walk in the park, but also provides privacy for all the rooms that are set at tree-top levels.

A patch of greenery lines the corridor connecting the living room, kitchen and dining room.

One of the unexpected ways to decorate with plants. Greenery brings good energy, textures, and character into every space.

“The design is done within the context of the home’s unique surroundings,” explained the architects.

“We incorporate nature in the floor plan to promote better living condition for people living in it. Urban growth and industrialization are fast happening and they no doubt have impacts on the environment.”

Architect: Nguyen Khac Phuoc Architects

A Rectangular Brick Home For a Tropical Climate

By livingasean
May 23, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam /

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

/ Photographs: Tanakitt Khum-on /

This rectangular brick home in Ho Chi Minh City is designed for a “hot and humid” climate. It’s open to natural light with cool air currents constantly streaming in and out through the brick walls. The homeowners Mr. Tung Do and Mrs. Lien Dinh are newlyweds who wanted a small house with straightforward design for pleasant living. They have found the home of their dreams.

Brick doesn’t retain heat, but insulates against it, and its porosity helps retain early morning moisture which evaporates to cool at midday.

Work corner next to the food preparation section is screened off for privacy.

The owner had seen Tropical Space’s “Termitary House,” which won, among others, a 2016 Brick Award, and admired its form and design so much that – even with their limited budget – they engaged the Company to design and build their own home.

Ms. Tran Thi Ngu Ngon and Mr. Nguyen Hai Long of Tropical Space said:

“We want to build living spaces that connect people with nature, natural spaces that are easy to understand. The beauty of nature can reach deep into a person’s spirit to improve life in ways they would not have imagined before.”

Mr. Nguyen tells us he grew up in a house of brick and never forgot his childhood vision of sunbeams flowing through open spaces between bricks to throw patterns of light and shadow on the light dust in the air, and how beautiful it was.

Little phenomena such as this connect people with their surroundings, and support the choice of brick as a building material.

The brick wall both gives privacy and provides channels for air and light to pass through.

Stair frame of rebar saves space and adds structural definition.

Most of Tropical Space’s design work makes use of brick, partly because the form has a certain beauty, but deeper than that, brick is an inherently Vietnamese material, indigenous to the area.

The designer pays attention to its true characteristics and searches out new ways of using and arranging it, creating channels for wind and light and taking advantage of its moisture-retaining quality.

Seen from outside, the home is a rectangular block that itself resembles one humongous brick. It faces north because of sun, wind, and rain directions, and without being too hot it gets good light all day long.

The ground floor living room features a wall of bricks alternating with open spaces, lighting and cooling at the same time during the day.

Outside, a little distance from the house to the east and west are walls that keep sunlight from directly hitting it, instead reflecting light through the perforated brick wall and into every inside area.

These outside walls also create channels that guide the wind in and out. Trees are planted there, too, which cool the house with their shade.

The house may look a bit severe, but in this tropical climate its architecture aligns beautifully with nature to provide an amazingly comfortable residence built on a moderate budget.

Openings above and on the sides for natural light to enter during the day.

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

Extended Family’s Big Wooden House in Bangkok

By livingasean
April 5, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Jeadwonder / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham, Piyawuth /

Young married people these days tend to move away to have children and live separately, but Chang (Somprasong Sawat) and Bua (Buachomphu Ford) have brought their families back home. Everyone living together in a warm communal atmosphere makes this big wooden house a true family home.

koh11 — Mother and her younger sister live in the left wing. Behind is the parking area. Spaces are separated with drapes that can be rolled up and put away to create a common space for big family dinners.

koh22 — Teak wall and outdoor connection of mother and younger sister’s house.

“We’re all one big family, Mom, my sister, and my family, which right now is me, Bua, and our three young sons. It’s comforting to have relatives nearby. Grandma and Auntie help with the grandchildren,” Chang says with a smile.

Kanika Rattanapreedakul of Spacetime Architects Co.,Ltd. designed the house: Chang had learned about her work from a magazine article about house design in New York’s Soho district, where Kanika was the single Thai woman featured among a number of Westerners.

Her design resulted in this unique 1,000 square meters big wooden house, divided into three main sections. The first part, in the center, holds the swimming pool and central area of the house: living room, dining area, and Western-style kitchen. This is everyone’s common area.

koh100903-02444 — Dining area and light-use kitchen.

tt100903-00333 — Chang and Bua’s parlor, used for a meeting room or just to socialize.

tt100903-0599 — Fresh red tones enliven Chang and Bua’s living room.

koh333 — Left: Chang’s sister’s private kingdom. Right: A glass corridor on the second floor connects Chang’s house to the central area.

A section of the lower floor is designed for parking. The mother’s bedroom on the second floor has a classic décor. A vertical garden adds a feeling of warmth. The third floor is Chang’s sister’s domain. The right wing is surfaced with aluminum paneling, for a modern, fashionable “industrial” look: the family calls it the “tin house.”

“I collect paintings, so we have a room for them; in fact the room is designed around them. I favor surrealism and expressionism. You don’t have to understand everything to appreciate the art: it’s enough for it just to have an emotional impact.”

tt100903-06111 — Chang and Bua’s art-gallery bedroom connects to a spacious white bath.

The ground floor next to the pool has a reception area for guests, decorated with Chang’s art collection and next to a glass room where Bua practices yoga or sons play with friends, neighbors, and relatives their age.

The second floor is a mezzanine, with young Matt’s bedroom and a small pantry. Finally, on the third floor is Chang and Bua’s bedroom and two more small rooms for the children as they get bigger.

The design takes everyone’s needs into account in creating not only a beautifully designed and fully functional living space, but more than that, a place that brings together the love and warmth in the family, something that can’t be found anywhere else but here, their “home sweet home.”

Owner: Somprasong Sawat and Buachomphu Ford

Architect: Spacetime Architects Co.,Ltd.

Modern Concrete Home with a Bright Interior Courtyard

By livingasean
March 4, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

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

/ Photographs: Sungwan Phratep / Styling: Boonyawee Boonnak /

Albeit rather small in terms of land area, a pleasingly graceful concrete home feels spacious and airy thanks to a warm and welcoming interior courtyard.

Architect Intanon Chantip can still recall the day he was building this house for the most amazing person in the world — his mom. He insisted on making a nice, little center courtyard an integral part of the home plan.

“My idea is that no one wants to live alone,” he explained. “A courtyard comes in handy to help people reconnect with nature. A green space can turn an ordinary home into a vibrant dwelling place, plus it’s a friendly environment attracting birds and bees, cats and other animals.”

After his mother passed, the house was inherited to his brother, who had never been fond of a courtyard idea. Initially he wanted to put in a roof to shelter it from storm water runoffs.

But after having lived in it for a while, he had a change of heart. Like a blessing in disguise, the center yard over time transformed into a little Tropical paradise enabling him to live a refocused life embraced by nature.

cyh02 — In cross section, a charcoal sketch shows the house’s side elevation in relation to a small center courtyard.

The house’s interior boasts double high ceilings with a beautifully crafted spiral staircase on one side of the room. There are elements of unmistakable elegance manifested in the design that makes the hallway cozy and inviting.

The lush center courtyard can be seen in full view from both downstairs and the upstairs balcony.

Lush green vegetation turns the little courtyard into another day in paradise.

It’s amazing how a once unpopular idea transformed into the heart and soul of a family. Here, it sends a strong message that nature is so important in our very existence. A small center courtyard with thriving Tropical plants could very well be the first thing on your to-do list next time you plan to update your home. Unmistakably good design!

Architect: Intanon Chantip of INchan Atelier (www.inchan-atelier.com)

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A Modern Home That is Quintessentially Thai

Envelope House: Big Family Makes a Modern Space Feel Cozy

A Modern Box-Style Home with Tropical Garden View

By livingasean
February 6, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Wanoi / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Soopakorn, Nantiya /

Looking for a beautiful box style for your dream house? Here’s a box-shaped house inspired by the ethos of “form follows function” plus the beautiful panoramic view of an exotic Tropical garden. For lack of a better word, it’s a perfect combination of visible shape, color and texture, and practicality that happens by chance and ends in a happy and beneficial way.

Patchara Wongboonsin, the project architect at POAR, said that he didn’t have a particular style in mind when he started examining and evaluating different designs for the new home.

At the time, charm and good looks weren’t that important. He just wanted to create a practical, well-functioning house. After much deliberation, he had the winner — a modern box-style home that brings on the happy vibes by letting nature permeate.

“The house isn’t meant to be photogenic,” said Patchara when asked about some elements of design. “Everything and every component part has a reason for its existence. Take for instance the big steel beams upfront that make the house look rather unique. They are there for a future expansion plan.”

Overall, the interior is plain and uncluttered. Every living space and function is well thought out keeping in mind the movement of the sun and the amounts of light that change throughout the day.

Like so, the washrooms, storage space and essential maintenance work rooms are located in the west side of the house plan where the heat of the afternoon goes to work removing stuffy odors and preventing moisture damage.

There is no need for air conditioning or electric lights during daytime hours, which translates into big savings on utility bills.

The master bedroom enclosed by glass walls affords a beautiful view of the courtyard garden abundant in Tropical plants and exotics thriving luxuriantly. It’s exemplary of integrated design that blurs the boundaries between indoors and outdoors. The result is an amazing panorama that the homeowners enjoy in the comfort of their bedroom.

A beautifully crafted stairway hides behind the wall for good reason. It’s obvious the architect didn’t want anything in any way, shape or form to interfere with the relaxed ambience of the living room.

Kids’ bathrooms are the most colorful parts of the home.

For charm, good looks and the interior that’s pleasing to the senses, a palette of natural, earthy colors is used. The walls are painted a soft shade of gray to enhance special effects from nearby green spaces. The architect also uses wood jambs and engineered oak wood flooring to create warm interior spaces.

Architect: Ornnicha Duriyaprapan, Patchara Wongboonsin of POAR (www.facebook.com/poar.company)

Visit the original Thai version…

บ้านโมเดิร์น ที่พึ่งพิงธรรมชาติเพื่อตอบโจทย์ฟังก์ชั่นการใช้ชีวิต

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Mash-up: Industrial Design and Green Space of Walllasia

By livingasean
January 19, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Monosoda / Rewriter: Phattaraphon / English version: Peter Montalbano /

/ Photographs: Nantiya, Jirasak /

Cold black steel may not seem an obvious pairing for green plants, but one award-winning architect of Walllasia has matched the two in a unique and impressive way.

“Steel and the natural world present an interesting conflict to me,” said Suriya Umpansirirat, winner of the Silpathorn Architectural Award and owner of the design studio Walllasia.

“My childhood home was a rice mill in Phatthalung. I grew up playing ‘fix this, fix that’ in an industrial plant, but set in the midst of trees my father had planted.”

Adding to his compact two-storey house, he used a unique design based on childhood memories. The rawness of the black steel comes across as part and parcel of nature, meshing easily with the green leaves all about. Structural lines here are simple and straightforward, but full of architectural finesse.

When Suriya needed to expand his 64-square-meter townhouse, he bought and annexed the house directly behind, allowing no more width but creating two times the depth.

Between the two, he created a courtyard where the sun shines in. A metal frame is set like a ring around the courtyard, separating the two structures without physically attaching them to each other.

Every spot in the house has many varieties of plants and trees, looking as though they have sprung up naturally.

There is an automatic drip irrigation system which prevents water waste and also saves a lot of gardening time.

A workshop for artifacts and inventions. A big bike sits, waiting for a ride.

Suriya’s passion for nature’s fine details complements another side of him, which has him creating fine crafts in the workshop. His own artworks and a plethora of inventions and artifacts have become part of the house.

This award-winning architect of Walllasia has also done a lot of work on many religious sites, and this influence keeps his home a “work in progress”, never entirely finished, and saturated with Buddhist concepts and thought.

“Religion is about how to deal with human life,” he spoke about his inspiration.

“Each religion has a philosophy for finding happiness. Architecture grows from that: how can we express our own esthetics without encroaching on others? I tried to design this house to look simple and straightforward, for comfortable living without too many frills. For me, practical considerations are what’s important.”

Perhaps for a person of passion, practical living shouldn’t involve hoarding or accumulating, but reduction, or letting go instead, until what is left is the core essence of a home.

Owner/Architect: Suriya Umpansirirat of Walllasia (www.walllasia.com)

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