/ 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: 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.
/ Story: Patsiri Chot / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /
Because the house was left unoccupied for some time, naturally there were parts that had fallen into disrepair. Remaining intact were dull and uninteresting room dividers typical of housing developments that were built in times past. On their return after having been away, the homeowner couple made an exciting new discovery. Their neighborhood was also home to a school where they planned on sending their children. That was a big plus in terms of a good quality of life.
The courtyard of this white house consists of a garden and a swimming pool that lies at the far end to protect family privacy. Invisible from the street, it offers a pleasant outdoor space that connects the whole house with its natural surroundings.
To give this old house a complete makeover, Vasu Thongmeepetch and Panompon Ratanaprayook wasted no time to consult a team of experts in architecture, interior design, and landscaping.
Architect Praepailin Jantanachotiwong can still recall the day they met: “Besides replacing the old and worn-out doors and windows with new ones, the highest priority was to pick a design that would best fit the homeowner lifestyle needs and be adequate for the family size.
“Going through the house, I was attracted to the idea of tearing down the walls separating the interior and the swimming pool outside. That would translate into enlarging the interior space big time, kind of like bringing the outdoors into the living room.
“It was a perfect spot for a playroom, where the children remained visible in close proximity to a sitting parlor made for rest and relaxation. Eventually the whole area turned into a rendezvous point connecting people to people in a warm and welcoming family atmosphere.”
Double-height glass walls make the playroom for kids bright and airy. It’s a TV room and toy room in one. Bean bag furniture in lively colors fits in well with the fun atmosphere of the interior and adjoining outdoor playground.
She calls it “the life of gravity” concept, a whole new approach that gets its inspiration from an open space that attracts everyone in the family toward the center of the home, especially the dining area overlooking the courtyard.
“The new design comes complete with an array of folding doors that open to connect with the garden, the swimming pool, and other outdoor facilities. There’s something for everyone, and that’s what makes people gravitate to an interconnected lifestyle,” said the architect.
The dining room is bordered by folding glass doors that stack flush against one another as they open to connect with the garden outside. The lush courtyard can be seen in full view from inside the room, while a well-placed swimming pool provides passive cooling that reduces internal and external heat gains and brings in fresh air.
Interior designer Thaipan Nopladdarom also responded with a new home plan that subtly divided into three zones in accordance with family needs. He created a beautiful combination of reception room, playroom for kids and dining space set contiguously on one open floor plan. Clever screen ideas control natural light shining into the interior.
There is latticework design on the stairway wall that brings just enough light into the white house, thereby eliminating the need for electric light in the daytime. Elsewhere, open windows can benefit the indoor environment. They let fresh air in and improve the air quality in indoor spaces.
He said, “As for the furnishing and decoration of the room, the emphasis is on the minimalist style. Only a few pieces of furniture are there because they are needed. Where appropriate, built-in furniture is installed as permanent part of a larger construction.
“Lighting setups vary according to the specific needs of each location. To avoid illumination bouncing throughout the room, accent lights are installed to create interest at night.”
Good design judgements result in thermal comfort that transforms the dining area into the heart of family life.
The overall effect is very pleasant. For the children, it’s the playroom that has become their favorite hangout. For the mom and dad, the dining area has been an oasis of calm and relaxation. They can rest by the pool, or go for a quiet saunter around the yard, and wherever they may be, the family is never out of sight of one another.
Subtle, soft shades of colors that speak to the minimalist style keep the sitting parlor calm and spacious like the homeowners intended.
To make the courtyard lush and functional, landscape architect Tawatchai Sakdikul was instrumental in planting shade trees to avoid some of the heating effects and keep the home cool. Apart from being pleasant to look at, the yard is easy to keep clean with all features functioning as intended.
As for the highlights, he said: “We put in a waterfall that became a focal point in the swimming pool area. Then a walkway was built around the yard.
“For the outdoor playroom, we added an oversized rabbit head sculpture to arouse interest and curiosity, and a blackboard to scribble something on as they played. As for the plants, we avoided the dense thorny undergrowth that was the most common cause of injury. Rather, we focused on growing a variety of herbs that promoted learning about the natural world.”
A level platform along the outside of the building is ready for al fresco dining when the weather is nice.
An open floor plan for this white house offers many benefits. In this particular case, it answers the lifestyle needs of the homeowners whose business has to do with manufacturing and selling items of clothing online.
The floor plan that minimizes the use of small, enclosed rooms means they can sit and work anywhere and still be visible. Here, happiness is being home with the children and getting work done at the same time.
A rabbit head sculpture adds interest to an outdoor playroom by the pool, while lush green lawns make it a nice place for kids to run around.
As the couple puts it: “We are thankful that the architect designs it in this way instead of separating adults and children occupants into different zones. The interconnected floor plan answers the borderless lifestyle that combines work life and family life in one.
“It’s designed for easy updates based on needs. That’s what makes living here fun. It’s easy to get why we love this white house so much.”
Seen from across the swimming pool, the newly remodeled white house is peaceful, warm and welcoming.
Owner: Vasu Thongmeepetch and Panompon Ratanaprayook
Architect: Praepailin Jantanachotiwong
Interior Designer: Thaipan Nopladdarom
Landscape: Ginggaanbai Co., Ltd. by Tawatchai Sakdikul (www.ginggaanbai.com)
/ Story: Kor Lordkam / English version: Peter Montalbano /
/ Photographs: Ketsiree Wongwan /
Secluded behind what appear to be walls of white paper, the “PA House” is a perfect combination of modern Tropical architecture and a unique solution to its site-specific environment. It’s the brainchild of IDIN Architects, a Bangkok-based architectural practice.
Architect Jeravej Hongsakul explained that the first design challenge of this 400-square-meter house was its owner’s interest in privacy for his growing family.
“In our first site survey, we noted the wide variety of sizes and styles of the surrounding homes, a four-story house here, a Louis-style there. How to fit a new house into this context and make it livable?”
The architects observed, took pictures, noted directions, viewpoints, levels, and distances between houses, and analyzed the collected data to feed into their design plan, and came up with a concept that used these surroundings not as a limitation, but, surprisingly, as a help.
“Each one of these other houses actually functions as an assistant architect, telling us where and at what levels to place the walls and planes that build connections on all sides, leading us to create open spaces within,” explained the architect.
“I sometimes feel like the conductor of an orchestra, arranging voices and the mix to bring this home to life as a beautiful piece.”
Accordingly, the relationships formed by viewpoints to and from surrounding buildings turned out to be a primary factor in the straightforward design of this home.
Each wall was placed to help deal with problems that might arise from its geographic situation. Where appropriate, well-thought-out adaptations were made to enhance utility and the livability of the house.
Coming in on the south entrance road, we encounter two planes meeting in a tall, wide “L” appearing to float out from the second floor of the house. This construction benefits the house in the same way as a raised hand can block sun from burning our face.
The ground floor is cool and shady, but still has a great view of the wide, open garden directly outside, while the upper wall both blocks the view from other houses and insulates against heat.
Along this section of the lower floor, a fence wall set two meters out from the house provides ample space for growing plants, while glass walls reach up another 6 meters for a look out through the shade. From here the sunlight traces down the inner wall, creating new dimensions and an open, airy feeling.
Comfort of use is the basis for the distribution of functionality within this white house. On the ground floor a living room and dining area open out on a wide garden view, and one portion is set aside for a guest bedroom.
On the second floor we find a master bedroom and one more room for a family member expected to come in the future. All this is coordinated with external design to support the family’s lifestyle in the most perfect way.
As the architect puts it, “The primary design is all about controlling sunlight and creating balance between outside and inner courtyards. The overall effect is open and airy in every direction. The horizontal plane forming the upper covering above looks almost like a hat on the house, and it functions both to block harsh light from the sun and create a wide open view at eye level.
“The concept is what we call ‘Passive Design’: design where the natural systems facilitate living. It also came out in a style both we and the homeowner are happy with. It’s a happy mix of many things.”
Out of the edge of a sun hemp field rises what looks to be a traditional huean isaan (Northeastern Thai house). But this home, set in a shady, woodsy atmosphere, fragrant with the aromas of a Thai house and the fun-filled rhythms of Thai family ways, is fully adapted to contemporary ways of life.
After Sakda and Orapin Sreesangkom had lived 20 years in a condo, they designed this eco-friendly house to find an adaptation of Thai family life that could suit the modern age, and to build environmental awareness in themselves and their children.
The ground floor design echoes the traditional “tai thun” lower space found beneath Thai stilt houses. A porch reaches outwards to fill the usual roles: entertaining guests, and socializing.
Up close you’ll see it’s more like 3 houses connected by one deck, each one with wide eaves blocking sun and rain, but with a twist: the underside insulation is “rammed earth,” La Terre’s innovative cooling solution that rapidly absorbs and diffuses heat and is made from organic, renewable materials.
The huean isaan takes over in spirit, though, with its outward image evoking a cultural memory reflected in the playfulness of the three boys, Chris, Gav, and Guy, bringing cheer to every corner of the house.
They like to play in the attic, slide down polished planks beside the stairway, and everyone’s favorite: the sky deck, accessible from anywhere in the house.
The heart of the home is the living room: it’s spacious, with a bar counter, dining area, and sofas for relaxing, sized 7 x 11 meters, and with no support pillars blocking the view within.
It was designed to mirror the look and function of the “tai thun,” a space that brings everyone together to do whatever they like to do best, as individuals or a group.
The building foundation supports a raised deck all around the house. This keeps slithering things and garden creepy-crawlies from coming into the house, at the same time creating good ventilation below.
The extra area for sitting, stretching the legs, or walking out into the garden is one more bonus.
Sakda’s deep attachment to the traditional huean isaan is what brought this all about.
That, and the family’s courage in leaving the convenience of condo life behind them to design, build, and live in a completely different way, growing their own garden, and creating a new home that could be passed down to the next generations.
/ Story: Panalee / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /
Here are beautiful country lodges nestled in a verdant oasis perfect for a weekend getaway. M.L. Apichit Vudhijaya sojourned in this part of the country a decade ago. Prior to that he had been searching for a modest, relaxed home with a seaside atmosphere. But as luck would have it, he came across this piece of land on the bank of the Bangpakong River in Prachin Buri Province. Needless to say, the location was peaceful and pristine. And the rest was history.
Soon he started building his dream country lodges largely out of reclaimed timber because it wasn’t too difficult to find. The weathered look of old wood paired with the imprints of time adds gorgeous curb appeal to the home.
The house is built of old wood recycled from old homes in the vicinity. The first floor holds a common room that doubles as lobby seating area and reading nooks. The homeowner’s residential units are on the second floor.
“I wanted to try living the local way and experience life the way locals see it. No air conditioning, no glass windows. The first building on the property was made of materials recycled from what used to be a schoolhouse.
“Window frames and shutters came from recycling warehouses on Canals 2, 4 and 16. A local master builder named “Oy” undertook to build it from scratch,” said the homeowner.
He moved in after the first building was completed, and loved every minute of it. Impressed by the peaceful environment and unhurried, bucolic lifestyle, he decided to put in a second building two years later.
M.L. Apichit said: “I’ve got an antique-style Jacuzzi tub that was bought new from Italy. There was no room for it after our family home in Bangkok had been remodeled, so I had it shipped out here and set it up in the center of the yard.
“I put in a canopy to protect it from dead and dried leaves. After a while, it became a familiar sight, and the weather was nice. So I had a second house put in where the tub was originally.”
“The children came and stayed there, they love it, and the rest is history. Friends dropping in on us said it turned out to be a very romantic place,” he recalled.
House number 4 named Jakha offers seven rooms for guest lodging on the first floor overlooking a swimming pool. Upstairs holds a spacious suite.
It wasn’t long before the two houses became ill-prepared to meet increasing demands. M.L. Apichit soon decided it was time he put in a third building. The plan was to build a two-story home with a rooftop deck to take in views of the Khao Yai National Park clearly visible from miles around.
One day he came across an old home on the riverbank that was up for sale. He bought it, had it taken apart and shipped out here. The 70-year-old wooden home was given a new lease on life at a new address, this time with new roofing. Old-fashioned corrugated sheet metal made way for new terracotta roof tiles. Where appropriate, the walls were built of solid wood.
The unblemished charm of rustic life represented a turning point in M.L. Apichit’s perspective towards property development. He sought advice from a close friend, Apasiri Devahastin Na Ayudhya. The two friends shared a background in the hospitality industry.
“Now I wanted four houses on the property and they would be given appropriate Buddhist names. Already a team of creative designers have come up with titles from “Kharawasa Dharma 4”, a set of four disciplines for leading a happier life. They are Sajja (truth), Thamma (freedom from greed), Khanti (patience) and Jakha (generosity).
“House number 4 has a swimming pool. I designed it with the knowledge that I had. It was a terraced house design with 8 residential units,” he added. Upon completion, the latest addition named Jakha, became the first building to be visible from the country road in front of it.
The lure of a laid-back home in the countryside can be irresistible. Nature-inspired design is so charming, it’s hard not to fall in love with it. No wonder many come away impressed by the hospitality they have experienced for during their visit. The property contributes to the local economy, as workforce is hired from within the community and local products are used.
But it’s the warmth and homey feelings of these country lodges that have kept many coming back.
/ Story: Patsiri Chotpongsun / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /
Turning left into a side street opposite Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim district bureau, rice fields on both sides of the road have matured and only just begun to bear fruit. In the middle of it, all emerged a two-storey wooden house with vintage Thai-style appeal. It stood hemmed in by tall trees and lush green lawns. This two-storey wooden house showcases a mix of concrete and timber, its wide façade looking out on a fabulous panorama of mountains and paddy fields.
Open-back bookshelves contribute to an airy interior made for lounging, reading, and viewing pictures in the gallery.
Anchan, the housedog, gave a welcome bark, followed by greetings from the mustached host, “Tom” Apichai Wangtragul. He introduced us to his better half, “Saa” Narawan Rajchasee Wangtragul, AKA the heart of the house. The Retro look of her Thai-style sarong matched the atmosphere of the home named “Good Old Days.”
“Back in Lampang we had a small coffee shop offering snacks and selling guitars. It was very warm there, so we started looking for a new home in good weather. We found one on Google, not far from where we wanted to build our first home in Chiang Mai. One day that piece of land was up for sale, and we were lucky to have bought it,” Saa said.
Tom was teaching draftsmanship courses in Lampang, when they met, and the rest is history.
In Chiangmai, he designed the new wooden house after first setting up a model to determine effects of different building orientations at various times of day. He kept track of amounts of sun and natural air circulation and used the information to aid in the design.
The result was a home that fit in well with its natural surroundings and weather conditions.
As he puts it, “The home facing west gets a full dose of afternoon sun. The glare can be felt, no doubt, but the trade-off is worth it.
Panoramic sunsets can be seen every day.” To solve the problem, he has put in moveable latticework, which reduces the sun’s harsh glare.
The kitchen counter boasts naked concrete finishes similar to those found in coffee shops.
A draftsman’s desk sits by the window that opens to take in cool breezes and views of the surrounding landscape.
“I grew up in a wooden house on the water’s edge. I told him I wanted one with a shed roof made of corrugated sheets just like old times,” Saa recalled.
“Tom said that could not be done. So we built our new home using metal sheet roofing instead. I wanted doors with plantation shutters and places to showcase collectibles that we have cherished for a long time.”
Tom made sure his loved one got what she wanted. He searched and found reclaimed timber in Sanpatong and paired them with old wood imported from Lampang.
The timber supplies included Burma padauk wood, ironwood, and teak. The couple sought blessings for peace and prosperity before every piece was put to good use.
Apart from carpentry details, Tom is passionate about modern style with an emphasis on naked concrete finishes. Together they make the building feel light.
The interior living spaces are light and naturally ventilated, thanks to plenty of openings on all sides. Each function area is clearly defined with floating furniture for easy updates.
This design concept applies to the sofa in the living room and the dining table by the rear windows. The kitchen comes fully equipped, as their house becomes a home-stay destination.
The couple does everything in-house from selecting natural ingredients to preparing indigenous meals. It is attention to details and good health practice that keep customers coming back.
Tom’s hobby projects have been the source of many décor items.Triple-shutter design : In the Northern region, the window with three shutters in a row is generally preferred for cost effectiveness. The ingenious design needs only one latch to lock all three windows.
Tom keeps a collection of vinyl records for sentimental reasons. He likes listening to relaxing music on the old-fashioned phonograph while Saa cooks. Some of it is rare on this day and age. Here time goes by so slowly that it seems stuck in history.
The floor plan features a flight of stairs made of concrete and wooden steps. Located in the center, it keeps the two bedrooms on the first floor a good distance apart for added privacy. There are cabinets where old books and other collectibles are neatly kept. Nearby stands a gallery made for lounging, reading, and viewing pictures on the wall.
The second floor offers two good-sized bedrooms : one for guest accommodations, and the other for the couple’s exclusive use. There are antique beds in all of the bedrooms. Saa said she felt good about them knowing they came from good homes. She bought them direct from their previous owners. Between the two rooms stands an office space, where Tom spends time working at his draftsman desk. The workspace is bedecked with collectibles including old cameras and vinyl records.
As Saa puts it, “This is the wooden house that strikes the right balance for the two of us. It effectively chronicles our love story and journey through time. I am just happy being here.
“Chiangmai is such a delightful place, with canals, plenty of water, trees, and beautiful culture. During the period from November to February, our house becomes a home-stay destination.
Known as “Good Old Days,” the house has become a wholesome getaway for like-minded people. The service is not available during summer months, because we don’t use air conditioning. Time is well spent in the great outdoors.
/ Story: Ajchara Jeenkram / English version: Peter Montalbano /
/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /
Comfort, safety, and privacy were the primary considerations in designing this house. Spacious, cool and airy, it fits right into its Nakhon Pathom city neighborhood.
“Coming back exhausted from work, the owner feels he’s escaped to the other side of a wall where he can finally relax with family in an inner sanctum hardly at all visible from outside.”Meechai Jaroenphon, architect from the Backyard Architect Co., Ltd., says the family wanted a lot of privacy for their home, which accounts for the dense concrete fence, broken only by a few narrow slots.
The house entry area next to the carport.
The property holds three houses with a connecting court in between. There’s the main house where the owner lives, a second house for his siblings, and at the very rear is the parents’ house.
The idea was to live together as a big family while still having privacy. At the architect’s suggestion the homes are compact, leaving a large common space for a garden they work together, which adds a warmer, more intimate atmosphere.
Meechai goes on to say, “The owner wanted the different homes to be set at different levels, with stairs of different heights. I took this a step further and designed stairways as connecting elements, primarily using wood for its simplicity and warmth.”
The owner’s outside staircase.
Stairways connect the three buildings, and going up or down each time brings us into the private space of a different family unit. Sometimes there’s more functionality involved: the stairway in front of the first house, for instance, has a frame of steel and wood railing which screens the view from outside.
Although privacy is important, there are also openings to facilitate sun and wind coming in. “I had in mind the concept of a “safe house,” says Meechai.
“So I designed the carport to block a house view, but the buildings are open to the breezes. When the owner comes home exhausted from work he enters a cool, comfortable atmosphere, escaping into his very own world.”
The altar room is a common area where the parents come to pray and make merit every day. Set at the highest point, it’s larger than other rooms, and divides into two sections: a meditation room and a sitting room. The walls here are open on three sides for an open, airy ambience.
As you can imagine, it’s quite a challenge to create a home for people of different ages to live close to each other. Good design has to anticipate actual usage and find solutions for each person. This house in Nakhon Pathom is a real success story in that way: the big family really enjoys living together.
The house fence and carport wall have 10 cm. slits allowing a view outside.
Materials used in the house: teak, Makha wood, brick, marble, mosaic tiles.
Architect: Meechai Jaroenphon of Backyard Architect Co., Ltd.
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