Who would have thought it! Discarded plastic bottles and jars could transform into cute whale-shaped napkin box covers. Not to mention water-saving glass drying trays for the kitchen. Plenty of fantastic ideas for modern home décor and accessories to make sure everything is organized and in place!
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Stoty: Samutcha Viraporn, Photo: Press
Disposable plastic bottles become trash after a single use. In the manufacturing process, some of them are discarded without seeing the light of day. The good news. Designers have come up with ingenious ideas to turn waste into products of better quality and higher value than the original. And the sky’s the limit.
Many transparent plastic bottles are made from a type of plastic called polyethylene terephthalate, or PET. What we don’t see is the plastic packaging that doesn’t make it to the shelf. In the manufacturing process, bottle samples are taken out and evaluated. By law, the plastic packaging that fails quality control testing cannot be recycled into bottles and jars again. So they become raw materials to make different types of goods instead.
The Qualy manufacturer brand, in collaboration with the beverage company Ichitan, is able to breathe new life into unusable industrial waste, turning it into reusable raw materials. Its main forte lies in design capabilities that turn unwanted materials into upcycled products that meet the higher expectations of modern customers.
Its expert skill in recycling earns it a reputation for creative new products for a chic home update. One of them is the cute whale-shaped napkin box cover called “Moby” that takes 28 recycled plastic bottles to make. It takes pride of place in the bathroom, or serves as a reusable plastic bag holder for the kitchen. Anyway only biodegradable plastic bags are recommended. The design is stimulated by whales that have died from plastic waste in their stomach. It’s the tip of the iceberg that reminds us all to use less plastic to protect the environment.
Also worthy of attention is the aptly named “Oasis Tray”, a drinking glass drying rack made from 56 recycled plastic bottles. It doubles as an irrigation system that supplies small amounts of water to houseplants.
Other interesting products include a beautiful array of indoor planters, each made from about 8 to 10 recycled PET bottles. Not to mention greenhouse supplies and cute containers designed to encourage people to start growing for a better, healthier home environment.
Together, they convey a rich and subtle message. Reduce plastic waste now, or turn it into new materials for creative reuse. After all, we still have plenty of discarded PET plastic packaging to deal with.
Looking for a new pair of shoes? You’ve come to the right place. Tlejourn, an ocean-friendly brand of footwear, has unveiled creative new products made from waste recycled from the ocean.
Before and after. Nattapong shows his work, an old rubber flip-flop he found at a beach, left; and a new sandal after a complete makeover, right.
Tlejourn is the brainchild of Dr. Nattapong Nithi-Uthai of the Rubber Tech and Polymer Science Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, Prince of Songkhla University at Pattani. He’s co-founder of Trash Hero Pattani, an active environmental group in southern Thailand.
Trash Hero Pattani is the spearhead of a program that collects waste materials washing onto beaches every Wednesday. A lot happens from there. First, marine trash is separated into two categories. Then, non-recyclable items are put through the proper channels, while rubber parts from old shoes, boat fenders and side protectors are converted into reusable raw materials. The recycling process includes reducing them to fine particles and putting them through a heated press to make rubber mats. They become the raw material from which Tlejourne sandals and other products are made.
Dr. Nattapong Nithi-Uthai (left) and Dr. Singh Intrachooto (right) collect pieces of waste on a beach. Photo: Facebook Singh IntrachootoPieces of ocean waste are pulverized, mixed, and put through a heated press to make rubber mats, the first step in the recycling process.Recycled rubber mats from a heated press on their way to the assembly line.Recycled rubber mats are cut using die cutting tools, a step in the manufacturing process that’s passed on to cottage industries in the local community of Pattani.
Besides its in-house footwear industry, Tlejourn also supplies reusable raw materials to leading manufacturers, among them the Thai-American designer Pring Paris. Tlejourn footwear products are available at Soda, one of Thailand’s well-known fashion houses.
The brand also offers women’s shoes by means of co-branding with the designer group Muzina of Japan. Known as Muzina x Tlejourn, their joint products recently made its world debut in a fashion show that was part of the annual Tokyo Fashion Week. Tlejourn is collaborating with the shoe manufacturer Nanyang to offer the Khya brand of sandals made from recycled ocean waste and materials left over from the industry.
Ladies slippers with recycled rubber sole and fluffy hair from the Thai-American designer Pring Paris. Photo: PressA Muzina x Tlejourn joint product makes it world debut at the Tokyo Fashion Week. Photo: PressColorful Khya flip-flops, a joint product from Tlejourn and the leading footwear manufacturer Nanyang. The sole is a mix of recycled rubber and materials left over from the industry.Designed for everyday wear, Tlejourn casuals are made by co-branding with local footwear manufacturers.
On the future of the natural environment, Dr. Nattapong said: “We know that in the next three decades, ocean trash could be more numerous than marine life. In three months, Trash Hero Thailand volunteers collect more than 80 tons of trash washing onto beaches, of which about 8 tons are old shoes and other footwear that people have discarded.
“In the last four years we sold more than a hundred thousand shoes. As a result of that, a half of ocean trash have disappeared from local area beaches. but heaps of refuse remained. It’s an almost incredible tale of a waste crisis. Everything is on a grand scale. By making Tlejourn footwear out of recycled ocean waste, we join other environmental groups in a wider effort to rid the ocean of discarded materials. It’s a formidable challenge. Everyone can chip in to make the problem go away, and we are campaigning to turn those heaps of ocean waste into creative products, not just shoes.”
Tlejourn founder, Dr. Nattapong Nithi-Uthai of the Rubber Tech and Polymer Science Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, Prince of Songkhla University at Pattani.Flip-flops and keychains in lively colors are made from recycled ocean debris.
Needless to say Tlejourn has turned crisis into opportunity. As countries in the ASEAN membership struggle to cut down waterborne debris, each and every one of us must do our share of the joint campaign. Let’s make the sea beautiful again.
A pair of Tlejourn sandals with recycled rubber sole. Photo: PressTrash Hero Thailand volunteers gather for a good cause. Photo: Trash Hero Thailand
Once you get to know it better, you will find Pattani is really quite interesting. A design week aptly named “Pattani Decoded” took place from 29 August to 1 September 2019. Living ASEAN is on location to file this report.
“Pattani Decoded” is the perfect example of an esprit de corps among the city’s handpicked architects, designers and people in the community. It celebrates the richness of diverse cultural heritage and history that gives this southern town its character.
The show transforms the streets of Pattani into an outdoor gallery featuring design and architectural masterpieces. They rekindle old memories from the time of King Rama III to the Japanese invasion of Thailand during World War II and important events in recent history. The cool places to visit are on Pattanipirom, Anoaru, and Ruedi raods in Pattani Old Town, a melting pot where peoples of Thai, Chinese, and Malay descent are mixed together.
The Old Town that’s the historic heart of Pattani is alive and well today. People use their artistic abilities and creativity to liven up buildings and improve their neighborhoods. They give locals and tourists hope for the future. Favorite things to do include a journey on foot through the Old Town, a boat ride on the Pattani River, and a visit to the official residence of the first governor of Pattani.
The highlight event is an exhibition by a group called “Pattani Art Space”. Meantime, art enthusiasts have the opportunity of meeting up with luminaries such as Dr. Singh Intrachooto, Boonserm Premthada, and Saran Yen Panya. More fun events include an architectural design competition, Chef Table demos by famous restaurants, retail businesses, live music as well as workshops on shoemaking from waste materials by Tlejourn, Lepus fabric making by Benjametha, and discussions on great works of literature.
Why called it “Pattani Decoded”? Rachit Radenahmad, leader of the organizer group “Melayu Living”, replied: “We want locals to know that design is something close at hand, something within their reach. Meantime, this land abounds with good things. Going forward, people need to mix design with their beautiful cultural heritage. In so doing, they convert coded messages into intelligible language.
“We manage to get locals to participate in showcasing their homes or other places of residence. People are energized by the idea, and the show draws the biggest response both in Pattani and nearby provinces. We have so many good things here that people sometimes take for granted. The region may be known for violence, but art is always in the heart of everyone. That’s the message we are sending to the world outside.”
By all accounts it’s a well-thought-out design festival despite certain limitations. The show is giving talented architects, designers and students a chance to showcase the beauty, charm and adventure of Pattani to the world outside. At the end of the day, it’s about getting people to change their point of view, visit the historic southern town, and come away impressed.
Several years ago Naiduangta Pathumsut and Rungroj Kraibut began building their farmhouse with meager savings. That of course didn’t produce the kind of home we see today, but it was enough for the concrete structure and the roof. Before long their enthusiasm, determination and a lot of hard work resulted in a beautiful home amid lush green fields. There is the pride and glory in it, no doubt.
They first started with a single-story home and named it “Ton Tarn”, which is Thai for the point of origin from which a stream or river flows. Naiduangta’s parents settled down and raised a family here a long time ago when the trees were still young and had only just begun to emerge from seeds.
They bequeathed a parcel of land to her and Rungroj to build this new house connecting to the original family home.
Folding doors of old wood open wide, giving the house an old-fashioned atmosphere.
By way of introduction, Naiduangta was born here in Suphan Buri, but moved when in kindergarten. Eventually completing Thai Language Studies at the Faculty of Education in Chiang Mai, she worked in Bangkok for a period of time before returning to Suphan Buri to help her father with his work promoting child literacy in this western province of Thailand.
Rungroj, a native of nearby Uthai Thani, studied environmental geography and has worked for the Seub Nakhasathien and Sarnsaeng-arun Foundations to promote learning about living with nature. After the great flood of 2011, the couple decided to put in a two-story home – connecting to the original single-story house – as a means to escape future flooding.
A multi-use spot opens on a wide view, with steel “cage doors” for security.Rungroj’s bicycle collection and workshop supports his hobby: cycling into Chiang Mai with friends, doing a solo trek to Uthai Thani, etc.
Rungroj can still recall how it all started: “If we’d waited to get all the money, we wouldn’t have been ready. We wouldn’t have started or done anything.”
With the help of local craftsmen, the basic structure was built in two years, but by then the money had run out and the work had to depend on just the two hands of “Craftsman Rung” for the wood walls, doors, windows, and some furniture.
“I used timber from Neem trees or Indian lilac (a tree in the mahogany family) and Burmese rosewood trees grown and harvested on our property. Plus, we had some old wood, doors, and windows set aside. After another two years the exterior looked finished, but there was still a lot of work to do.”
The kitchen wall has painted green shutters, “tank-shaped” chairs, and a simple shelf above the doorway.
The 9-acre property includes the parents’ house, the main house, and a rice granary. There’s a natural well with a planted bamboo border. Umbrella bamboo is grown for its edible shoots, and giant thorny bamboo for fencing. The bamboo orchard is in one area, rice paddies in another, and big, harvestable trees remain from the time of Rungroj’s grandfather.
“November to March is the perfect season for growing leafy vegetables we use ourselves, but we switch crops sometimes. Vine veggies like string beans, loofah, and squash are perennials. They provide a natural way to prevent disease and insects that often spread when growing just a single crop,” said Rungroj.
“The image of our house in the middle of the fields looks great. We can’t do anything about how farming in the area has changed: use of chemicals, burning sugarcane fields,” he continued.
“We can only adapt to it and build on our own natural world. Our joy is in the pride of doing things with our own hands. There’s nothing perfect in nature: it’s all a learning experience, like life as a married couple, gradually adapting. Where we can’t adapt, we create understanding so we can live together.”
Next to the house is a woodworking shop Rungroj also uses to store wood. Scaffolding used to build the house was converted to storage racks.
/ Story: Patsiri Chot / English version: Peter Montalbano /
/ Photographs: Anupong Chaisukkasem /
On the bank of the River Kwai, Kanchanaburi we stand beneath tall trees, their canopy of robust branches and green leaves filtering sunlight into shade as a cool, comfortable breeze riffles the water. The sight of the Erawan National Park forest fills us with awe. This enchanted spot is where Dr. Suwin Kraibhubes, CEO of Beauty Community, PLC decided to build his home on the riverfront.
“In the old days there was a resort here, but abandoned, it fell apart.” Dr. Suwin said.
“Coming here on a visit I found myself getting excited about this panoramic mountain view, the forest preserve and the peaceful river. I hadn’t known Kanchanaburi had such a quiet, pleasant riverside woodland as this.”
Dr. Suwin had always had a deep feeling for good design and home decoration. He followed this up with a lot of reading from many sources, and bought furniture and house accessories to add to his own collection and deck out this home in a style suiting this great location on the River Kwai.
“I had a lot of ideas, including building on the original resort’s foundations, and found an architect to help,” further explained the owner. “With modern-style gable roofs, the shapes are reminiscent of a tobacco-curing plant.
“I didn’t want to make the house too eye-catching, but more low-key, in tune with nature, so we used strong, dark colors with natural materials such as wood, stone, and steel, materials with beautiful colors and textures of their own, that also are easy to maintain.
“The result is a relaxed retreat where we don’t stay every day, but that fits in beautifully with the natural environment.”
Dr. Suwin’s personal living space is a compact riverside home on a hill directly above the water. The full residence extends across the property: another three steel-frame buildings are set in a quiet corner.
There is a separate structure in the center for use as a reception area and common dining room near a two-story house built to accommodate more family members and friends.
He also added, “I live on the river bank for comfort. It’s a little like a greenhouse: the walls are glass and face out on the river, giving both a beautiful view and privacy.
“Mornings I really enjoy looking out from the porch. I can see everything from there, it feels like we’re in the middle of everything!”
Dr. Suwin gets a lot of outdoor time here, playing in the water with the kids, kayaking, jet skiing, enjoying nature by the Tha Thung Na Dam. Sometimes in the cool evening air he sits out on a raft, socializing with his friends.
“I really love that this house has both the mountains and the river. Outside we get the full benefits of being close to nature: almost no landscaping needed,” he summarized beautifully.
“I love the big trees the most. They give this riverside home the refreshing, shady frame.”
/ Story: Samutcha Viraporn / English version: Peter Montalbano /
/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /
Starting with the idea of building a temporary residence from commercial containers, Charnwit Ananwattanakul of Wish Architect Design Studio had to analyze the different characters of the family members who would live there. In the end, this temporary project became a permanent home made from 15 containers where all family members reside happily together.
The container house has two wings, one used for the living area. The master bedroom is on the second floor. An open wood-floored multipurpose space runs longitudinally through the house as a sort of inner courtyard, enabling family interaction and serving as a channel for heat release and air circulation from front to back.
Similar decks in front and back follow the width of the house that’s set back a distance to reduce heat entering the container elements of the home. Trees planted in front add another level of protection from the western sun.
A partition at the far end creates a wind channel for air circulation, reducing any late-morning heat gain from the east side of the house.
To minimize heat and humidity, bathrooms are placed on the south side, some containing plants suggestive of old-time country houses where bathing was done outside, pouring from water jars. Another important feature is the sprayed-in roof insulation.
The living room is done in a spacious “open plan” style, connecting to the large food preparation area/pantry with facilities such as a coffee brewer, an island with a gas range, and storage shelves for kitchenware with a large protective screen to keep the space more orderly.
The second-floor verandah has a gap cut where netting is placed for people to sit, lie back, and chill; this also helps release heat and brings natural light into the central area, as well as giving it depth.
To avoid a fussy look, white was chosen as the primary color for interior décor of this container house.
Due to limitations on utility system installation, some metal posts had to be added to container walls and ceilings to accommodate electrical systems without further lowering the already rather low container ceilings.
Where appropriate, a framework of steel was constructed to meet the proportions of container walls. At the same time, wood paneling in shades of earth-toned brown was added to give the interior living space a warm feeling.
In front of the house, real stone is used in the staircase area to give the atmosphere of a modern-design garden, playing off the boxlike shape of the container house.
The fence also features a play of vertical and horizontal lines, using the language of design to simultaneously create a look of transparency and a sense of privacy. Each area is designed to suit the behavior of the family members living there, and this links the family and strengthens relationships all the more.
/ Story: Patsiri Chot / English version: Peter Montalbano /
/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /
This attractive, old-fashioned country home stands in the middle of huge swaths of paddies in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim District. The upper floor, all bedrooms, is built of wood. Downstairs the many open walls convey a great deal about the traditional Thai house with a “tai thun” (the open underfloor space) that’s spacious, bright and airy. It holds a living room, dining room, and coffee nook with a natural breeze providing cool comfort all day long.
The rural house built of reclaimed timber looks the epitome of a local tradition. Its design is the brainchild of Prakij Kanha of the Bangkok-based atelier Studio Miti Co., Ltd.
Overall, the building is impressive in its austere simplicity. But at the same time, the external envelope made of weather-beaten wood adds rustic charm to the home. The recycled building materials used in the project were taken from five old houses at various locations around Chiang Mai.
The house has a small courtyard along its length, a channel for natural breezes to blow that adds to an overall sense of relaxed informality.
There is a small courtyard enclosed by the walls of the house, creating a channel for natural breezes that go to work making the simple interior cozy and comfortable. Limitations on the amount of wood meant that a few downstairs walls had to be mortared in place. Where cladding boards were too short, sheet metal was used to cover the unfilled spaces.
The house was roofed over with Onduline, a kind of eco-friendly corrugated roofing sheets made of strong natural fibers. They are lightweight and suitable as insulation materials, and hence no need to install a ceiling.
For roof decking installations, oriented strand boards, or OSB, are used. OSB is a type of engineered wood similar to plywood. To keep the sun baked rooms cool during the day, gypsum boards are used to add a layer of built-in insulation.
There is a mix of tall windows and glass walls, and a central corridor connecting to every room in the house. It also doubles as air circulation channel.
Even the bathroom looks out on nature. The master bedroom has views of both Doi Saket, a mountain in the eastern part of Chiang Mai, and morning mists over the Ping River. On the opposite side, night after night you can watch the moon wax and wane.
The country house’s easy and chic interior décor is a mix of furniture and antiques almost entirely taken from the homeowner’s old place of abode.
A small mezzanine made of steel mesh flooring is home to objects of interest to collectors, including a post-World War II vintage bicycle, while photos on the wall give the air of a private gallery.On one side of the hall is a staircase made attractive by a mix of unfinished surfaces of wood, brick, cement, steel and glass.This is a homestay for nature lovers: the four guest rooms all have wooden furniture, stressing simplicity and panoramic views of the landscape.
Public electricity doesn’t reach out this far, so solar cells are used, and per-day energy use has to be carefully figured. There is no air conditioning, but the natural breezes here are deeply cooling.
On the whole, it’s a beautiful wood house set amid rice fields, a perfect place to get the peace and quiet. The sky can’t be clearer. The night is totally dark and tranquil. What could be better than that?
/ Story: Samutcha Viraporn / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /
It’s everyone’s dreams to have a beautiful home. And it takes a special kind of knowledge, skills and wisdom on the part of the architect to create one that’s both gorgeous and great to live in. This box-shaped house in cool-toned whites belonging to Thanaphong and Thinan Nakaprasit has what is needed for comfortable living.
Initially, construction was delayed for a period of time for Dr. Tonkao Panin, a professor at Silpakorn University, and Tanakarn Mokkhasmita, of the Research Studio Panin to properly develop a plan to build the house around a tree.
“Our old house had a high “tai thun” (the lower open space at ground level) and a tree that’s the focal point on the property,” explained Thanaphong. “We loved this place, but we wanted to change a few things. To put in a carport in the tai thun, the house had to be raised a bit higher to create more headroom. Our first house plan had a half courtyard with the tree only partially surrounded.”
Thanaphong and Thinan had seen the results of Dr. Tonkao’s design work in the past. They grew familiar with her lines of thought that stressed using simple geometric shapes to bring out hidden character and warmth. Especially for Thanaphong, it gave him further insights into the concept of utilizing proportions, a code to unlock the geometric secrets in classic designs, and a sense of security that’s a design challenge in architecture.
Having lived in a house with glass walls, privacy and security were important to Thanaphong and Thinan: they wanted more containment. Creating secure viewpoints for looking both out of and into the house posed a challenge for the architects. Solutions began with placement of a large tree as the focal point of the house plan. The rooms are disposed around the tree in the center courtyard and have views for monitoring the exterior of the house. People inside can hardly be seen from outside, while the addition of steel panels adds more security.
The security steel panels were originally designed to be of Exmet (expanded metal), but Thanaphong consulted with the architects and decided instead on perforated steel, adding a charming polka dot pattern to the latticework blocking off the long walkway behind the house by the canal.
“Environmentally, this is a great location: water and mountains are behind us, so we need practically no gardening of our own,” explained Thanaphong. Instead of being near the road, the house is set deep in the back of the .4-acre property. Besides the tree between buildings, the living room has a beautiful view of the natural forest on the other bank of the canal.
For easy maintenance, the property is landscaped primarily with grass lawn or paved with stones and large rocks, which are used especially for the shady, peaceful “tai thun” space (the lower open space), which gets no direct sunlight.
For movable furniture, Thanaphong especially wanted to bring some Modernform “black Iceland” items from their old house, which required some expansion of the kitchen. Other furniture is mostly from IKEA, with light color tones and light, simple shapes.
“The longer we’ve lived here, the more charm we’ve found in this house, its great functionality, and the open areas, the deck and the tai thun. This is a very special design. Completely separate from other benefits, just the view as we drive in lets us see past the buildings to the mountains, water, a panorama of nature. I love it,” the owner wrapped up beautifully.
/ Story: Ajchara Jeen / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /
You don’t have to live in the middle of a forest to bring the outdoors inside. This beautiful house belongs to Bhalangtham Klomthongsuk, a well-known drama series organizer and television personality. The single-level urban residence takes up most of the 200-square-wah land space with modern living amenities and a private retreat amidst nature. The peaceful natural setting fits the lifestyle of the homeowner whose name translates as the power of dharma.
A sand colored sofa makes an attractive presence in the cozy outdoor room between Bhalangtham’s bedroom and a nearby compact garden.
Showing us around the home, Bhalangtham said: “On first seeing, I liked the way it differed from the style typical of modern-day housing developments where everything looked very similar. Besides, I’ve always preferred a single-level floor plan.
“Initially, I didn’t plan on doing any remodeling for five years, kind of waiting for my son to grow big enough to have his own room. But, I didn’t want my elderly Mom to climb up and down the stairs any more.
“So, here we are! This house offers many advantages. It’s fully functional for an old home. There wasn’t much damage to repair to begin with, except a few updates here and there to make home life easier. That was pretty much it.”
The courtyard connecting residential and functional wings of the house is bright, airy, and suitable for multiple purposes.
From the main entrance, a hallway provides access to the left and right wings of the house. The right wing contains a kitchen and dining room, while the left has a bedroom with private bath that has since been renovated as a multi-use space.
The clearly noticeable part of the home is a small courtyard garden at the center of the house plan where Bhalangtham’s bedroom is located. The open space offers a refreshing environment in the middle of lush foliage. There’s an outdoor sitting area with a private garden view.
The house’s main entrance lined with friendly indoor plants feels warm and inviting. Creative ideas paired with floor-standing greenery add a relaxing tropical feel to the entryway.The hallway leading to the living room is illuminated by natural daylight streaming in from one side of the building. Everywhere indoor plants re-humidify the room preventing the interior from feeling too dry.
The furnishing and decoration are left in the good hands of interior designer and close friend Suranart Lerdkunakorn. Knowing the homeowner’s taste, Suranart creates a mix-and-match interior combining chic vintage ornamentation with newer furniture and decorations from different eras and styles.
On the whole, home décor and accents give a hint of Eastern culture that makes the interior warm and welcoming. Strong, deep colors make the interior room visually interesting.
Commenting on furnishing and decoration, Suranart said: “Bhalangtham likes the metallic duck-head green and navy blue; hence much of the interior is pained dark shades of color. Together, they bring renewal and nature to the indoor living spaces.
“As for furniture, a chinoiserie dining table that’s a gift from the previous homeowner comes in handy to reduce the stiffness of modern home design. Elsewhere, vintage décor ideas imported from Bhalantham’s old house complement a look that’s stylish and relaxing.”
An ethnic design carpet adds curious excitement to the room.
The duck-head green of the wall and the cream and beige of living room furniture provide an agreeable contrast. Green leaves freshen the atmosphere and make the room feel warmer and more inviting. The living room is part of the functional wing that’s designed to serve multiple purposes.
The small dining space adjoining the living room is flexible and party ready, thanks to a chinorserie table that was a gift from the previous homeowner.The metallic duck-head green dominates a corner where young Arty practices music. Like the homeowner intended, the green room serves to connect indoor spaces with the lush courtyard outside while the sound of music rejuvenates the atmosphere.The dark shade of blue in Bhalangtham’s bedroom contrasts with the beige of leather upholstery on the furniture and the floor in natural wood stain. An area carpet in lighter shades brightens the room.
A perfect amalgam of chinoiserie, vintage, modern, and classic styles is a distinctive feature that gives the house meaning and character. Combine that with a courtyard filled with the lush foliage of container gardens, and the benefits are amazing. Despite its small size, the patch of greenery serves as the lungs of the house, a condition ensuring that every day is a breath of fresh air.
For the homeowner, nothing compares to his favorite hangout with a private garden view.Besides the lone tree that’s the focal point of the yard, the outdoor room is adorned with potted houseplants, mostly tropical species. Plant containers in various shapes and sizes offer plenty of seats that make the area party ready.
/ Story: Patsiri Chot / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /
Building a sustainable home involves a great deal of knowledge of the surroundings and relationships with nature. In the hot and humid climate of Thailand, it’s useful to have a good grasp of the sun, the wind, and seasonal thundershowers in designing a home that’s livable and aesthetically pleasing. This modern house is built around that concept – one that promotes well-being and the comfort of the indoor environment.
The architect uses metal folding or forming techniques to make informed design decisions. The angle of the bend in the roof and the exterior walls is determined by the need to protect the interior living spaces from the elements.
In this particular case, architect Nantapon Junngurn used the folding process common in metalworking to translate multiple planes into three-dimensional interior living spaces. Then, vertical surfaces were incorporated in the plan and appropriate wall openings installed to enable the home to effectively connect and interact with its natural surroundings.
Obviously, he took the most sensible course of action by positioning the building in relation to seasonal variations. By this is meant that all aspects of the sun, the wind, and weather patterns were taken into account.
The far end of the sitting room is built of concrete that runs the entire length of the wall. It’s slanted to diverge from the vertical line designed to get rid of rainwater fast. As a byproduct, extra floor space is achieved by simply doing away with bulky support poles.
The architect then put the idea to the test to determine what architectural form and space would best fit in with the environment.
The result is a modern house plan where all the rooms are disposed around a center courtyard to create indoor thermal comfort. To bring eye soothing nature inside, large openings in the external envelope are added, further enhancing the relationships between the home and surrounding lush green landscapes.
The living room is elegantly decorated with dining area at the far end and a small library on the mezzanine. It is bordered by glass walls on two sides; one overlooking lush lawns upfront, the other connecting to the inner courtyard that serves as engine driving air circulation.Large glass walls on both sides of the room are there for obvious reason — bring the outdoors in.
As the architect puts it, “The U-shaped home plan is preferred over other styles. The front entrance sits facing north, which is good since it is considered to be less sun-intrusive.
“The rear of the house faces due south and stays shut most of the time because it’s located close to neighboring houses. The west side is reserved for service areas with a music room and kitchenette, which confirms that home cooking is not a big part of the family lifestyle.
“For indoor thermal comfort, double brick construction is chosen to reduce heat transmission and protect the interior living spaces from hot sun. Well-thought-out planning ensures the back area is in shade for much of the day, thanks to the canopy of a mature tree courtesy of next door neighbors.”
The living room and dining area feels bright and airy, thanks to the glass wall overlooking the center courtyard on one side. In the opposite direction, the big open sky can be seen in full view from inside the modern house.Located at the center of a U-shaped house plan, the dining room takes in the view of the courtyard garden and spacious sitting room on the right edge of the field.
The U-shaped floor plan has a small body of low ground that transforms into an inner courtyard with lush lawns and greenery. There is an Indian oak, or freshwater mangrove tree (scientific name: Barringtonia acutangula) that is now in top form providing a continuous layer of beautiful foliage.
Nearby a Spanish cherry, or bullet wood tree (scientific name: Mimusops elengi Linn) grows into a full crown. It was a house-warming present from Dad. At the center, a small pond adds a touch of nature to the courtyard garden. It’s the natural focal point that connects to practically every part of this modern house.
The living room and dining area is enlivened by tall glass walls and sliding doors designed to promote natural air circulation in the home. Plus, they create visual continuity that makes the idyllic inner courtyard very much a part of the interior living spaces.
Sharing his little slice of paradise, homeowner Kongyot Kunjak said: “I like to spend more time in the courtyard. In the morning, I would sit down for coffee at the table here looking out the window enjoying the garden view.
“The courtyard with a water pond surrounded by trees and shrubbery provides a place to relax and unwind. It’s refreshing to reconnect with nature and be able to bring the outdoors into the home. In the evening, the very pleasant garden ambience can be seen from inside the living room.
“Whether for work or for social gatherings, it’s wonderful to be here and experience nature every day, albeit from an indoor perspective.”
A flight of stairs leading to the upper floor is cantilevered out from the wall. With one end anchored securely in the stone wall, the steel treads appear to hover in midair. For strength and durability, each support plate is 20 millimeters thick. Nearby, glass walls standing tall from floor to ceiling ensure a good view of the garden.
As might be expected, the house plan best suited for the hot and humid climate is one that’s spacious, well-lit and well-ventilated. In this particular case, indoor thermal comfort is achieved by shielding all the areas exposed to danger of too much sun.
In the meantime, it’s a good idea to open up the part that connects to the natural surroundings. In essence, it’s about creating design capable of interacting with nature. In the fewest words possible, when the home breathes easily, every day is a breath of fresh air for the house occupants. Innit?
An Indian oak, or freshwater mangrove tree (Scientific name: Barringtonia acutangula) develops well to keep the inner courtyard in shade for much of the day. Its lush green crown adds rejuvenating effects to the garden landscape.
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