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Another Smith: Preserving Family Traditions through Contemporary Bamboo Architecture

By kangsadank
February 7, 2025
CULTURE,DESIGN

/ Tak, Thailand /

/ Story: Natthawat Klaysuban / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Jinnawat Borihankijanan /

Another Smith is a restaurant buzzing with energy and a vibrant atmosphere perched on the edge of the Moei river in Mae Sot, a district in Tak Province. It’s an add-on to an existing family-owned eatery famous for its pleasant and flavorful Thai and Chinese meals. Its signature dishes include fish maw soup made of the perfectly cooked air bladder of bony fish.

Soft concave curves in the roofline symbolic of Chinese architecture bring the architect’s idea to life. The building façade of bamboo and translucent corrugated sheets provides more privacy, safety and less noise. Up front, a welcoming hall and waiting area gives access to restaurant spaces located in the left and right wings.

The old eatery has served as a popular meeting place among the locals as well as foreign visitors for the past 62 years. Now the young generation who inherit the business from their forefathers think it’s time a new destination restaurant and services were created to support local community needs and tourist activities in the area. Located a stone’s throw away from the old family restaurant, Another Smith boasts the beauty of modern Chinese architecture that merges into the unique character and identity of Thailand’s Western Region.

The restaurant interior showcases an intriguing combination of bamboo poles, concrete construction and ceramic tiles, creating a balanced relationship between different elements that make the building not only strong but also beautiful.

The restaurant’s name is a portmanteau coined from a combination of the English word another and the Thai word Smithikorn, which is the business owner’s family name. Put the two words together, and you get Another Smith, for short. The new restaurant now serves as an iconic landmark during the time when the Smithikorn family enters a new era and Mae Sot town becomes one of Thailand’s top destinations for good reason.

The café zone situated up front doubles as a welcoming hall and waiting area. There’s a coffee station bedecked with bamboo poles and ceramic tiles in shades of blue that are inspired by the Blue Cave, a popular tourist destination in Tak Province. Nearby, exterior folding doors provide an example of historic and modern architecture coming together as one.

In a way that’s appropriate to the present circumstances, related business activities and functions are added to details of the overall plan. In addition to the restaurant, the new building also has plenty of space for a café and a jewelry store that’s another strength of the family business.

The bar serving alcoholic beverages and refreshments is adjacent to the café zone and welcoming hall. It starts in the evening and stays open late. There’s a central courtyard with an open-air dining area nearby.

The new restaurant design is inspired by indigenous architecture that has developed in China over millennia. Especially worthy of note is the open-roofed entrance hall or central court that recounts family history and their journeys through time. The project itself is a collab between TasteSpace who are tasked with planning the interior and implementing branding concepts, and Thor.Kaichon who undertake the architectural design process.

Interior design boasts a colorful array of furniture. In this particular case, the colors red and white are used in the right proportion to fit in with bamboo structural members in shades of brownish yellow.

The planning phase of project management starts out with interior design and works its way from the inside to the outside. This ensures that the restaurant has optimal work environments and all functions are in the right places, a system whereby many parts work together to achieve the common goal.

Semi-outdoor rooms roofed over with bamboo panels make up a majority of restaurant spaces. They look out over a lush garden oasis with large healthy trees that contrast with the brownish yellow of bamboo building materials.

What makes it stand out from the crowd is the beautiful bamboo building with an atrium hemmed in by rooms and galleries reminiscent of Chinese homes in times gone by. Together they create a bright, breezy and more inviting atmosphere. Some observers liken it to a dried swim bladder of large fish that’s hard on the outside and airy on the inside.

By design, Another Smith is capable of opening for business all day. It’s divided into three zones, namely:

The Café, which is ready to serve customers from morning until midday. There’s a stylish coffee station located at the front that doubles as a welcoming hall and waiting area giving access to the restaurant nearby.
The Restaurant, which is open for lunches, dinners and nights of dining until the early hours of the morning. There’s an enclosed dining room in the right wing of the building. The left wing holds a dining hall with a garden view for those preferring to dine in the open air. There are rooms for private dinners and social occasions situated next door.
The Bar, which starts in the evening and stays open late. It sits tucked away in an area farther from the café and welcoming entrance located at the front. The room looks out over the central courtyard that’s aglow under the lights at nightfall, turning it into a fun place to hang out with friends.

An indoor dining room opens onto the central courtyard. It’s well-lit and well-ventilated by design. Equipped with bi-fold doors, the room can be divided into parts for private meetings and dinners when needed.

That’s not all. There’s also a special zone holding a jewelry store near the front entrance. It’s a business specialty in which the Smithikorn family has expert skill and knowledge.

Every square inch counts. Here, a vacant retail space provides room for a jewelry store that’s part of the family business. It’s situated at the front entrance by the welcoming hall and waiting area.

Bamboo is the material of choice for good reason. It’s desired as a building material and chic interior decorative items. There’s more. The giant woody grass that grows mainly in the Tropics has long been a building material that’s unique to the architecture of Thailand and China.

A façade of bamboo and translucent corrugated sheets protects an open-air dining area from the elements. It makes the restaurant space cooler without AC and keeps the sun and rain off the semi-outdoor room.

It’s also the building supply in which Thor.Kaichon has technical expertise. In this specific instance, only bamboo poles that have been properly treated are used. The appropriate treatment method ensures their longevity and strength in construction and other applications. Plus, they provide environmentally friendly options rooted in cultural heritage, even better when they are used in conjunction with concrete and reinforced by steel structural members and sheet metal. Together they go to work making the building strong and sure to withstand the years.

The restaurant interior is even more exciting, adorned with an intriguing combination of random tile patterns in shades of blue. The colors are inspired by the Blue Cave, a popular tourist destination in Tak Province. The designers experiment with new methods for dyeing bamboo to ensure it matches the restaurant’s ideas, themes and concepts. Where appropriate, blue and red are used in the right proportion that proves a perfect complement to bamboo structural members and paneling in yellow hues, resulting in a pleasant dining room atmosphere.

In the fewest possible words, Another Smith represents a step in the right direction for a business practice that focuses on adaptations to fit in with modern times. It’s a quality that has run in the family from the very beginning. Another Smith is the story of the diaspora of people from China who have come to call this part of Thailand home. Their business skill has sharpened over time.

Meanwhile, it gave rise to the assimilation of Chinese to Thai society in recent times. As the architects intended, it’s a proven way to create a good first impression and ensure a positive customer experience through good food and a beautiful architectural style. The bottom line: Mae Sot is full of pleasant surprises waiting to be discovered.

Project Concept & Branding: TasteSpace (https://www.facebook.com/tastespace.co)
Interior Designer: TasteSpace (https://www.facebook.com/tastespace.co)
Architects: Thor.Kaichon (https://www.facebook.com/thorkaichon)

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Rab-A-Bit: Old Café Remodeled as Restaurant Radiating the Charm of Vintage Crafts

By kangsadank
January 30, 2025
CULTURE,DESIGN

Rab-A-Bit is a small community restaurant in Mae Rim, a district to the north of downtown Chiang Mai. Originally a café, the building is tastefully renovated as a restaurant exuding an air of tranquility with spectacular rice fields and a rich cultural tapestry. Built mostly of local materials, it’s a design that embraces a humble appearance and follows the principles of long-term sustainability.

Housescape Design Lab, a Chiang Mai-based architecture firm, is tasked with renovating the building belonging to Prof. Chunlaporn Nuntapanich. The professor himself is an architect renowned for his many masterpieces that blend with the environment and embrace the local culture.

In this particular case, the original architectural plan remains intact. The interior is restored to all its former glory, while a stunning open-concept layout brings a refreshing change. As a result, more square footage is gained without changing the floor plan. Plus, a roof inspection and repair ensures there are no leaks.

The project was completed in a short space of time to minimize disruption’s impact on business. This was achieved by careful planning in the pre-construction phase whereby all the necessary materials were gathered and prepared to ensure a smooth building process.

Plus, there was no need for a complete teardown to make room for an entirely new building. For strength and durability, the architect preferred instead to reinforce the timber framing in existence at the time with steel structural members. This gave him plenty of time to incorporate additional spaces and functions into the design. They included a customer waiting area inside the building, dust control measures plus safety and protection in bad weather.

There is beauty in simplicity and strategies to meet customer expectations. Rab-A-Bit is built to last a very long time with all functional areas working effectively from the dining room to the kitchen and prep stations. All in all, the pleasant atmosphere makes the restaurant stand out as a peaceful destination for lovers of nature. For others, it’s a green space to spend time and enjoy the sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch of the countryside. From business perspective, it’s thoughtfully devised to attract and keep repeat customers.

Rab-A-Bit is an intriguing combination of the culinary delights and crafts indigenous to the area. It’s built of solid natural wood by local artisans skilled in traditional carpentry. Walk in the door, and you come into a room bedecked with handicrafts of the Northern Region that give the restaurant its character. Together they blend perfectly with nature, becoming one with the rice fields around.

Clearly noticeable is the restaurant’s clean, simple appearance and attention to detail, while its flagship products are mainly authentic Thai dishes on a no-fuss menu. The restaurant owner’s specialties include shrimp fried rice that’s uncomplicated, easily accessible and very popular among the locals as well as foreigners.

Rab-A-Bit is the story of a passion for doing small things with great love. It’s about the power of determination. As its name suggests, this place has enjoyed a good reputation that’s built bit by bit over the years, ultimately resulting in a piece of architecture that harmoniously blends with elements of the everyday landscapes in Chiang Mai.

Underneath it all is a design approach that seeks to minimize negative impacts on the environment, the society and the local economy as the region is tackling the problem of air pollution caused by seasonal slash-and-burn agriculture.

It’s obvious that sustainable design is the only way forward as shown in this restaurant that’s built of local materials by local people. It makes certain that a heritage of exquisite artisanship lives on. Add a unique dining experience, a welcoming atmosphere, and tasty healthy lunches and dinners to the list, and it’s easy to get why many come away impressed. Drop into Rab-A-Bit next time you’re in the area.

Architect: Housescape Design Lab

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Morico: A Japanese Concept Café and Restaurant Sparkles with the Refreshing Allure of Green

By kangsadank
January 20, 2025
CULTURE,DESIGN

/ Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam /

/ Story: Phattaraphon / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Paul Phan /

The Morico Café and Restaurant is nestled in an impeccably restored shophouse in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. There’s more than it seems at first sight. A well-conceived renovation obviously plays a pivotal role in improving the functionality and value of the building. The narrow façade, typically 5 meters in width, opens onto the sidewalk and, beyond, a very busy street. The elongated building plan is 35 meters deep, making it adaptable and incredibly useful. From the architect’s point of view, it’s an opportunity to create a warm, inviting place that fosters positive connections between people and nature.

A design masterpiece by the Ho Chi Minh City-based company Inrestudio, the beautiful café and restaurant is thoughtfully devised in keeping with a contemporary Japanese concept that prioritizes the aesthetics and practicality of space. The secret lies in decorating with lush green plants, thereby creating an oasis of peace and quiet despite being in the city center.

The building facade facing the sidewalk welcomes customers to a semi-public area with a well-crafted set of concrete steps sprucing up the entryway. It balances greenery with minimalist hardscaping, creating a bright, airy transitional room radiating positive vibes. Against the walls, healthy green foliage is arranged in a zigzag order, alternating with semi-outdoor furniture designed to improve customers’ waiting experience.

The Morico Café and Restaurant blends inviting design and nature in a restored, elongated shophouse in Ho Chi Minh City.

The coffee bar boasts original and unique designs thanks to the counter frontages that vary in height from one barista station to another depending on the task being undertaken. Lower frontages open up windows for good customer interaction, while higher ones keep non-customer contact areas out of sight creating a neat appearance.

Walk past the entryway, and you come to a well-conceived the coffee bar in earthy brown tones that give it a professional, polished appearance. What makes it unique is the bar counter frontages that vary in height from one barista station to the next depending on the nature of work being carried out. The beautiful frontages are kept as waist height where customer service takes place and raised higher for jobs that require less to no human interaction.

At the farthest end, a part of the second floor is taken out to make room for a curved steel staircase painted dark forest green. The vertical shaft enclosing the stairs is brightened by a skylight system built into the rooftop, while the double-height ceiling is hung with a forest of white Noren curtains commonplace at restaurants, shops and homes across Japan. There are about 180 of them in all. Together they create light and shadow effects that change throughout the day due to the angle of the sun in the sky.

The glass ceiling is hung with a forest of white Noren curtains commonplace at homes and business spaces across Japan. There are 180 of them in all. Together they create light and shadow effects that change throughout the day.

A curved steel staircase painted dark forest green gives access to upstairs dining rooms. The shaft at the farthest end of the building is created by taking out a part of the second floor to make room for a new set of stairs illuminated by skylights built into the rooftop.

The overall effect is impressive. Precise floor plans and interior décor speak volumes for a philosophy of Japanese art and design that blends together beautifully with modern architecture. The downstairs is designed to please even the most avid coffee lover making the coffee easily accessible.

Earthy brown and deep forest green go well together on the stairs and the corridor enclosed by a balustrade giving access to dining rooms on the second floor. By nightfall, the restaurant is aglow under soft lights elevating dining experiences. Plus, there’s private and secluded space for large group dining nearby.

The upstairs room focuses on the good seating arrangements for comfort, the relaxed ambiance and a good dining experience. When evening comes, soft lights create a signature glow bringing depth and warmth to the cozy dining room. Plus, there’s private and secluded space for larger group dining, too.

Architect: Inrestudio

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Baba Yaga Restaurant: A Restaurant Beautifully Renovated to Blend with the Surroundings

By kangsadank
November 21, 2024
CULTURE,DESIGN

/ Da Nang, Vietnam /

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

/ Photographs: Quang Tran /

A restaurant housed in an old building has been renovated to provide a unique experience for diners. It’s wrapped in a new envelope of tree branches with organic shapes designed to blend into a beautiful setting in Da Nang, a city in central Vietnam. Named Baba Yaga Restaurant, it’s an architectural masterpiece that values materials found in nature, one that seeks reconnections with its physical environment.

Situated at the intersection of two streets, Baba Yuga Restaurant is the brainchild of Duoitancay Concept, a design studio based in Da Nang. The old building has 436 square meters of usable space. In front of it stands a row acacia trees that are commonplace in tropical regions. As the architect and the property owner intended, they go to work improving air quality and providing shade making the atmosphere inviting, cozy and cooler during summer months.

The first and second floor plans illustrate ideas for decorating with plants and creative design solutions to the problem of being close to busy streets. / Courtesy of Duoitancay Concept

To protect structural integrity, the steel building frame remains intact. On the outside, the curved facade of woody stems, branches, twigs and sticks doubles as a buffer against noise and traffic-related pollution. The overall interior is impressive, canopied by overhanging trees nearby. In the meantime, the exterior walls with perforations add privacy, create patterns and provide ventilation making the dining room feel comfortable and warm.

Shade trees alternating with closely growing foliage plants reduce noise and absorb harmful particles from traffic, meantime creating a positive environment for diners.

A closer look at interior design reveals a pleasant ambience well-lit by daylight. The walls are decorated with perfect raw wood finishes with rough textures and earthy tones. The restaurant comprises two levels, each of which is tailored to suit specific customer preferences. The first floor holds ample semi-outdoor rooms for those who prefer dining al fresco.

The first floor holds a semi-outdoor dining room with plenty of space for those who prefer dining in the open air. At the center, a flight of stairs provides access to quiet and secluded dining rooms on the second floor.

A wide opening in the building façade affords a view of the city of Da Nang as seen from inside a second floor dining room.

On the periphery, closely growing bushes and shrubbery provide protection and reduce the amount of dust entering inside the rooms. Upstairs is an entirely different story. It offers plenty of space for four private dining rooms, plus a foyer with a view of the beautiful city of Da Nang. From here, open floor plans allow natural light and fresh outdoor air into to the dining rooms nearby.

Parts of trees in organic shapes add natural touches to a dining room.

A dining room bedecked with wooden masks unlocks the power of storytelling that taps into the innate human sense of connection.

Apart from using materials found in nature, it’s the love of art that makes Baba Yaga stand out from others. Together tree branches, twigs, sticks and barks combine to give the restaurant its unique character. It’s design that speaks volumes for the Truth to Materials concept, which says that material should be used in the most honest way possible. The result is a completely new building envelope reminiscent of an art gallery. Yet everything about it, from elegant décor to soft lighting and well-placed tables combines to create a positive experience for all.

In short, Baba Yaga Restaurant is a renovation project that brings out the best in the architects who create it. As a rendezvous for communities, it’s a spacious, positively clean place where people meet, enjoy good meals, foster relationships and make memories. More than anything else, it’s well-thought-out design inspired by nature that gives it a decided plus.

Architects: Duoitancay Concept

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KAAN River Kwai Restaurant: A Nature-Inspired Riverside Restaurant Decorated with a Masterpiece of Stonework

By kangsadank
August 6, 2024
CULTURE,DESIGN

/ Kanchanaburi, Thailand /

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

/ Photographs: Kukkong Thirathomrongkiat /

Here’s a restaurant ensconced in lush greenery on the bank of the River Kwai in Kanchanaburi, a province in the western part of Thailand. It got the inspiration from the scenic beauty of a forest landscape and creative use of local materials. The result is an attractive eatery in an idyllic setting, one that speaks volumes for the virtue of humility towards nature.

The color and texture of local building materials blend together beautifully with the natural environment along the River Kwai Yai in Kanchanaburi.

From a distance, a fine view of the restaurant building merges into the lovely canopy of green along the stretch of the river known as Kwai Yai that runs through Kanchanaburi town. Its exteriors in warm shades of brown prove a perfect complement to a bank of earth covered in smooth river rocks that visually connect with the landscape. In a way, it’s an expression of cordial greeting, an invitation for customers to step inside, enjoy good food and take in a pleasing view of the river.

A drawing of the ground floor plan shows restaurant spaces in relation to the retaining wall shaped like the letter U. / Courtesy of PHTTA Living Design

A drawing of the second floor plan shows the location of a gallery along the outside of the wall used for al fresco dining. / Courtesy of PHTAA Living Design

A drawing of the side elevation view in cross section shows the location of a retaining wall in relation to the River Kwai water line up front. / Courtesy of PHTAA Living Design

Technically, the restaurant gets its rich color with a brownish hue from steel frames mixed with timber and other building supplies sourced directly from within the community. It’s thoughtfully devised to fit in well with the embankment situated below that’s built to prevent flooding in the area.

KAAN River Kwai Restaurant is the brainchild of PHTAA Living Design, a Bangkok-based studio renowned for creating architectural language that treats natural features as the integral part of design. The project offers 800 square meters of usable spaces that fuse with the surroundings to form a whole, while the River Kwai Yai provides access via waterborne craft to the shopfront. It’s also accessible by a road on the opposite side of the river.

A wall of earth, concrete and river rocks protects the riverbank from corrosion, meanwhile providing structural support and visually connecting with the natural surroundings.

The riverbank being three meters high from the water line makes it a challenge that tests the abilities of the team of architects. On the one hand, it’s good to be able to get a better view of the surroundings. On the other hand, years of water flowing down from the mountains have left the riverbank in danger of collapse. So a wall of earth covered in thick cement and smooth river rocks has to be built to prevent damage caused by corrosion.

In terms of color and texture, river stones made round and smooth by the action of water and sand perfectly blend with the physical surroundings. More importantly, they are easy to find, strong and water impermeable, making them a material of choice relevant to the context that forms the setting of the project.

A gallery overlooking the beautiful River Kwai is used as dining area.

As the lowest load-bearing part, the wall of earth reinforced by concrete and river rocks is capable of providing structural support for the safety and physical comfort of staff and customers alike. By design, it’s a clean well-lighted and well-ventilated place offering a high standard of performance as one would expect of buildings used for commercial purposes.

Semi-outdoor room for al fresco dining provides visual connections with the serene and peaceful River Kwai.

In a few words, KAAN River Kwai Restaurant is the product of a reinterpretation that treats characteristics unique to a particular area as more important than other things. It involves rethinking the state of affairs at hand and making appropriate adaptations to create exciting, new design, meanwhile showing humility towards nature by subtly blending in with the green of the pristine forest.

Architects: PHTAA Living Design

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Amber Kampot: A Luxury Resort Captures the Beauty of Cambodia’s Shorelines

By kangsadank
May 23, 2024
CULTURE,DESIGN

/ Kampot, Cambodia /

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

/ Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki, Robert Kleiner /

Like the opening scene of a movie, a luxury resort named Amber Kampot nestles warmly amidst lush mangrove forests and tidal ponds straddling the boundary between land and sea in southern Cambodia. Embracing the charm of rural life, it offers a wonderful panorama of the Kampot River lined with picturesque fishing villages. Needless to say, the region is widely regarded as a treasure trove of culture, history and beautiful coastlines.

The waterfront resort is aglow under the lights as the night unfolds. Seen from a distance, the building façade built of heavy timber framing is stained to a dark shade that perfectly blends into the wider landscape of southern Cambodia.

Characterized by rectangular precision, the waterfront vacation getaway consists of a principal building that includes foyers, service facilities and the entrance to villas for guest accommodations. The luxurious country villas come in three types, each offering a spacious veranda overlooking a meticulously manicured lawn and gardens bursting with curb appeal.

Amber Kampot boasts 6,000 square meters of indoor and outdoor living space designed for travelers seeking luxury accommodations in a peaceful environment. The overall effect is impressive. To the West, the misty mountain peaks of Bokor National Park are visible from miles around, while the tidal mouth of the Kampot River creates unforgettable hotel experiences.

A drawing of the floor plan of Villa Type 1A. / Courtesy of Bloom Architecture

A drawing of the floor plan of Villa Type 1B. / Courtesy of Bloom Architecture

A drawing of the floor plan of Villa Type 2. / Courtesy of Bloom Architecture

A drawing of the floor plan of the principal building and nearby swimming pool overlooking the Kampot River. / Courtesy of Bloom Architecture

A charcoal sketch of the master plan illustrates the positioning of the principal building, the riverfront pier and villas for guest accommodations disposed around tidal pools and pristine mangrove forests at the estuary of the Kampot River, southern Cambodia. / Courtesy of Bloom Architecture

Apart from nature’s most unspoiled landscapes, fresh air and sunshine, vernacular style homes stand as a testament to the fishing community’s rich cultural heritage. Together, they provide the Phnom Penh-based firm Bloom Architecture with valuable inspiration. And the result of all this is a hideaway luxury resort warmly cocooned among the trees, green foliage and tidal pools.

From a design point of view, the principal building and villas for guest accommodations are built strong, thanks to heavy timber framing stained to a dark shade that blends with the natural surroundings. Quality stains penetrate the wood grain, preventing moisture damage. Plus, they merge with growing plants and bodies of water in the background, creating a verdant oasis perfect for relaxation.

A diverse array of foliage plants adds privacy screen protection to a villa for guest accommodations.

Amber Kampot offers three types of accommodation, including detached and semi-detached houses known as Villa Type 1A, Villa Type 1B, and Villa Type 2. They vary in size depending on the number of guests staying and share one outstanding feature – an off-the-grid getaway where privacy takes priority. Each villa has a roofed platform along the outside that connects with nature, creating a perfect blend of cozy indoors and beautiful outdoors.

Step into the room, and you find the interiors painted a cool-toned white alternating with spots lacking embellishment intended to showcase the rawness of wood and concrete surfaces. Together they speak volumes for the beauty of vernacular culture – the forms and the crafts of carpentry unique to skilled builders in this part of Cambodia. Their signature lies in the perfect blend between traditional woodworking, an emphasis on natural lighting and the floors covered in sandstone pavers.

Plants with colorful foliage permeate through the living spaces at Amber Kampot, blurring the boundaries between indoors and outdoors.

Minimalist vessel sinks paired with greenery give off good vibes.

A glass wall hung with pleated curtains opens and shuts as needed to regulate the amounts of light streaming into the room. It visually connects with a lush lawn hemmed in by trees and the understory of colorful shrubbery.

Outside, gray stone paver patios, foot bridges and garden pathways give access to all the villas. Each one of them is enclosed by a fence of wooden stakes that doubles as privacy screen protection within hotel premises. Nearby, trees and the understory of shrubs and hanging vines thrive luxuriantly keeping the villas cool in summer.

A garden bridge gives access to all the villas on the resort set amidst pristine mangrove forests at the tidal mouth of the Kampot River, southern Cambodia.

Back on the waterfront, the principal building contains a restaurant offering fusion cuisine bringing together ingredients from different cultures and recipes. As to be expected, there’s also a spa for health and beauty treatment as well as a gym and a swimming pool. Nearby, a riverfront esplanade provides ample space where people may walk for pleasure.

Fresh air and sunshine! The riverfront resort is silhouetted against mangrove forests with the misty peaks of Kampot Mountain visible from miles around.

Briefly, Amber Kampot is a marriage of rural charm and well-thought-out design, a translation of complex ideas into a form easily understood by everyone. Unequivocally, the design team at Bloom Architecture has succeeded in creating a romantic villa getaway ensconced in nature. Swing by Amber Kampot on your next country sojourn.

Architect: Bloom Architecture

Designer Team: Antoine Meinnel, Cristina Toran, Robin Leonard, Ith Sovannarith, Ny Kechseang, Khoan Pengly and Patel Saniya

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Mitbury the Public House: A Café in Pastel Brown Humbly Camouflaged in Nature’s Embrace

By kangsadank
April 17, 2024
CULTURE,DESIGN

/ Chiang Mai, Thailand /

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

/ Photographs: Prueksakun Kornudom, Ornpailin Leelasiriwong /

Tucked away amidst the crisp mountain air and dense green plants thriving under tree cover, a quaint country café takes center stage giving off friendly vibes. It’s enclosed by glass walls on three sides, while perimeter fence walls of large breeze blocks in pastel brown speak volumes for the humble origins of mankind.

Lying furthest from everything else, a lazy brook passes by reflecting sunlight glistening with sparkles in misty winds. Aptly named “Mitbury the Public House”, the café and nearby support buildings merge into the cool shade of wooded hills in the backdrop. It’s arguably the most exquisite kind of scenery. And it’s located right here in Mae Rim District, only a short ride from Chiang Mai’s city center.

At the risk of stating the obvious, the aroma of coffee beans being ground and roasted in the background smells like heaven. There’s nothing like chilling out, sipping one’s favorite Morning Brew on a quiet day at nature’s edge.

The project comprises three small buildings with a chic coffee bar located at the center of the property. The other two buildings lie hidden in plain sight behind the walls of perforate blocks in muted brown designed to promote ventilation and regulate sunlight. The coffee bar itself affords 140 square meters of restaurant space canopied by overhanging trees.

A charcoal sketch of the premises illustrates the positioning of the café and two support buildings enclosed by a perforate wall and surrounding terrain features. / Courtesy of WOS Architects

A side-elevation view of the café building in cross section, silhouetted against a breeze block wall lying under the canopy of overhanging trees / Courtesy of WOS Architects

The brainchild of WOS Architects, a Bangkok-based architectural practice, Mitburi the Public House is a design masterpiece that seeks reconnections with the natural world.

Walk in the door, and you find an ample space used for guests and seating. Interestingly, the rough textured wall in soft pastel beige at the back is the sight to behold. It stands overlooking the space used for preps, the coffee bar and kitchen.

From a distance, a paved passageway glides past lush lawns leading to first building that houses the café and kitchen. The second building holds storage space and staff quarters, while the third is a complete toilet building. By design, they lie hidden from view behind the perforate brick walls.

A footbridge gives access to nearby wooded hills. It’s built of structural I-beam framing, with wooden planks and railings of wire infill panels for protection against slip and fall accidents.

All of them are built of structural steel framing. Where appropriate, the exterior walls are crafted of natural building materials sourced from within the community. Immediately appealing among them is the floor tiled in grayish brown. It lies covered with thin slabs of baked clay from a local kiln, creating charm, good looks that embrace imperfect simplicity.

For visual continuity, the café building itself is enclosed by glass walls on three sides, with a pair of transom windows at the top of the front door. A clean, well-lighted place, the interior is warm and welcoming, thanks to pale soft lights that are less distracting, adding romantic appeal to the room.

From inside the café, glass walls provide undisrupted visual continuity between indoors and outdoors. The floor is tiled in reddish brown slabs fired the old-fashioned way by a local kiln, the beauty of imperfections that blends with the surroundings.

The café building stands among the trees, enclosed by glass walls on three sides. They open to admit natural daylight and fresh outdoor air into the room.

Out-of-doors, yard landscaping ideas are just impressive. Perforate blocks in reddish brown fill up the entire boundary fence, blending seamlessly into the dark green of the forest’s edge. Located furthest to the rear, a footbridge built of steel I-beams, wooden planks and wire infill railings provide access to nearby forested hills.

Attention to detail is evidenced by the breeze block fence in muted brown that separates the business premises into clearly defined zones depending on functionality.

The complete toilet building stands hidden from view, separated from nearby lush lawns and café space by a wall of perforate bricks for ventilation.

The I-beams are painted a grayish green hue that merges into large areas of old woodlands in the background. Underneath the footbridge, a babbling stream runs idly by meandering through the rock-covered forest floor. Above it, cool breezes and leaves rustling in the trees entice the imagination.

Overall, the business premises keep firmly to the owner’s initial resolve to leave every tree and the nearby brook where they have always been, giving rise to house-among-trees ideas. For a good reason, they are built small and disposed around the periphery of the project site. The building shell is topped with a simple gable roof made of natural materials that are friendly to the environment.

To live and let live, a native tree stands where it’s always been. Cutting it down is not a choice.

Nature lovers should find the small café in the woods a paradise, thanks to rocks being used to create a set of steps leading to the glass-glazed façade, a clever hack to create visual continuity between indoors and outdoors.

Surrounded by lush lawns and shade trees, a set of rock steps adds beauty and functionality to the building’s glass-glazed façade.

Thanks to thoughtful design, the trio of small buildings in earthy browns lies beautifully ensconced among the trees and wooded hills in the background. Day in, day out, the smell of coffee ground and roasted fresh on site induces a sense of warmth and comfort among people who feel a yearning for the mountains.

It comes as no surprise that they name it “Mitbury”, a Thai term literally translated as a place for friendly people, and in this particular case, a café built into nature that celebrates the easy, laidback lifestyles that have made Chiang Mai famous. Swing by next time you’re in town!

Architect: WOS Architects (https://wosarchitects.com/)

Interior Design: Estudio (https://www.facebook.com/Estu.interior/)

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Tanatap Wall Garden: A Restaurant-cum-Café and Bar among Lush Trees and Immaculate White Walls

By kangsadank
April 9, 2024
CULTURE,DESIGN

/ Central Java, Indonesia /

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

/ Photographs: Mario Wibowo /

Central Java, Indonesia – Neat and clean walls rise above a reflecting pool and lush lawns brightened up by shimmering lights. They are made attractive by warm-toned whites and smooth curved lines twirling lightly around like poetry in motion. Shaped into alternate ridges and grooves, the concrete surfaces in zingy warm hues slant up to the skyline reminiscent of a graceful dance. It’s an amazing innovation thoughtfully devised to sync with rhythms in the urban landscape that gives it aesthetic appeal.

A welcoming reception area lies adjacent to the reflecting pool designed to blend with the rounded contour at the very top of a white wall separating the restaurant’s interior from the exterior.

The clean, well-lighted trio of restaurant, café and bar is located in Central Java, an Indonesian province that’s home to the famous Borobudur Temple, one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world. Named “Tanatap Wall Garden”, it’s a delightful business space in a class of itself, one that advocates for form and function being joined in a way that requires less energy to operate.

The restaurant-cum-café and bar, together with its land that forms a verdant oasis, affords 2,500 square meters of commercial space nestled among beautiful cityscapes. It’s an all-encompassing design that combines commercial real estate with elements of nature in close physical association to the advantage of both.

A charcoal sketch shows the positioning of functional spaces in relation to existing big trees, a relationship to the advantage of both. / Courtesy of RAD+ar

A side elevation view in perspective illustrates the positioning of restaurant, café and bar spaces under lush tree cover. / Courtesy of RAD+ar

The concept delineated above is the brainchild of a high performing team at RAD+ar, an architectural practice based in Jakarta, Indonesia. The team of architects was tasked with transforming what used to be a parking garage into a calm, secluded garden in which to wine and dine; meanwhile preserving the existing natural environment and the property’s significance as part of a central business district.

The result is a piece of architecture showcasing perfectly clean, white walls rising among very big lush trees, a beautiful sight unlike anything out there. Viewed from above, the floor plan consists of three straight lines on the ground moving centrifugally from the center. Along these lines, concrete walls rise to different heights forming gently curved lines at the very top as they traverse among stands of homogeneous trees.

Viewed from above, the restaurant-cum-café and bar merges into beautiful and cool landscapes so that they become an indivisible whole.

Apart from bringing shade and regulating temperatures, the trees growing wild in every direction give the business premises charm, good looks that please the senses and the mind.

It’s design that comes from understanding the warm, humid climate prevailing in Central Java, and the company’s principles advocating for simple and sustainable lifestyles. Together they are the key attributes that make Tanatap Wall Garden one of the most agreeable places to be.

For a good first impression, the welcoming entryway is adorned with green spaces that create positive moments in people’s lives. It’s connected to a pathway system leading to cool and restful places amid the beautiful backyard landscape.

Old trees and new walls become inextricable parts of the design advocating for sustainability.

On the way, an 800-square-meter reflecting pool provides a focal point in the scenery, bringing joy, pleasure and contentment in nature’s peaceful embrace. Interestingly enough, tiers of seats similar to a sports arena are added to the mix in a way that’s proper in the circumstances.

A reflecting pool under tree cover provides a focal point in the landscape. It works in tandem with other passive design strategies creating thermal comfort for both indoors and outdoors.

A lounge area offers wide seating space and flexibility seamlessly integrated into the building’s architectural styles.

In addition to being a rendezvous for good food and drinks, Tanatap Wall Garden offers an enormous richness of nature-inspired outdoor rooms for those who love spending time indulging in music and live stage performances.

Keeping to its original concept, an amphitheater is put in for customers who appreciate dramatic works as a genre of literature and expression of ideas encouraging participation in the discourses of society. All of these features are neatly integrated in one cohesive design aesthetic.

Tiers of seats similar to a sports area lie under a pedestrian bridge connecting different parts of the building. By design, it’s a work of art that keeps creative energy flowing.

In short, it’s a metamorphosis of purpose that results in neat and clean white walls transforming into a stunning commercial space, in this particular case, a trio of restaurant, café and bar set amidst a verdant oasis.

From inside looking out, a part of the white wall with ridges and grooves in it is visible through the doorway at the furthest end.

The restaurant has a lovely garden under tree cover for those who prefer to wine and dine alfresco.

Drop by Tanatap Wall Garden for a drink or two next time you sojourn in Central Java. It’s an opportunity to experience the beauty of architecture and nature coming together in one indivisible design.

Architect: RAD+ar

Principal Architect: Antonius Richard

Sculpture Artist: Wisnu Ajitama

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Binh Duong House: A Home and Restaurant Combo Nestling Warmly in Nature

By kangsadank
March 29, 2024
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Binh Duong, Vietnam /

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

/ Photographs: Courtesy of k59 atelier /

Here’s a home of a dual nature that takes pride of place amidst natural surroundings. It consists of a house and a restaurant thoughtfully devised to merge into the verdant countryside in Binh Duong, a province north of Ho Chi Minh City.

To ensure privacy, the house is tucked back in a quiet nook at the rear away from the family’s small restaurant business.

The single family residence with plenty of room for a business appears light and airy to say the least. It’s warmly nestled among the trees in Thuan An, a small town famous for its abundant fruit orchards that are the pride and joy of southern Vietnam. Named Binh Duong House, it seems like the perfect escape amidst breathtaking woodlands and lush scenery of the rural area.

Time changes everything. As the farming town grows and gradually becomes more urban in character, a yearning hope to reconnect with nature grows ever strong. With it come new roads and new buildings, enough to make some people change their minds. This landowner originally had planned on building a row house, a popular architectural style ubiquitous across Vietnam. But after much debate, he decided otherwise.

The result is an interesting combination of a residence and a place of business environed by nature at the woodland’s edge. It’s the brainchild of a capable team of designers at “k59 atelier”, a homegrown architectural firm based in Ho Chi Minh City.

They were tasked with creating a design tailored to the specific needs of the property owner – a home and business space integration that fits right in nature. And they gave him exactly that.

The new home-and-restaurant combo is cool and comfortable, canopied by overhanging trees and understories of lush greenery thriving luxuriently. “Binh Duong House” offers 234 square meters of usable space. It consists of a single-detached home at the rear and a restaurant building abutting the street upfront.

A drawing illustrates the ground floor plan divided into three parts with rooms disposed around or next to the center courtyard. / Courtesy of k59 atelier

A drawing of the second floor shows the ancestor altar room at the center of the house plan in relation to trees providing shade and improving air quality. / Courtesy of k59 atelier

Roof Floor Plan / Courtesy of k59 atelier

What remains unchanged after construction has been completed is the delightful atmosphere of a home under tree cover. Together the upper branching of trees and shrubbery beneath the canopy go to work reducing the amount of sun and wind hitting the buildings.

On the ground, well connected garden pathways and drainage systems are carefully planned to carry off rainwater, thereby preventing floods and keeping the biological community safe in the long term.

Walk in the door and you find the residential wing divided into three parts. The ground floor holds a spacious living room, a dining room in the middle and a bedroom in a quiet area overlooking the yard.

Like many traditional Vietnamese homes, the second floor contains a shrine that’s a way to honor and give reverence to family ancestors. It lies flanked by bedrooms on either side that constitutes the third part of the house plan.

The ground floor holds a bright and breezy sitting room with a view of the surrounding natural and built environments.

The house exterior is full of life and energy, thanks to a center courtyard illuminated by natural daylight shining through tree leaves, creating subtle shadows on a pleasant secluded garden. Both buildings are roofed over with clay tiles fired the old-fashioned way by industries indigenous to this hideaway region of Vietnam.

On the ground, the outdoor patio floor is covered with interlocking pavers showcasing the shape, texture and color unique to local heritage. There is attention to detail in the way the doors and windows are installed.

All of them face in the right directions so as to reap the full health benefits from the natural surroundings. Plus, furniture has a rawness feel to it that blurs the boundaries between indoors and outdoors.

Furniture has a rawness feel to it that blends seamlessly with the fired clay tile floor in matte artisan brown.

Downstairs, the bedroom with a garden view opens to take in fresh outdoor air, while the center courtyard brings a positive impact on people’s lives.

What makes the home stand out from the rest is the high pitched roof that offers more effective drainage during heavy rains. It’s covered in overlapping rows of tiles sloped down to meet the front facade at the far end. At the risk of stating the obvious, the monsoon season can bring heavy rains that can do damage to homes in a Tropical climate.

The house’s side elevation shows a high pitched roof designed for increased privacy and more effective drainage during heavy rains.

Because cultural heritage matters, the upstairs ancestral room takes the most prominent position under the apex of the roof so as to give it a sense of space, plenty of natural daylight and aesthetic appeal.

From the ancestor altar room, the roof slants down to meet the front façade at the far end. The shrine takes the most prominent position in the house, a spot under the apex of the roof, also known as the ridge beam.

Advocating for sustainability, the design team at k59 atelier put in a waste water treatment plant on the property as a way to protect a small river skirting the north and east sides of the land. The plant has an underground tank that collects and processes waste water before releasing it to the environment. There’s also another underground tank used for storing rain water.

The growth of urban sprawl has become one of the inevitabilities of life in this part of Vietnam. Binh Duong House serves as an example of human ingenuity in residential design. At the end of the day, it’s about encouraging everyone to do his fair share in restoring the natural environment to health.

A cross section drawing in perspective shows the trees and branches, their root systems and the lush canopy protecting the home built into nature. / Courtesy of k59 atelier

An isometric diagram illustrates the coming together of different component parts to form a cohesive whole. / Courtesy of k59 atelier

It’s a product of collaboration between the architects who designed it and the family that lives in it, a home warmly cocooned among the trees and green foliage. Plus, it offers plenty of space for a family business. Awesome!

Architect: k59 atelier

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Stalk Jakarta, the Tree-Hugger Bar: A Restaurant and Bar That Cares about the Environment

By livingasean
December 19, 2023
CULTURE,DESIGN

/ Jakarta, Indonesia /

/ Story: Kanamon Najaroen / English version: Bob Pitakowng /

/ Photographs: Mario Wibowo /

As its name suggests, Stalk Jakarta, affectionately known as the Tree-Hugger Bar, has environment protection as its front-and-center concerns. It’s a design that integrates the relationships between all things as the primary framework before additional tasks can be taken. The result is an enchanting restaurant and bar amid an oasis of lush greenery in a busy area of the city.

The building is roofed over with a tensile fabric cover supported by membrane structures resembling the coming together of five huge bell marquees. There are openings at the apexes to let tall trees grow through reaching up some 30 meters into the sky.

Stitched together so that they become a whole, the five bell tents work in tandem to protect the place of business underneath from severe weather. At the same time, tree crowns and overhanging branches cast shadows on the fabric cover, creating visual interest with contrast in design.

From a distance, a combination of huge bell marquees rises among the treetops creating a visual blend with the natural surroundings and buildings in the background.

The completely tented restaurant space may seem incompatible with other buildings in the neighborhood. But from the parametric design perspective, it’s a sustainable architectural approach that makes sense in every possible way.

In essence, it’s about trying to minimize any negative impact on the environment. And in this particular case, saving all the existing trees on the premises is of the utmost importance. It’s a noble thing to do to leave the trees where they have always been and let them thrive.

From the look of things, it’s thoughful and unique design that puts Stalk Jakarta, the Tree-Hugger Bar, in a class of its own. It’s the product of step-by-step planning that results in a situation, in which each side benefits in some way.

The restaurateurs get the perfect space they need to do business, while the trees get a new lease on life. On the whole, completely tented design provides a commercial space that’s eye-catching, while shady tree canopy ideas make customers feel calm and peaceful away from noise and distractions outside.

Stitched togethered so that they become a whole, bell-shaped tensile fabric tents have openings at the apex to let trees grow through the roof keeping the restaurant space in shade.

In the big picture, it reflects the design team’s vision of creating a piece of architecture that’s inextricably linked with the environment and the circumstances that form the setting of a place. Especially for Stalk Jakarta, it’s the team’s intention to try out new design possibilities to ensure the viability of the project.

They also plan to share their experience with business property developers with a way to reduce negative effects on the environment and, at the same time, maintain the existing state of affairs and physical features of the land. In this way, property value in the central business area will not be negatively impacted.

A drawing of the first-floor layout shows the welcome area leading to clearly defined VIP rooms and semi-outdoor dining rooms embraced by lush greenery. / Courtesy of RAD+ar

The open concept second floor holds a restaurant and bar in nature’s peaceful embrace. / Courtesy of RAD+ar

A side elevation drawing shows spatial relationships between shade trees, tensile membrane structures, and restaurant spaces. / Courtesy of RAD+ar

Stalk Jakarta, the Tree-Hugger Bar, consists of two floors. The first floor holds a number of drinking and dining rooms for private parties, aka VIP rooms. To get conversation going upon arrival, there’s a spacious welcome area decorated with plants with an inverted bell-shaped canvas roof serving as the focal point in the room.

From here, the dining hall on the second floor can be accessed via a ramp that winds around the upside-down bell curve at the center.

A ramp winding around the inverted bell-shaped fabric roof cover provides access to the upstairs dining hall.

The second floor contains a restaurant and bar, 750 square meters in extent. It’s roofed over with a combination of huge tensile fabric tents with openings at the apexes to allow shady trees to literally go through the roof reaching up for the sky above.

The thick fabric cover and the canopy of the tall trees protect the restaurant interior from heat during the daytime. In a way that arouses interest, overhanging brances cast shadows of the fabric cover creating a light and shadow play that changes in length and direction over the course of a day.

After sunset, beautiful chandeliers turn the dining hall into a well-lighted place with easy listening music provided by a live band.

An intriguing combination of color and texture makes the VIP room feel warm and welcoming.

Return to the first floor, and you find several VIP rooms clearly defined and separated from one another for privacy. Metal wall panels hammered to look like water surfaces and sandy soil add visual interest to the rooms.

At a glance, it’s a sight that evokes pleasant memories of a journey deep into the forest where the sun shines dimly and slightly, thanks to strategically placed lights in the interior.

All things considered, the high tension membrane roof cover comes in handy for the team of architects at RAD+ar to create an outstanding piece of parametric architecture. It looks the epitome of elegant design and an interesting amalgam of the built environment and the lush green surroundings.

What makes it the perfect rendezvous is the open concept layout that provides good natural ventilation, keeping the interior cool and calm with the sound of leaves rustling in the wind.

Without unsightly solid walls, the restaurant and bar space feels bright and breezy, thanks in part to the tensile membrane structure that performs two functions simultaneously, as fabric roof covering and semi-outdoor enclosure.

In the fewest possible words, it’s the best example of design that’s good for people living in the big city, and good for the environment, too.

Architect: RAD+ar (Research Artistic Design + architecture) (radarchitecture.net)

Lead Architects: Antonius Richard Rusli

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Binh Duong House: A Home and Restaurant Combo Nestling Warmly in Nature

Here’s a home of a dual nature that takes pride of place amidst natural surroundings. It consists of a house and a restaurant thoughtfully devised to merge into the verdant countryside in Binh Duong, a province north of Ho Chi Minh City.

Stalk Jakarta, the Tree-Hugger Bar: A Restaurant and Bar That Cares about the Environment

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