Blog : thailand

Modern Tropical House
livingasean

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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Amazing Craftwork at the SACICT Innovative Craft Gallery
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Amazing Craftwork at the SACICT Innovative Craft Gallery

The official opening for the SACICT Innovative Craft Gallery has arrived, as Support Arts and Crafts International Center of Thailand continues its  hallmark support of village-based folkcraft combined with modern design trends to produce eye-popping work and build lasting careers.

/// Thailand ///

The Gallery is located on the second floor of the main SACICT building in Bang Sai, Ayutthaya. Entering the reception area we’re treated to visions from the book SACICT Craft Trend 2018, with a fascinating arrangement of social craft network presentations illustrating the book’s high points. Each of the products on display in the “Mass X Clusivity” exhibit has a story to tell. The “Digital Detoxing” section shows us designs that bring harmony to today’s changing world.

Décor and tasteful arrangement create harmonious connections between displays. We follow the production steps of these innovative crafts as skills are brought to bear and traditional knowledge applied, culminating in their appearance on the national stage – the IICF (International Innovative Craft Fair) or the Innovative Craft Award competition, for instance – as they gain widespread recognition and interest. It’s hard to find a more remarkable collection of unique and finely crafted pieces than here at the Gallery.

Under the heading “Benjarong” (primary colors), the Thai Navatasilp exhibit shows us a perfect balance of skill, traditional knowledge, lifestyle, and modernity. Here are works that define and extend the meaning of the term, such as “Plaa Gat” (fish bite) by Witsarut Angkhahawanit and masterpieces produced by acclaimed Thai artist Wasinburi “Tiw” Suphanich-Woraphat.

Interested in creating great works of your own? Want to learn about the thought process, or the physical construction of craftwork? Get news about the Gallery’s activities through Support Arts and Crafts International Center of Thailand, at www.sacict.or.th or www.facebook.com/SACICTGallery.

 

 

 

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SACICT Concept

 

10 Products with Cool Designs From SACICT Craft Trend 2018
10 Products with Cool Designs From SACICT Craft Trend 2018
livingasean

10 Products with Cool Designs From SACICT Craft Trend 2018

From the book SACICT Craft Trend 2018, published by Support Arts and Crafts International Center of Thailand, we take 10 pieces that combine some very hip design with contemporary materials and production and startlingly traditional folk elements. Let’s see what’s there . . .

/// Thailand ///

1. Ceramic plate inscribed with traditional local fabric patterns, by Wit’s Collection adapts the intricate details of a cloth-based pattern to create a chic ceramic work with an eclectic tribal style.

2. The “Raindrop Hanging Lamp” by PATAPiAN: an imaginative blend of old materials, traditionally woven bamboo and moulded brass, formed into raindrop shapes. Great to mix and match with any style.

 

3. “Takra” multipurpose tray by Thinkk Studio and a wicker-weaving group at Baan Chang in Ang Thong Province: material is woven into small frames. This adds a new dimension to wicker work, since the technique was previously used only for large pieces of furniture. The innovation comes from a new generation of designers working with old-time artisans in SACICT’s Thai Navatasilp Project, which has received wide acclaim.

4. Jackets of woven fabric by Trimode Studio and an U-Thong quilting group in Suphanburi Province use plain woven fabric patterned with new designs simplifying an elaborate tribal style. Here excessive detail is smoothed out to give a contemporary look while using a traditional hand-stitching technique, another bit of folk knowledge preserved by SACICT’s Thai Navatasilp Project.

 

5. The Landscape Pot Box by TRIMODE DESIGN and a mango woodworking group in Hang Dong, Chiang Mai Province: a multipurpose storage box inspired by natural landscapes. The lids of these mango wood boxes are made from colored resin with a texture resembling natural stone. Here the touch of nature is combined with a smooth, very minimalist design.

6. “Tribida,” by Trimode Studio and a twine-weaving group of Ban Laem Yang, Nakhon Sawan Province is a movable set of storage drawers with interesting shape, color, and materials. The lightweight drawers come in a number of patterns and are woven from baling twine, for yet another attractive product from Thai Navatasilp.

 

7. The “Needle Chair” by British designer Veega Tankun adapts and extends a traditional silk weaving technique to create a new type of easy chair cushion. This cushion softens the chair frame for a gentler, more modern look while adding a new, truly charming dimension to chair design.

8. “Khrae Tray,” by Thinkk Studio and a wicker-weaving group in Baan Chang, Ang Thong Province, is a multi-purpose tray that got its inspiration from dwarf bamboo, its small bamboo slats charmingly set in a black steel frame. It can be put to all sorts of uses, including as a support for food dishes, or as a tea set tray.

 

9. The Line Tote Bag by Thinkk Studio and a natural-cloth-dyeing community enterprise group at Nong Bua Dang in Chaiyaphum Province is a shoulder bag with an intriguing shape, made of stylishly dyed woven fabric and adorned with simple, attractive monochromatic graphics and patterns that add to its contemporary look. This, too, is a Thai Navatasilp product.

10. “Mon Mai,” by Thinkk Studio and a natural-dyeing community enterprise group in Nong Bua Daeng, Chaiyaphum Province: these beautiful woven mudmee silk patterns are warm and modern, with reduced pattern detail suggestive of fashionable graphic art. The natural dyes give a gentle feeling reminiscent of pastels. Another proud example of SACICT’s Thai Navatasilp Project.

These ten craft art pieces use traditional Thai handicraft techniques adapted by leading designers to create stylish products, many of which are either still on display or in the inventory at SACICT Concept in Bang Sai, Ayutthaya Province. For further information, visit www.sacict.or.th or keep current with the news at www.facebook.com/sacict.

 

 

 

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Craft Trend Book 2018

 

SACICT Concept
10 Countries Experiencing the Harshest Effects of World Climate Change
livingasean

10 Countries Experiencing the Harshest Effects of World Climate Change

 

Four ASEAN countries are listed in the 2017 Global Climate Risk Index Report as among the 10 countries most strongly affected by world climate change between 1996 and 2015.

// ASEAN //

“Who Suffers Most From Extreme Weather Events? Weather-Related Loss Events in 2015 and 1996 to 2015 In Order To Report Effects of Climate Change in Various Countries Around The World,” a 2017 Global Climate Risk Index report released by Germanwatch, shows that climate change caused more than 528,000 people to lose their lives between 1996 and 2015, with financial losses amounting to  US$3.08 trillion. UNEP (United Nations Environment Program) estimates suggest that by 2030, total losses will be two to three times greater, and by 2050, four to five times these amounts.

Loss of life, economic loss, and number of catastrophic events summarized in this data table show that the harshest effects have fallen on “developing countries” not rich in resources. In the the top ten are four ASEAN nations. Myanmar is in second place on the worldwide list; most of us probably remember the beating it took from Cyclone Nargis in 2008. An island nation, fifth-place Philippines is listed with the highest number of natural disasters. Vietnam takes the number 8 spot, with number 10 Thailand right behind, its economic losses – $7,574,620,000 US – greater than any of the others. 13th place Cambodia nearly makes the cut to join its ASEAN friends.

Table courtesy of Global Climate Risk Index 2017 by Germanwatch

The Climate Risk Index gives clear indications of the huge effects climate change will have on development, as well as on personal property, quality of life, and national GDP in these countries. A secure future depends on each country having a solid plan for cooperating with nature and with each other. Sitting back and doing nothing as before isn’t an option.

 

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Craft Trend Book 2018
livingasean

Craft Trend Book 2018

SACICT Craft Trend 2018, the most recent book in an annual limited-edition line published by SUPPORT Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand, is a collection of analyses of new trends in handicrafts written by highly knowledgeable people in design circles.

/// Thailand ///

Amphawan Phichalai, Director of SACICT and the book’s producer, puts it this way: “Handicraft development in the modern age has to keep pace with rapidly changing patterns in technology and the world itself. The crafts world needs to put these new technologies to use in connecting and creating networks of people with similar interests who can help each other in development, application, and boundless transmission of knowledge.”

This is the primary concept dealt with in this year’s “Social CRAFT Network” section as it examines the role of technology in this era, when it is such an essential part of people’s lives, putting information we need right at our fingertips for the finding, making connections with lightning speed. Acceptance and utilization of technology helps create a more efficient, comfortable, and generally better life.

And there is a whole new vocabulary, words which act as driving forces behind this year’s new trends.

One example is the term “massclusivity,” describing application of the the master craftsman’s techniques to industrial systems. These systems enable production of products in large numbers, utilizing mass-produced parts that minimize investment costs while building and maintaining the unique identity of handicraft products, preserving the magic and charm of the original craftwork while producing it with a combination of people and machines.

Then there is “digital detoxing,” built on an analysis of changes in consumer behavior that respond to a need to escape from the madly spinning world through relaxation – walking, sitting, lying down, rest and meditation – resulting in products with simple, straightforward designs, uncomplicated and easy to understand but offering the best solutions for improving everyday life.

Besides this, in this collection you’ll find significant content about trends in color usage, great products shown at the 2017 International Innovative Craft Fair, and interesting topics discussed at seminars with fashion industry leaders, highly skilled “trend gurus” from the design world who can guide you in your studies.

Want to reserve a copy? There’s more information available at www.sacict.or.th, and you can get the latest news at https://www.facebook.com/sacict/

 

 

 

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SACICT Concept
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SACICT Concept

Another truly interesting highlight getting a lot of attention at the 2017 Baanlaesuan Midyear Fair is the craftwork on display at the “SACICT Concept” booth set up by SUPPORT Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand.

/// Thailand ///

SACICT Concept in “room Terminal,” room Magazine’s super-chic section of the Fair

SACICT Concept showcases contemporary and cosmopolitan Thai handicrafts, supporting craftsmen who adapt traditional folk knowledge to fit modern design trends. The work is beautiful, leading-edge, and these artisans have built careers from it. The work shown here comes from the original showroom at the main SACICT office in Bang Sai District, Ayutthaya Province. We hope you’ll come experience this beautiful detailed workmanship right here at the 2017 Baanlaesuan Midyear Fair at BITEC Bangna.

This year SACICT Concept has presentations in two locations, one at the Fair entrance, and the other in room Magazine’s “room Terminal.” Come along with Living ASEAN as we take you on a mini-tour of craft products, the beautiful décor of the main booth, and fascinating highlights created by five uniquely talented award-winning traditional artisans, notably:

“Phraewa cloth” woven in the Phu Thai tradition: Jintanapha Phonatha, Traditional Craftsman of 2014, learned the trade from her teacher, Wanida Phonatha. The intricate elegance of Phu Thai hand-woven silk originated in Ban Phon, Kham Muang District, Kalasin Province, where high-level knitting and weaving skills and contemporary design are taught. Products range from utilitarian household items to women’s accessories.

Old-fashioned toys: craftsman Thaweesap Namkhajonrote, 2017 Traditional Craftsman, creates charming and colorful Thai traditional toys such as tops, mobiles, wooden hammers, etc., all from an ancestral folk tradition that employs local knowledge to engage children in building and practicing physical, mental, emotional, social, and perceptual skills through play.

Lipao woven baskets: Noppharat Thongsephee, 2014 Traditional Craftsman, with contemporary products such as handbags and multipurpose storage boxes woven from the lipao climbing vine, using fashionable modern color and pattern design trends to create beautiful products that appeal to the international market.

Reed weaving: Phat Namphiwong, 2016 Traditional Craftsman, learned his craft from artisan and teacher Reuangyot Namphiwong. Phat puts great love and intention into his work, adapting and applying his knowledge and taking inspiration from Japanese woven fabrics to create new woven-reed products with soft textures. Formerly reeds were used only to make mats, but Phat’s creations include placemats, coasters, and bags.

Burmese Clay Pots: 2017 Traditional Artisan Phongphan Chaiyanil brought pot-throwing techniques learned in Hanthawaddy, Myanmar back home to Koh Kret. Adapting his skills and expertise to a 200-year pottery tradition, he developed forms and patterns from everyday life that emerge as charming, artistic masterpieces of home décor.

Here you’ll find many more interesting works from the Innovative Craft Award competition held each year at the IICF (International Innovative Craft Fair), every piece beautiful and worth owning. If you miss this year’s Baanlaesuan Fair, they’re available at SACICT Concept, Bang Sai District, Ayutthaya Province.

 

 

 

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Highlights of the Baanlaesuan 2017 Midyear Fair “Living with Passion”
Quotes Of The Day
livingasean

Quotes Of The Day

Here are some quotes worth reading that were spoken by ten ASEAN designers during last week’s “room x Living ASEAN: Design Talk 2017” symposium.

/// Thailand ///
  Story: Nawapat Dusdul /// Photography: Nantiya Busabong

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7-Story Ivy-Covered Home with a Green Façade
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7-Story Ivy-Covered Home with a Green Façade

/ Bangkok, Thailand /
/ Story: Ath Prapunwattana / Photograph: Rithirong Chanthongsuk /

This 7-storey concrete house, blanketed with a refreshing green façade, has angles everywhere, with one especially remarkable section dominated by slanting red posts and beams.

 

Chatrawichai Phromthattawethi, interior decorator and owner of the company “Pro Space,” lived in a two-storey building for 15 years before finding it too small and building a new place on a nearby property. On that limited space he built upwards rather than out, in fact seven storeys up.

“Designing, we weren’t thinking primarily about style, but utility. The space was narrow, so we built tall.

“Then with a 4-storey townhouse next door we figured an ordinary building would seem too cramped, so we made the building structure visible: posts, beams and deep spaces into open walls creating dimensions of light and shade, adding panache with one section of oddly slanting posts painted red, set off with flowers here and there.”

Angular concrete building animated by the refreshing green of a quick-growing ivy.
Spiral stair where people can come into the office on business without entering the house.
Roof deck: garden spot with swimming pool, an outdoor living room.

Even closed in next to a small street, Chatrawichai’s design still provides nearly 1,000 square meters of usable space.

“Depending on use, each floor has a different height.

“The ground floor, with garage and kitchen, is moderately tall. The second floor is an office, and the third holds the butler & maid’s room, all normal height. We use the fourth floor for entertaining, so it’s spacious, with a higher ceiling than the others.

“The fifth floor has a guest bedroom and storage space, the sixth is my bedroom, and the seventh floor holds a living room and dining room set at different levels according to usage; the living room has a higher ceiling. On the roof is a deck, swimming pool, and garden.”

Chatrawichai agrees that this is an unusual design for him, with its red exterior posts at odd angles and interior ceilings displaying working utility systems, plus use of unusual materials such as metallic structural highlights in certain spots, creating a much different residential feeling than before and incidentally requiring a lot of detailed work during construction.

For the interior, furniture and décor mostly come from the old house, a mix of many styles – modern, classic, and antique – matched with exceptional taste because the colors were chosen in advance, primarily framed in a context of gray and black.

Colorful ornaments such as cloth or bright pictures hung on the wall add vitality.

“Coming from a two-storey house, at first living here took some getting used to. It was a tall building with the green façade, but definitely no condo; how to live in such a place? In the end, though, we found it wasn’t all that different,” Chatrawichai adds.

Design: Pro Space Co.,Ltd. by Chatvichai Phromthattadhevi

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Five Spots You Must Absolutely Not Miss at The 2017 Baanlaesuan Midyear Fair
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Five Spots You Must Absolutely Not Miss at The 2017 Baanlaesuan Midyear Fair

“Living with Passion” is the defining theme of the 2017 Baan Lae Suan Midyear Fair. To help you get the most out of it, Living ASEAN would like to point out some of the Fair’s educational, entertainment, and inspirational highlights.

 /// Thailand ///
 Photography: Sitthisak Namkham, Natthawut Pengkamphoo, Supawan Sa-Ard
 

Room TERMINAL by room Magazine

High on our list is Room TERMINAL, a 580-square-meter space with a hip, straightforward and colorful design laid out in sharp lines and clearly marked walking paths to reflect the cosmopolitan world of ASEAN, mixing contemporary décor with fascinating local flavors. Don’t miss the SACICT CONCEPT booth, where you’ll see artistic modern Thai handicrafts from the most skilled artisans of the organization “Support Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand.” Stop and sip a cuppa at the charming little Laliart Café before attending one of the Design Talk symposia on design trends produced by Room Magazine and Livingasean.com and featuring famous designers. At the July 29 event, “Modern Tropical Re(Design),” you can interact with four of ASEAN’s leading architects.

 

Baan Lae Suan Publishing House Zone’s “My Little Farm”

This year Baan Lae Suan Publishing House has its collected books – on plant varieties, crafts, food, agriculture, etc. – on display under the heading “Urban Little Farming.” Here you can also enjoy shopping at an organic fruit and vegetable stand, the Little Tree plant shop, and a handmade jewelry booth. There’s also a coffee shop, and every day through July 30 you can join in workshops on pastry-making, plant cultivation, and do-it-yourself activities.

 

Kitchen lore at “Cooking Mania Home”

This zone has a display for home cooking aficionados designed by a Baan Lae Suan team to suggest various kitchen ideas and ambiences visitors might be inspired to apply to their own home cooking. It features a reproduction of the wood-and-charcoal-stove Thai kitchen of earlier eras, with kitchen implements hung on the wall; then there are a “pantry-style” urban kitchen that’s small but with full functionality, a spot where bakery-lovers can make pastries, and an outdoor kitchen with a large barbecue pit.

 

Greenhouse Zone for plant-lovers

People who love gardens and plants will be totally entranced with this zone and this year’s concept of “plant mania.” Here you’ll see decorative ways a person just crazy about plants might set up various spots in the house. One area is like a science lab, full of experimentation equipment. There’s a space bedecked and festooned with all sorts of species: ferns, sago palm, carnivorous plants, etc. Nearby is a courtyard designed to support practically all garden uses in all situations, with a small greenhouse showcasing how to cultivate and organize a plant collection.

 

Find that perfect piece of craftsmanship at “My Craft Zone”

The crafts zone this year is bustling with a wide variety of merchandise, producers, and craftsmen. Visit adorable shops selling clothing, handmade ceramics, leather shoes, and traditional Thai products, just for starters.

 

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Twin Houses, Modern Thai Style
livingasean

Twin Houses, Modern Thai Style

These “modern stilt houses” built twin-style for siblings share a natural common space, a surrounding garden, and are in no danger from flooding.

/// Thailand ///
Story: Patsiri Chotpongsun /// Photography: Rithirong Chanthongsuk ///  Design: Office AT Co, Ltd.by Surachai Akekapobyotin and Juthathip Techachumreon

These identical homes belonging to brothers in the Changprasert family are built on a trapezoidal lot with the wide side in front. “The original 30-year-old houses were seriously deteriorating, so the question was whether to renovate, or completely rebuild. In the end, demolition and rebuilding won out. This gave us all the functionality and the appearance and décor that we were looking for,” said Win (Totsawin Changprasert), the young IT professional showing us his house.

“From my reading I already liked the modern minimal style, and so looked online for architects who do this. Office AT seemed to be a perfect choice, so we invited them to design our new houses.”

With identical façades, the houses each have 350 square meters of usable space. Considering property size limitations, the architects set the houses next to each other in back, on the narrow side of the trapezoid. The wide front is dominated by a lush green garden, and a walkway connects Win’s and his younger brother’s house before extending out to the fence.

Since there had been serious flooding here, the architects created a modern adaptation of the traditional Thai house, raised above a lower space (known as a tai thun). This helps with air circulation while also providing a utility area and a room for the housekeeper.

Photo : Office AT

Even though it’s very private, the 3rd floor of Win’s house has no dividing wall, just a continuous flow of space.

“These two houses are similar, but differences reflect the owners’ personalities. Win’s “double-volume” ceiling makes his living room feel really spacious. His brother has a wide private balcony on the third floor giving a “void” spatial effect for viewing the surrounding greenery through wide-panel glass windows,” says the Office AT architect.

Although their staircases are on opposite sides, the houses have the same functional setup. The second floor holds living room, dining room, and kitchen. “A unique feature of Win’s living room is the wall framing the flat screen TV: it blocks the view from outside, with high glass walls to the right and left letting in light and offering great views. There’s also a skylight for natural illumination of the indoor staircase. Rooms on the third floor are directly connected, no separating walls, which makes for a natural flow of space and a relaxing feeling.”

Photo : Office AT

The staircase up to the third floor in Win’s younger brother’s house is enclosed in clear glass panels, dispersing natural light all throughout the house, relaxing to the eyes.

“Before, when there was such a clear separation of house and garden, it felt dark and dull inside. For a taste of nature we had to walk out from the house into the garden. Now, with glass walls opening wide on the greenery in front, we can hang out here, watch TV, work, whatever, it’s just more relaxed,” Win adds with a smile.

Photo : Office AT
Photo : Office AT

The younger brother’s staircase, enclosed in clear glass.

 

Link : http://www.officeat.com/

 

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