/ Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand /
/ Story: BRL / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /
“O+O House” is a single-level steel-frame country retreat created by Junsekino Architect and Design. Tucked away in a peaceful rural setting at KhaoYai, Nakhon Ratchasima, it belongs to a homeowner planning for life after retirement. It’s built using a framework of steel to achieve a lightweight look that merges into a beautiful hillside. From a distance, the house appears as if it were floating or lightly tapping the ground. To create the least impact on the environment, it involves no landfill or alteration of any kind. The building itself gets its inspiration from a wildlife observatory. For relaxation, there is a center courtyard that brings in natural light and fresh air.

As we all know, the areas surrounding Khao Yai National Park in Thailand top the list of destinations for building a home that offers the tranquility of the countryside. Plus, they lie within easy reach of Bangkok. For precisely that reason, owners decided to purchase a parcel of land within a development project called “Pirom At Vineyard”. And the rest was left in the good hands of the architectural firm Junsekino Architect and Design. Their quiet, secluded mountain retreat in Nakhon Ratchasima is aptly called “O+O House”, derived from their cute nicknames.
Balancing present lifestyles with long-term investment value, the couple wanted a house that serves as a weekend getaway with the intention of making it a full-time retirement single-story home. The architect responded with a single-story living space with open floor plans and easy accessibility that’s perfect for a family with dogs. Being situated on a corner lot ensures that panoramic vistas of nearby mountains can be seen from anywhere.


High ground that opens to views of rolling hills below provides the architect with invaluable inspiration, culminating in a home that looks like a wildlife watchtower hovering over the landscape. The overall effect is impressive thanks in part to significant underfloor spaces, a sight that evokes the image of traditional Thai houses reimagined to blend cultural aesthetics with modern practicality.

To nurture a connection with nature, the architect chose a box-shaped massing to create the perception of the house’s shape, form and size focusing on geometric simplicity, clean lines and open spaces. As is expected, the house exterior is surrounded by a system of verandas that bridges the gap between indoor and outdoor living. Large glass openings in the walls enhance the home by taking in stunning mountain views, while all the rooms give access to the roofed platforms along the outside of the house.

And wait, there’s more. A courtyard in the middle of the home offers a tranquil oasis boosting physical and mental health. All of these features are designed to bring more natural light and fresh air into the home, while open floor plans maximize social interaction and visibility to ensure care and safety.


The house plan is simple yet clearly defined focusing on comfort and functionality. An attached garage gives access to a hallway leading to a welcoming guest bedroom on the right side and other functions on the left including a kitchen, pantry, living room and the main bedroom at the farthest end of the first floor.


Underfloor rooms serve as versatile storage space with dedicated areas for household equipment. From a distance, the building looks like a piece of paper resting over undulating countryside, securely supported by pillars at the center. As the architect intended, it merges into the mountain landscape, rather than sitting on top of it. According to Jun Sekino, of Junsekino Architect and Design:
“I want to create a house that blends into the environment. Not black. Not white. But a gray-toned house characteristic of homes in the countryside. It’s the kind that grows faint and disappears into the background. This is achieved by maximizing horizontal lines while keeping vertical structures out of sight and using cantilevers that span 4 meters from end to end. The result is a building that appears lighter than normal.”
The architect chose structural steel framing for its superior strength and durability. At the same time, all key elements are carefully thought out to appear lightweight, including the fascia covering the ends of rafters. The platforms along the outside of the house are roofed over with acrylic panels, creating bright, weather-resistant outdoor rooms. The same applies to gutters beneath the roof edge designed to carry off rainwater. Together they create calming visual effects during rains. By design, the verandas act as an extension of living space, providing a place to enjoy coffee on a rainy day and the breathtaking panoramas you won’t find in the city.
Aside from being low-maintenance and highly durable, steel frames are clearly the right choice for projects located in the provinces and remote areas. They can be manufactured to meet precise specifications and demanding work environments. Steel frames are easier to check for correctness than concrete construction. And by lessening the environmental footprint of the building, they create a mesmerizing floating effect, not to mention being totally recyclable at the end of their useful lives.

A few words succinctly describe this place. Here’s a home that gives a practical exhibition of how structural steel can merge into the environment through sustainable design, one that blends with the sky, thanks to an elevated structure that creates a floating effect. Enhanced by natural light flow, rains and mountains that appear to stretch farther than the eye can see, it’s a piece of architecture designed to answer present and future lifestyle needs, meanwhile creating the least environmental impact.
Architect: Junsekino Architect and Design
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