/ Story: Skiixy / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki /
Since its opening, an unusual cluster of five box-shaped concrete houses of different heights conceived by the Vietnamese firm Vo Trong Nghia Architects has been a wondrous sight for lovers of architecture.
These buildings are actually tree planter boxes set up to make a house for a small family. Besides catching the attention of passersby with trees popping up from rooftops, this clever design also won numerous awards in 2014, including the Ashui Award and a world-class award from Architectural Review.
The land was once used for a factory. Though the factory was demolished, it remains close to the hearts of the owners/family members, which is why they wanted to build the house here.
Due to environmental limitations such as a small alleyway for an entrance, an asymmetrical plot, and a lack of greenery, the owners decided to create a courtyard surrounded by gigantic plant containers. The result is a number of box-shaped concrete houses that resided amid a lush atmosphere.
In this way family members, and even nearby neighbors, can live close to nature.
Another impetus for the unique design involves the owner’s 50-year-old father. To provide some relief for his depressive disorder, the design team divided the house interior into five sections.
To move from one room to another, the father and other family members have to walk outside. Lush trees, gentle breeze, birdsong, and friendly neighbors can be good mental therapy.
“The five buildings are inspired by plant containers, making this place like a compact oasis in a residential area. In various alignments with neighboring walls, each building acts as a house divider,” explained the architect.
“Post-construction, the owners now get to view interesting effects created by the various angles. Each building reflects sunlight to create varying tones and shades all day long.”
Walls are the primary features of each building. An interesting exterior surface is created by bamboo pressed on concrete walls with a technique relying on the skills of bamboo artisans.
Not only bearing the entire weight of each box-shaped building, the walls also support heavily water-absorbent rooftop soil.
Normal topsoil is only 30 centimeters deep, but this extra-thick earth is 1 meter deep, more suitable for a large standing tree. The design was developed in consideration of Ho Chi Minh City’s typical flooding.
As expected, the box-shaped concrete houses has been successful in cheering up the depressive father, and even more, this architectural design uses nature to the benefit of both people and nature itself, helping them to live together in harmony.
/ Story: Wuthikorn Sut / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Damrong Leeviroj, Xaroj Phrawong /
“Saving every tree on the property” is the motto from this resort owner. Studio Miti designed these tropical houses that blend in with the forest, as architecture that fuses modern and traditional Thai tropical living styles.
The house-on-stilts design allows nature to permeate and ensures good air circulation. Plenty of under-floor spaces allow small vegetation to thrive.
At a glance, the houses conjure up images of little houses in the big woods. Four beautiful and tranquil tropical houses are nestled in a surrounding forestland of northwestern Uthai Thani.
This house-becomes-hotel is the brainchild of the owner, Chantita and Paisan Kusonwatthan. They started re-growing and restoring the area some thirty years ago. Later when development began in earnest in 1996, the area was meant to be their retirement home.
Through hard work and dedication, the property grew to become a lush woodland full of vitality. It gave rise to the idea of opening it to the public.
Now the post-retirement project becomes a resort, appropriately named “Bansuan Chantita.” Bansuan is Thai for garden home.
The architect of the project, Prakij Kanha of Studio Miti, explains:
“First and foremost, we set out to save every tree on the property. It is our duty and responsibility to find common ground between nature and architecture.”
In the design process, the architect took great pains to measure every space among the trees. The average area was then used as the basis for designing homes on the property.
Only after that did the design team begin work on the design concept. The project took the form of a “plus” symbol as its layout.
The tropical living house design and remain Thai lifestyle by design terrace in front of the house.
“The plus symbol plans fit in well amongst the trees. The result was perfect harmony between architecture and the existing natural environment. The design scheme was about putting together five rooms, all of which are easily accessible from the central court,” explained Prakij.
“The four homes come complete with wood decks, seating spaces, bedrooms, and bathrooms. The house-on-stilts design keeps them elevated from the forest floor.
“Each home is set at a different level to promote good air circulation through the hotel property. It is the different level design that creates an enchanting aesthetic.”
All living spaces are designed to be proportionate with one another in size, amount, and frequency of use. Different spaces are designed with different needs in mind.
The design scheme calls for the four tropical houses to be conveniently linked by a system of wood passageways winding through the lush botanical garden setting. From the outside in, the resort looks and feels like it is an inextricable part of the forest in the backdrop.
By emulating the Thai-style design, the architect ensures that no space goes to waste. Small vegetation thrives on the forest floor below. Crisp, cool breezes are ever present, and nature permeates everywhere.
Inspired by the Thai-style house design, the wood deck provides a lot of nature at the doorsteps and easy access to all parts of the hotel.
The house’s exterior walls and outdoor decks are made of recycled wood. The preference was based on two reasons.
First, it was a smart move because the price was right. Second, it creates a warm and enchanting atmosphere in the midst of nature.
Recycled wood still shows signs of use, while painted surfaces in a variety of colors serve as camouflage clothing that blends in with the surroundings.
The owners, Paisan and Chantita, on the wood deck of their little homes in the big tropical woods
Somehow it is the roofing made of steel sheets that often go unnoticed. Asked why he chose steel over other roofing materials, the architect said:
“If boats made of steel can float on water, likewise roofs crafted of steel can effectively keep the weather out.
“Steel construction is expedient especially where roofing is composed of multiple parts. Such is the case here.”
What makes these tropical houses stand out is the understanding of nature and the knowledge to incorporate it into the design scheme. The garden paradise is an escape into nature.
A designer couple’s dream house stands amidst the idyllic farmlands of Vietnam countryside. Interior designer My An Pham Thi and her husband Michael Charrualt, who is also a 3D graphic designer, built their new home office using natural materials and creative building techniques. Basically, it’s a design that embraces the green building concept aimed at minimizing negative impacts on the environment. By mixing locally sourced materials with imagination and modern methods of construction, they were able to create an eclectic living space with a look that’s uniquely their own.
The designer couple’s home is built using a mix of real wood, concrete masonry, brickwork and palm-leaf roofing. The vertical pattern of bricklaying makes the fence wall look taller than it really is.
It’s a design choice that came at the right time as sustainable building was catching on in different parts of the country. Green construction provides many benefits, among them reduced waste, reduced cost and better air quality, and the list goes on.
This designer couple’s home out in the country conveys a great deal about that line of thought and the need to go green. They mixed local materials with imagination to create an environment-friendly home that’s cozy and warm without burning a hole in the pocket.
A large table with Windsor chairs and a vintage Chinoiserie daybed adorn the spacious, semi-outdoor dining room. Overhead, cement surfaces in the ceiling are brushed smooth for ease of maintenance and precautions against humidity damage.
Connecting with nature. A part of the house is left unroofed to bring the big blue sky and the sound of leaves rustling in the trees into the room.
The fence wall in front of the house boasts the simplicity of raw concrete finishes with beautiful bamboo detailing. There are two gates made of wood in dark reddish browns that blend with the rural environment, at the same time, protecting the home from the outside.
As a feature that’s a source of pride, the house’s external envelope is crafted of bare brickwork that adds visual interest to the overall design. Where appropriate, perforate brick walls are installed to allow fresh air and natural light into the home, making the interior feel nice and dry.
All of this is achieved by using simple materials readily available in the locality, such as wood, cement, bricks and palm-leaf roofing. Together they give the house in the fields a beautiful indigenous flair.
Benefits of a perforate shell: Bricks are laid with openings in between for increased light and better ventilation in the interior.The absence of solid room dividers makes the interior feel light, airy and spacious. The same applies to the bookshelf without a back panel that’s easy to use and easy to keep clean.
In essence, it’s the love of the outdoors that inspires My An Pham Thi and Michael Charrualt to build their home out in Vietnam countryside. It boils down to the healthy lifestyle they cherish in their heart, a yearning desire to seek reconnections with nature. And this rustic country house in the fields is made for that.
Take a look inside. The ground floor boasts a specious living room with Chinoiserie furniture that connects to the dining room with a large table and Windsor chairs. It has the view of a side yard garden.
Tall windows under vaulted ceilings fill the third-floor master bedroom with natural light.
The second floor works as a home office with a snug bedroom tucked away in a quiet, more secluded area.
The master bedroom lies on the third floor that’s characterized by simplicity and a handful of essential elements unique to Minimalist style.
A small patch of greenery adds life and refreshing change to the relaxed bathroom ambience.
Here, time goes by so slowly, and the designer couple isn’t in a hurry to go anywhere. Their dream home is, in fact, a live-in experiment, in which different materials and various building strategies are being evaluated to determine how they perform in real life.
Should any issue arise, it will be dealt with one by one to arrive at the best solution. But one thing for sure, it’s a home with love and care.
Multicolor floor tiles and an area rug in complementary shades adorn the spacious living room made comfortable by a white upholstered sofa.
Owner/Architect: My An Pham Thi and Michael Charruault of MM++ Architects (www.mmarchitects.net)
/ Story: Ekkarach Laksanasamrich / English version: Peter Montalbano /
/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /
With bamboo as its main material, the architect has integrated the modern Tropical design into nature. This well-ventilated house in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is the brainchild of John G. N. Bulcock of Design Unit Architects Sdn. Bhd. Though the theme is modern Tropical, Bulcock preferred not to limit his idea only to the word. “Actually, I’m not interested in defining it. I’m more curious to look into the floor plan, the atmosphere, and the functions. And I like it the way it is,” said the architect.
A concrete roof spanning 15 meters across provides protection for the sitting room, dining room, and bedrooms.
Fung Kai Jin, the owner of this bamboo house in Malaysia, gave Bulcock freedom to design. The only request was to feature bamboo in the work, although the material has some flaws of its own.
[left] The swimming pool and terraces lie at the low end of sloping ground surrounded by full-grown trees. [right] The door is especially made to open wide from one end to the other. So, the view is not blocked.“Bamboo is a gift from nature,” said Fung. “It is strong and durable to a certain extent. But it has some weaknesses. It doesn’t last as long as other kinds of wood, or steel and concrete masonry, and it requires more maintenance than other materials.
“But for those who have a penchant for bamboo, I think it’s worth the effort. After all, you get to spend time in the house that you love every day.”
The sitting room has high ceilings. The upstairs TV room is protected from the sunlight by a bamboo lattice.Spaces between the walls promote good air circulation.
Bulcock then decided the house has to be an integrated one. “The main idea is to make the house an integral part of the nature,” he recalled. “Meaning, it has to blend well with the land features and trees around it. So the plan calls for plenty of open spaces and undisturbed materials, such as plain concrete finishes, glass, and bamboo.”
Imitating nature with a rain garden, the architects put in a nice little green al fresco oasis on the second floor.A semi-outdoor area stays cool and comfortable all day, thanks to leafy plants and underground vapors.
The three-story house was set on a slope. So, Bullock placed a carport and a main entrance on the second floor for practical use. The floor consists of a dining room, kitchen, TV room and a wide balcony overlooking a swimming pool. The lower floor includes a home office, living room, storage room and a maid’s quarter. The private area is reserved on the third floor.
The bedroom is adorned with simple decoration. Plain concrete walls and white ceilings spice up the atmosphere. The floorboard is made of hardwood for durability and a stress-free environment.
The house is kept small and uncluttered by dividing into rooms connecting through a roofed hallway that spans over 15 meters across the area. A small interval between the roof and the building is allowed for the rain and the sun shining in.
There are also gaps between the main roof and nearby rooms to promote good ventilation. Fresh air circulates throughout the day through passageways and gaps in the bamboo lattice. Courtesy of the Tropical weather, there is no need for an air-conditioning machine for this bamboo house in Malaysia.
The architects install bamboo lattice in the interiors as well to create visual continuity.Fixed windows at the top edge of dining room walls allow light to shine through, while effectively keeping the heat out.
“As it rains, a fine spray of water descends upon bamboo lattice. When the owner chose this kind of material, he accepted that wet weather is normal,” Bulcock said
“Call it living close to nature. We need to plan which part can be exposed to the rain and vice versa to avoid damage to the structure over time.”
Large windows in the son’s bedroom make the interior very light and airy. The swimming pool below can be seen in full view from here.
All things considered, this bamboo house in Malaysia is a good example of what living close to nature should look like.
For maximum exposure to the natural surroundings, stair railings are crafted of glass panels.
/ 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.
A proper plinth height protects the house floor from direct contact with moisture, while the front porch offers plenty of room for family hanging out together. Plus, there’s the quality of being positive in attitude. Friendly neighbors shout out greetings as they pass by in the late afternoon.
“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.”
A low-profile platform bed is in keeping with the culture in which sitting on the floor is the norm, a polite way that has had pride of place in society since ancient times.
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.”
A louver window with glass slats operated by a hand crank opens to let light and fresh outdoor air into the upstairs washroom.The shower room is made of wood and concrete with smooth finishes. Polished concrete surfaces protect against humidity and seepage, while louvre windows, aka jalousie windows, improve ventilation.
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.
Upstairs floorboards extending outward keep the sun off downstairs living spaces and surrounding wood patio. Characteristic of vernacular design, a small washroom at the far end provides added convenience to semi-outdoor living.Relaxing on the backyard patio while children are having fun exploring the neighborhood.
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.”
Typical of Thai-style homes in earlier times, an open concept floor plan results in the living room, dining room and kitchen fusing together forming a united whole.
“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.”
The kitchen comes fully equipped to handle all kinds of cooking big or small. Louvre windows allow good ventilation making clouds of smoke and odors fast dissipate.
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.
Light and airy interiors are the hallmarks of vernacular architecture of Isan, or Northeastern Thailand. Here, several key features work together as engine that drives natural ventilation keeping the house cool and comfortable. They include high ceilings, no risers between the treads of a stair, large wall openings, and unobstructed balcony spaces and railings.
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