Blog : Modern Tropical House

Box-Shaped Steel House Surrounded by Nature

Box-Shaped Steel House Surrounded by Nature

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Kor Lordkam / English version: Peter Montalbano /

/ Photographs: W Workspace /

This box-shaped steel house, hidden in shady green woods, has a cool, peaceful resort atmosphere. – hard to believe it’s right in the middle of a congested city!

Steel House
wide eaves, glass windows set 3 meters in for shade and rain protection
Steel House
paved driveway leading into the carport 5 meters from the street

Designing architect Boonlert Hemvijitraphan of Boon Design took up the challenge set by the owner: create a home on the limited plot that is neither cramped nor stuffy.

Boonlert said, “The challenge was to make that work within the urban context. Fortunately, the owner gave us a completely free hand; our job was simply to design a comfortable residence on a 360-square-meter (90-square-wah) property. The starting point was what we saw in the original landscaping here.”

Steel House
[left] The dark of the steel house and bamboo blinds contrasts with the surrounding greenery. [right]: Open space carport leads up into the house.
Steel House
The main door from the carport into the living room

Steel House

The property was not large, and its location right in the center of a capital city was seriously limiting

How to build a comfortable residence here? The garden/orchard greenery was used as a tool to create a sense of spaciousness.

Instead of the house spreading outwards toward the fence, it rose vertically as a 2½-storey home with open space beneath the house used as a carport and multipurpose area, the rest of the property becoming a relaxing, park-like space.

Steel House

High-ceilinged living room, naturally bright and airy, with a great view of outside greenery.

The large garden was set up to the south to get the best breeze and the best shade from plants and trees.

The garden is planted on soil raised 1.2 meters higher than before to be level with the 3-meter height of the living room.

The living room connects with the dining area beneath the mezzanine, with the kitchen behind the glass door
The metal bookshelf reaching almost to the mezzanine also acts as weight-bearing support for the staircase behind it.

The first floor has a high “double volume” ceiling for more natural light and ventilation. A steel staircase rises from the living room to the mezzanine, which holds a workroom and guest bedroom, and up to the second floor, the owner’s private space.

The single staircase up from the carport connects everything from the ground to the top floor.

Mezzanine walkway with banister and protective grating steel is the primary building material, but natural materials such as bamboo are also important.

Bamboo shades cover the house façade, filtering sunlight, protecting against rain, giving privacy from outside view, yet still allowing good ventilation.

“We used steel not because we especially wanted to use steel, but because it was light, and we wanted that quality,” explained Boonlert.

“Each material has its own particular value. Coming up with a principle means coming up with the quality we want. Design is a value in itself.”

The architecture of this house reflects modern times. It’s surrounded by the natural environment people long for, so no matter chaotic and confused the outside world, in this home there’s a mood of relaxation and contentment: it’s just a great place to live.

Elevated porch connecting to the garden.

Architect: Boonlert Hemvijitraphan of Boon Design (www.boondesign.co.th)


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MODERN STYLE IN A NEWLY RENOVATED HOUSE
BRICK HOUSE FOR A TROPICAL CLIMATE
Right Renovation Leads to a Pleasing Hip, Modern Brick House

Right Renovation Leads to a Pleasing Hip, Modern Brick House

/ 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”
modern brick house
Leaving open space between the old house and the addition makes for good ventilation and cooling.

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.

modern brick house

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.

modern brick house

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.

modern brick house
The roof deck, designed to hold weight for future additions and a path connecting the two buildings.

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


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A Breathtaking Trio of Modern Loft-Style Homes in Bangkok

A Breathtaking Trio of Modern Loft-Style Homes in Bangkok

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

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

/ Photographs: Tanakitt Khum-on /

In former times as families outgrew their homes, by tradition Thais would put in more houses on the same property. They shared basic facilities and landscaping fitting together to form a cohesive whole. But this tradition has been disappearing. Nowadays, grown children move away into single-family homes of their own. In this case, though, Manit and Yanrak Manithikhun decided to build a trio of modern loft-style houses as future homes for their children on their piece of land.

The trio of modern steel framed homes are connected by the perfect pathway with a private garden in the middle.

“We knew our sons would want their private space, and we had a sizeable piece of land. We thought it would be a good idea to build three new houses right here for them in the same place,” said Manit.

“The three new buildings include one common house where the whole family can get together. It’s for entertaining guests, too. And I wanted an herb garden. Thinking forward to retirement!”

Steel frames and brick walls: the hip, unfinished “loft” look.

The three new homes were added to the existing principle house of parents that was built after the big floods hit Bangkok in 2011. The expansion plan included a private garden and common space where the family could spend time together.

It was made up of two steel framed loft-style houses for the sons and one building as a common room. By and large, it was designed to serve and filled in many parts that were missing in life, a garden and common room where the family can spend time together.

“The kids wanted the style to be simple and unfinished. The houses all have the same design, but they’ll change and take on the personalities of the families living in them,” Manit explained.

“I added the garden and shady spots. I wanted a resort-like feeling, and we have that now: garden, swimming pool, all in our own home.”

The cantilever deck that’s a part of the common building reaches out above the pool creating an impression of a home floating on water.

Besides a great family home with delightful common space, the architects also designed the house to be eco-friendly. The roofs were set at a 15-degree angle, facing south to prevent full sun exposure. All the houses – even the carports – have solar panels, reducing energy costs of the whole residence by 50%.

Solar cell panels installed on the roof at a 15-degree slant offer 50% savings on energy bills.

“We chose the steel house frame not only for speed in building, but also because there’s less noise pollution during construction than using other materials,” said house architect Piriya Techaratpong.

“Plus it gives a wider choice of forms than traditional concrete or column and beam structures, and is many times cheaper than building a concrete weight-bearing wall.

“The common house has spaced steel columns, with lightweight lines that give the impression the building is floating over the pool below. This is the elegant design we were trying for.”

The result of all this? A design that’s an expression of the unconditional love and aspirations these parents feel for their children.


Owner: Manit and Yanrak Manithikhun

Architect: Mee-D Architect Co., Ltd. (www.facebook.com/MeeDArchitect) by Piriya Techaratpong and Pawit Chuankumnerdkarn


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A Brick House Cherished by Two Generations
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Modern Tropical House

Modern Tropical House

Like traditional Thai houses of former times, Baan Phu Patra, as Spacetime Architects’ latest creation is called, rises above the “tai thun” space below so cooling breezes can blow through, also giving a magnificent view of Nakhon Ratchasima’s Khao Yai mountains.

/// Thailand ///
Story: Ektida N. /// Photography: Soopakorn Srisakul, Nantiya Busabong /// Design: Spacetime Architects by Kannika Ratanapridakul and Piriya Thailimthong

Kannika Rattanapreedakul of Spacetime Architects named this house “Baan Phu Patra” after the Khao Yai housing development where it’s located. At the owner’s request, the house is not too big, feels relaxed and comfortable, and has space for a kitchen vegetable garden, as the architects came up with what they call the perfect definition of a “modern tropical house.”

From outside it has a stylish, trendy appearance: clean, straightforward lines, with no wasted design or anything to make it look out of place with its surroundings.

Design began with an analysis of the 1200 square meter property and its surroundings: a sleep slope, with the best view blocked by a neighboring house and the housing project’s utility building. Spacetime’s design called for the house to be raised old-style, up 3.4 meters above a traditional Thai tai thun open space. This not only corrected for the slope, but also provided a much wider view of Khao Yai than another plan might have allowed.

The second design stage involved positioning of elements for the best functionality. The house is aligned east to west. The second floor gets a panoramic view of Khao Yai to the east. The staircase up into the house itself is set at the rear, or west end of the house, leading into a large multipurpose area containing kitchen, living area, and dining area, two bedrooms – to the left and right – and out to a 5-meter-wide balcony designed for a comfortable, relaxing experience.

The ceiling follows the slant of the roof, for a more open feeling.
Granite floor tiling around the kitchen island gives definition to interior spaces.

Once the functional setup was in place, the next design step was to select the right construction materials for Baan Phu Patra to fit its natural context in a unique and interesting way. A steel framework was used, with natural wood flooring except for kitchen and bath, where the cast-in-place concrete slab floor was topped with smooth-colored granite. These very disparate materials work well with each other to add a feeling of authenticity and define the different functionalities of different interior areas without the use of separating walls.

With form, proportion, and function all well thought-out, Baan Phu Patra blends right into its natural surroundings, a home perfectly suited to its context with an elegantly simple design.

A skylight above the window adds to a connection with nature outside.
The balcony reaches all around the house for a 360-degree view.

 

Link : https://th-th.facebook.com/spacetime.kalatesa/


 

 

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A Modern Breeze Blocks Home in Ho Chi Minh City

A Modern Breeze Blocks Home in Ho Chi Minh City

      / Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam /

/ Story: Wuthikorn Sut / English version: Peter Montalbano /

/ Photographs: Tanakitt Khum-on /

The architecture of this Modern Breeze Blocks home in Ho Chi Minh City is perfectly suited to the hot, humid climate, with an imaginative counterpoint of plants, greenery, and airy openings keeping it shady and pleasant inside and out.

Modern Breeze Blocks home in Ho Chi Minh City

Shunri Nishizawa, architect and owner of this 5-story row house, designed the Nishizawa Architects office into the basement. Floors 1-3 are rented to a Vietnamese family with a bedroom and dining room on the first floor, living room on the second, and more bedrooms on the third. The Nishizawa family itself has its living room on the fourth floor and bedrooms on the fifth.

Levels from the basement up to the fifth floor alternate between open and closed design, according to their use. Catching sunshine and natural breezes, the second- and fourth-story balconies are edged with small gardens.

This makes the tall building less constricted while allowing for easy air circulation from the front through to the back. Alternating levels extend out from the building’s frame, with the floors above shading the ones below.

Modern Breeze Blocks home in Ho Chi Minh City
Sun diversion screens: the design comes from the hollow brick concept, but uses larger units, so the breeze enters more deeply and freely while keeping intense sun and rain from indoor areas.
Modern Breeze Blocks home in Ho Chi Minh City
A spiral staircase provides access to the second floor.
Modern Breeze Blocks home in Ho Chi Minh City
A comfortable work environment at the office of Nishizawa Architects.

The small gardens not only make residents feel relaxed, but also filter out intense light and cool the breezes blowing through. The second and fourth floors feature concrete ceilings sculpted with curves rather than the harsh lines found inside most buildings. This makes the light more diffuse in the interior, creating the relaxing perception of being in a natural stone cave.

Modern Breeze Blocks home in Ho Chi Minh City

Modern Breeze Blocks home in Ho Chi Minh City

Modern Breeze Blocks home in Ho Chi Minh City

Shunri says, “This house shows a true combination of ‘tropical’ and ‘modern’ architectural design coming from understanding traditional living patterns in this hot, humid Vietnamese climate as well as how to set things up perfectly for contemporary life.

“It’s safe and secure living with modern comforts such as air conditioning, yet still answers our need to be close to nature, with sunlight, breezes, and open spaces connecting to garden and plants right here in the house.”

Modern Breeze Blocks home in Ho Chi Minh City

Modern Breeze Blocks home in Ho Chi Minh City

The overall design can be adapted to many different functions. Shunri draws on his experience growing up with multipurpose spaces common in Japanese homes. Areas such as the living room are strategically partitioned to block direct light and view, simultaneously giving privacy and an open feeling.

Hollow blocks, a popular Vietnamese building material, inspired the design. They provide shade, aid circulation and effectively protect against sun and rainstorm.

More than just comfortable living, this house offers a charming blend of nature and architecture ensconced in an oasis of calm right in the middle of Ho Chi Minh City.

This breeze blocks Tropical house is actually much better described as a “house and garden” than simply a “building.”

Modern Breeze Blocks home in Ho Chi Minh City

 


Architect: Nishizawa Architects


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

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

/ 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


An Open, Airy Home with Privacy in Nakhon Pathom

An Open, Airy Home with Privacy in Nakhon Pathom

/ Nakhon Pathom, Thailand /

/ Story: Ajchara Jeenkram / English version: Peter Montalbano /

/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /

Comfort, safety, and privacy were the primary considerations in designing this house. Spacious, cool and airy, it fits right into its Nakhon Pathom city neighborhood.

home nakhon pathom

“Coming back exhausted from work, the owner feels he’s escaped to the other side of a wall where he can finally relax with family in an inner sanctum hardly at all visible from outside.” Meechai Jaroenphon, architect from the Backyard Architect Co., Ltd., says the family wanted a lot of privacy for their home, which accounts for the dense concrete fence, broken only by a few narrow slots.

home nakhon pathom
The house entry area next to the carport.

The property holds three houses with a connecting court in between. There’s the main house where the owner lives, a second house for his siblings, and at the very rear is the parents’ house.

The idea was to live together as a big family while still having privacy. At the architect’s suggestion the homes are compact, leaving a large common space for a garden they work together, which adds a warmer, more intimate atmosphere.

Meechai goes on to say, “The owner wanted the different homes to be set at different levels, with stairs of different heights. I took this a step further and designed stairways as connecting elements, primarily using wood for its simplicity and warmth.”

The owner’s outside staircase.

home nakhon pathom

home nakhon pathom

Stairways connect the three buildings, and going up or down each time brings us into the private space of a different family unit. Sometimes there’s more functionality involved: the stairway in front of the first house, for instance, has a frame of steel and wood railing which screens the view from outside.

Although privacy is important, there are also openings to facilitate sun and wind coming in. “I had in mind the concept of a “safe house,” says Meechai.

“So I designed the carport to block a house view, but the buildings are open to the breezes. When the owner comes home exhausted from work he enters a cool, comfortable atmosphere, escaping into his very own world.”

home nakhon pathom

home nakhon pathom

The altar room is a common area where the parents come to pray and make merit every day. Set at the highest point, it’s larger than other rooms, and divides into two sections: a meditation room and a sitting room. The walls here are open on three sides for an open, airy ambience.

As you can imagine, it’s quite a challenge to create a home for people of different ages to live close to each other. Good design has to anticipate actual usage and find solutions for each person. This house in Nakhon Pathom is a real success story in that way: the big family really enjoys living together.

The house fence and carport wall have 10 cm. slits allowing a view outside.

Materials used in the house: teak, Makha wood, brick, marble, mosaic tiles.

Architect: Meechai Jaroenphon of Backyard Architect Co., Ltd.


Visit the original Thai article…

บ้านซ่อนตัว


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Modern Steel House a Perfect Fit for Tropical Climate

Modern Steel House a Perfect Fit for Tropical Climate

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

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

/ Photographs: Rithirong Chanthongsuk /

Close to nature. All the needed conveniences for modern family life. Spacious plus great ventilation. This steel-framed home fits its hot Tropical climate perfectly.

steel house

The house stands on the same rectangular property as the old family’s home, but is split off from it. The owner is a building contractor with interior decorating experience, and so with the help of an architect friend from Office AT, he was able to build exactly the house he wanted.

steel house

“The two of us already have a lot of possessions, and will need more when we have kids,” said the owner. “This house is designed for simple, easy functionality in a nice, open space. It’s modern, easy to maintain, and has a library and rooms we can put to various uses in the future.”

steel house

Being in the construction field, the owner already had his own work team and a lot of places to get ornamental materials. Much of what was used here came from other construction sites. For simplicity and ease, the house has a cuboid structural steel frame, allowing it to be built within only four months.

For the swimming pool to be set on the north side, the house is laid out lengthwise along the southern edge of the property, which also means the narrower eastern and western walls allow less sunlight and heat inside.

Near the main entrance is a carport, and trees act as a fence in front, adding shade and blocking the view from outside.

The spacious 400-square-meter living space in this home has a downstairs with connected living room, dining room and kitchen, all with a full view out onto the swimming pool.

steel house

“Besides all the northern doors and windows opening outwards, to the northeast and northwest are spaces always open for the wind to blow in and out of the house, keeping it cool so air conditioning isn’t needed most of the day,” said the architect.

The second floor holds bedrooms. Here walls are solid on the south side, featuring built-in closets such as are also seen downstairs.

A long balcony connects all the rooms, shielded from the sun by a “double-layer skin” latticework which gives privacy while creating dimensions of light and shade.

The materials – steel, aerated concrete, unpainted brick, wood battens, eaves and floors of light-colored wood, and the unpainted pine walkway around the pool – all express a simple sufficiency.

This steel house supports a comfortable lifestyle and is completely ready to be adjusted and adapted for future needs.


Architect: Office AT Co.,Ltd. (www.officeat.com)


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A Cozy Modern Home Inspired by Traditional House Design

A Cozy Modern Home Inspired by Traditional House Design

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Foryeah / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul, Beer Singnoi /

Utilizing the good qualities of the traditional Thai house in modern home design results in comfortable living and a look that never goes out of style. “Bua Baan House,” named after Bua and Baan, homeowner Ruja Rojanai’s daughter and son, was designed by Sorawis Na Nakhon of Bab Studio. His intention was to translate the most pleasing aspects of the traditional Thai house into a beautiful modern format.

modern thai house

 “Almost all the houses in this neighborhood open onto a busy street, but this place of residence is located in a quiet, private cul-de-sac,” says the architect. “We planned the house in an “H” form which has more outside walls, allowing for more doors and windows and resulting in better ventilation than in a block-shaped building.”

The H-shaped house plan separates the building into two wings. From the carport stepping into the house, we pass the parlor/reception area, designed with a grand-looking “double-space” ceiling reaching up one and a half story.

modern thai house
An aluminum shading sunscreen blocks the sun’s harsh glare from the west.
modern thai house
The entryway from the carport is reminiscent of the “Tai-thun”, or the open lower floor space in traditional Thai homes designed to improve lighting and promote natural air circulation.
Above the front entrance, a border of potted plants adds green to the rooftop deck.

The home is built on a long and narrow plot of land. For privacy, service areas and maid’s quarters are in the rear, with a laundry section directly above it accessed by a separate set of stairs.

The owner’s living area is in the second wing of the H-shaped house plan, with a lower-floor connecting walkway between the two sections reminiscent of the Tai-thun, or the open space below Thai houses of old. Above the walkway is an exercise room.

modern thai house
Open space within the H-shaped house plan includes a mid-house garden, an excellent design aiding natural air circulation.
Above the entryway, openings in the wall release hot air from below.
Above the entryway, openings in the wall release hot air from below.
modern thai house
A sitting parlor/reception room with high ceilings feel spacious, warm and welcoming.

The family residence wing rises three and a half stories high, with living room, workroom, dining room, and kitchen downstairs. Floor two holds a master bedroom for the parents, and another bedroom for an aunt. The third floor is for the daughter and son’s rooms. Each of them wanted a “mezzanine” level added to the bedrooms, hence a double-space ceiling with workspace set above.

The entrance hall continues along the length of the house, with doors and windows aligned right and left.
[Left] A coordinated stainless steel kitchen. / [Right] The cool and calm atmosphere inside a double-space bedroom.
Bua’s double-space bedroom.
Bua’s workroom on the mezzanine.

Another thing adding to a sense of comfort and spaciousness in the home is in its linear plan, which allows easy circulation of light and air throughout.

Rooms are connected by a single walkway, and there are many doors and windows. The house faces west, presenting its narrow side to the hot afternoon sun. There, the architect provided thick, closed walls to block the heat, layering blocks inside to create a passage to let hot air out.

A flight of stairs leading to the workspace on the mezzanine in one youngster’s room.
Baan’s bedroom, with a cool-looking net hung above.
A stairway provides access to Baan’s mezzanine workspace.

Owner: Ruja Rojanai

Architect: Sorawis Na Nakhon af Bab Studio (www.facebook.com/babarchitectstudio) and Make it Pop (www.makeitpop.net)


Visit the original Thai article…

BAAN BUA BAAN – บ้านบัวบ้านแบบไทยๆ ใบหน้าฝรั่ง


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A Mid-City Modern Tropical House in Bangkok

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/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Patharasiri / English version: Peter Bontalbano /

/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /

It’s right in the middle of the city near a BTS SkyTrain station, but open to breezes and sunshine. This modern Tropical house is as cool and comfy as a country resort. It’s home to a multigenerational household including Mom and Dad and aging Grandma and Grandpa. Puchong Sathiraphipatkul, the architect who designed the renovation of this old family home, is the third-generation owner.

Modern Tropical Home
Open-concept design facilitates natural ventilation that lets fresh air enter on one side and out another.

“The clock’s ticking. How much time do we have?” Puchong was heard asking himself. He could still recall going about his busy schedules during his formative years that has had a profound influence on his professional development.

The old family home stands surrounded by tall buildings. Time flies. Going back a few years, his mother and father, grandpa and grandma were rapidly aging, so in just his third year of architectural studies he decided to take it on as a project, and his first customer was . . . his mother!

“I was thinking time was not waiting for us, so with my studies not finished and without much experience, I fell back on advice from teachers and older professionals.”

Puchong, now an architect with A49 House Design Co., Ltd., a Bangkok-based architectural practice, said that the challenge posed by his super-important first customer was to create what he called a “Sukhumvit-style” house, which had formerly been a family residence in the vibrant Sukhumvit neighborhood.

Modern Tropical Home
The reception hall and a set of stairs with teakwood treads are to the south, for distance from the sun’s heat.

The house brings many fond memories of his mother as a discerning client. “Mom is Mom. She’s the ‘decider’, always has to be pleased in every respect,” Puchong added.

“In two years of professional life since then I haven’t had such a difficult customer. Back then I was constantly visiting stores and houses around Sukhumvit to get ideas on space configurations to suit our family lifestyle.”

Modern Tropical Home
The building surface is open, with glass walls, and latticework to filter the light.

They were lucky to get this huge plot of land in a short, quiet alley and near the BTS SkyTrain station. Taking sun and wind direction into consideration, Puchong faced the house north, with narrow sides to the east and west making space for a big yard. He also used landfill to raise the house 150 cm height for a better view.

Modern Tropical Home
The house faces north: wide, spacious, light and airy.

“Starting with that trendy “Sukhumvit” theme, next comes “comfort design,” then “space design” for individual and common spaces and ‘transitional’ areas.” The architect of his own house shows us the outside fence, the carport, the walkway all around leading up to the reception hall and smaller spots, then up to the common areas and bedrooms above that.

Modern Tropical Home

“The home is fundamentally Tropical Asian; its heart is open to sun and wind. It’s in the form of two 600-square-meter blocks one atop the other, facing north onto the garden. The southern sun mostly falls on walkways, staircases, and outside balconies,” added Puchong.

“The central ceiling is high, for good circulation. The west side has a thick concrete wall for sun protection. It’s a ‘passive’ design: architecture in harmony with nature, no wasted budget on technologies of comfort.”

Mom and Dad’s master bedroom, with an open, high ceiling, features Earth’s own custom-designed teak furniture.

He ended by saying he couldn’t have perfected this modern Tropical home if it hadn’t been for the great contractors, relatives of a close friend, whose exquisite craftsmanship really shows.

“Others may see this house as a little off-beat, but it completely fits our family style, in a balanced way. Sure works for me.”

Modern Tropical Home
In many spots there’s a “transitional space” area that makes things more intimate.

Owner/Architect: Puchong Sathiraphipatkul


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