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Vom House: A Nature-Embracing Urban Home Made Attractive by Curved Design

By livingasean
July 20, 2024
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam /

/ Story: Lily J. / English Version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki /

This three-story urban home belonging to a nuclear family is located in Binh Thanh, a district of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Needless to say, it’s an urban neighborhood characterized by overcrowding and lack of green spaces. That’s where architect Sanuki Daisuke comes into play and turns environmental challenges into a solution. The result is a home tailored to the small family’s specific needs, one that’s comfortable, well-lit and well-ventilated despite the problem of limited space.

urban home Ho Chi Minh City Vom House — A massive curved ceiling of raw concrete has the most prominent position in the entryway holding a semi-outdoor sitting room. It’s separated from the front yard by a façade of decorative metalwork.

By design, the house’s public spaces are placed on the first and second floors. They consist of a semi-outdoor communal space that’s shared by all members of the family. There is a dining room, with reading nooks and green spaces nearby that open to bring natural daylight and fresh air into the home.

Meanwhile, the private spaces holding only two bedrooms are perfectly adequate for family needs. They are tucked away on the third floor that’s quiet and secluded. The rooms are made somewhat smaller than usual so as to increase the size of empty spaces in the home. For the most parts, Vietnamese homes tend to have more bedrooms as a way to accommodate visiting houseguests.

Drawings of the house plan illustrate space utilization ideas on every level, including the rooftop. / Courtesy of Sanuki Daisuke Architects

A trio of front elevation drawings shows how curved designs are integrated in different parts of the building. / Courtesy of Sanuki Daisuke Architects

A side elevation drawing illustrates space utilization in relation to openings in the wall and rooftop designed to admit daylight and provide natural ventilation. / Courtesy of Sanuki Daisuke Architects

A perspective drawing in cross section shows the integration of curved ceilings in the design of the second floor. / Courtesy of Sanuki Daisuke Architects

An open floor plan makes the first floor feel larger, giving a feeling of comfort, warmth and relaxation.

Up front, the first floor holds a sunlit courtyard beneath a distinct curvature that bears some resemblance to an underground chamber in a hillside. At the same time, high ceiling design makes the entry area look so inviting.

The rounded contour, also known as “vom” in Vietnamese, serves a dual purpose. It creates good visual flow between the first and second floors, while providing a passage leading to rooms and functional spaces in the home.

Small openings in various sizes at the top of a wall keep the second floor well-lit and well-ventilated.

Curving contours, or “vom” in Vietnamese, take pride of place in the sitting room and reading nook on the second floor. Together they create good visual flow connecting all the rooms in the home.

An ample amount of space on the second floor and nearby stairway promotes natural ventilation in the house.

Extending directly beneath the curving contour, the house façade of perforated metalwork separates the front yard from a sitting room at the front. It’s designed to admit daylight and provide controlled natural ventilation to the home.

The sitting room is connected to a kitchen and dining room nearby via a folding door system that opens wide from one end to the other. From here, the reading nook on the second floor is clearly visible under the double height curved ceiling. Taken as a whole, the interior is cool and comfortable thanks to fresh, outdoor air coming in through the front door.

The bedroom on the third floor is breezy, uncluttered and illuminated by natural daylight.

Because it’s such a clean, well-lighted place, the homeowner couple sees potential in it developing into a house-cum-café in the future. The idea comes in handy since the family’s private living spaces are hidden away on the third floor. Plus, the open concept house plan provides many benefits, among them improved traffic flow, adequate daylight and good air circulation at every turn.

Concrete surfaces are left unfinished by design after being cast using bamboo strips, creating shadows that change throughout the day.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of life in Ho Chi Minh City, the house feels comfortable, light and airy thanks to great attention to detail. By design, it’s an urban living space that seeks reconnections with nature, a house made attractive by curved design just like the architect intended.

Join us for insights on creating urban homes that maximize quality of life. The room Books X Living ASEAN Design Talk 2024 on the theme of “(Re)Thinking inside the Box: Vol. 1 Living in Small Urban Spaces” is a discussion event in English focusing on urban living opportunities and design challenges that need to be resolved. It’s aimed at creating an awareness and knowledge among the general public about the importance of design in residential development within the context of city life across Southeast Asia.

The discussion will be in English. It’s open to everyone who is interested. There is no admission fee. Seats are limited. Please preregister at https://cooll.ink/DesigntalkLA/

Looking forward to seeing you all at Hall MR 214-216, Second Floor, BITEC Bang Na on August 4, 2024 from 1300 to 1530 hours. It’s happening as part of the Baan Lae Suan Fair Midyear 2024.

Architects: Sanuki Daisuke Architects

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TB House: A One-Story Brick Home and Green Leaves of Summer at Every Turn

By livingasean
May 2, 2024
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Son La, Vietnam /

/ Story: muanpraes / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Trieu Chien /

People change locations at some point in time, and reasons to move are aplenty. Among others, the desire for better living is pretty common. The same applies here, as this young family has discovered. Their new address is a one-story brick home made attractive by the earthy reddish brown of perforated brick facades set amid lush greenery.

One-Story Brick Home Vietnam — Perforated brick facades regulate fresh air and natural daylight streaming into the home and double as outdoor privacy screens.

Named “TB House”, it’s nestled in a peaceful residential neighborhood of Son La, a city in Vietnam’s Northwest.

For the young married couple who lives here, everything about it brings back childhood memories, those carefree days of summer and a home snug by the warmth of beautiful landscapes. Bestowed with mountains, forests and rivers, Son La comes in useful as the right location for their new home.

The husband, who knew the geographical area very well, came across this piece of land during a weekend house hunting trip. It lies on the crest of a wooded hillside with dark green forests in the background.

Small rock formations stick out of the ground where large trees stand as if nature has left a lasting imprint. Almost instantly he got to thinking about building a humble abode here. The question was how to leave everything where it’s always been.

And that was where the design team at Trung Trần Studio was brought into play. They were tasked with creating a home that would best fit the owners’ needs, at the same time conserving all the existing natural elements in the landscape – the hillside, the trees, the rock formations and, most important of all, its friendly, welcoming atmosphere.

A diagrammatic representation shows the positioning of living spaces and functional areas disposed around greenery-filled courtyards designed to create indoor thermal comfort. / Courtesy of Trung Trần Studio

The result is a one-story, split-level brick home with breathing brick facades thoughtfully devised to regulate fresh outdoor air and natural daylight streaming into the interior. And it’s achieved without cutting down existing trees on the property.

The floor plan simply has abrupt alternate left and right turns to avoid cutting down the trees, ascending a small mound to stop at a bank of stone that makes the retaining wall protecting the backyard garden.

An open-concept floor plan improves foot traffic flow between rooms, turning a modest amount of space into clean, well-lighted interiors.

A curious mix of graphic tiles on the kitchen backsplash adds intrigue and interest to interior design.

On the whole, it’s a simple house plan starting with a paved platform up front that serves as a car park. A set of concrete steps leads to the front door that opens to the entrance hall, while the dining room and kitchen lies furthest to the rear.

There’s a playroom by the small inner courtyard that ensures the little children can be seen in full view from anywhere inside the home.

The family living room with wood wall paneling is invitingly comfortable by any standards. At the farthest end lie three bedrooms, tucked in a calm secluded area away from noise and distractions. For privacy, all the bedrooms have windows that open to charming backyard garden views.

From an architectural point of view, the breathing wall concept offers many advantages. Among others, it creates a sense of connection between indoor and outdoor living spaces.

High above, the uppermost branches of the trees provide shade keeping the home cool during summer months. They blend with retaining rock walls that add usable land for planting and relaxation. At the same time, the roofs made of fired clay tiles are covered in slow-growing lichens reminiscent of homes in times past.

A retaining rock wall creates usable space for planting, while a roof made of clear polycarbonate sheeting protects a utility/wash room at the rear from the elements.

Taken as a whole, it’s a vintage-inspired humble abode that exudes a timeless appeal as evidenced by the use of simple building supplies sourced from within the community. Needless to say, the lush landscape makes it feel cozy and warm, while architectural details enhance the easy lifestyle and advocate for sustainability.

Architects: Trung Trần Studio (www.facebook.com/ArchitectsAndAssociates)

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QAH: A Gable Front Townhouse Strikes a Balance between Work and Life

By kangsadank
April 30, 2024
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Ninh Thuan, Vietnam /

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

/ Photographs: Paul Phan /

A gable front townhouse with a high-pitched roof stands out from the rest in a peaceful neighborhood of Phan Rang-Thap Cham, a coastal city in Ninh Thuan Province about four hours’ ride from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The limited amount of space notwithstanding, the indoor environment is surprisingly comfortable thanks to a small inner courtyard designed for improved natural light and ventilation.

Using wood adds visual interest to the indoor environment, improves acoustics and balances out the coarseness of concrete surfaces.

Named “QAH”, the three-story terraced house offering 220 square meters of living space is the brainchild of Q&A Architects, an architectural practice based in Phan Rang-Thap Cham. As to be expected in a dense urban environment, the company was tasked with creating a townhouse that would strike the right balance between work and the fast pace of city life.

townhouse — A detailed diagram shows all three levels of the house plan. As a whole, 30 percent of the total space is dedicated to open areas filled with lush greenery. / Courtesy of Q&A Architects

After examining the nature of the site and exploring public realm (a shared space in the community), the design team came up with a three-story townhouse plan with roughly 30 percent of total living and functional spaces dedicated to open areas front and back for relaxation. Plus, there’s a small interior yard under the stairs brightened up by an array of skylights built into the rooftop.

The indoor environment feels invitingly comfortable, thanks to a greenery-filled yard enclosed within the building.

That’s not all. Everywhere, smart home functions blend perfectly into convenient interior design hiding in simplicity. Take for example the terrace leading to the front door that’s covered in stone pavers and adorned with greenery thriving under tree cover. To create charm, good looks, the walls are built of wood painted an earthy dark brown that balances out the coarseness of nearby concrete surfaces.

Walk in the door, and you come into the entrance hall connected to a neat and clean dining room and kitchenette. Close at hand, the small inner courtyard lies illuminated by skylights directly above. And beyond, a quiet, secluded office nook hides in plain sight at the farthest end of the room.

A bright interior courtyard under the stairs separates an office nook at the rear from the dining room and kitchenette up front.

In a nutshell, it’s thoughtfully devised to let nature permeate, yet it fits in well with the homeowner’s needs and circumstances. Among the features that create work-life balance in the home, the stairwell at the midpoint of the house plan eliminates the need for mechanical ventilation and artificial light during daytime hours.

A flight of stairs built flush with the adjoining walls separates an office nook at the back from the dining room up front.

The principal bedroom on the second floor is cozy and spacious, thanks to the vaulted ceiling that follows the pitch of the roof. The ceiling and the walls are painted a cool-toned cream, while a sofa set in dark brown and bedding in muted green accent the background colors in the room. Up front, large windows open to admit natural daylight and fresh outdoor air stream into the interior, a perfect combination of colors and textures by any standards.

The principal bedroom on the second floor feel relaxed, thanks to a sofa set in earthy brown and well-positioned large windows affording a view of the cityscape.

The stairway leading to the third floor is brightened up by skylights casting shadows and colors on rough sandy textures on the walls. Together they work in tandem turning the home into a comfortable living space despite space constraints and a narrow frontage abutting the street.

A skylight system built into the rooftop lights up the stairway and a courtyard directly below.

As one would reasonably expect, the third floor holds an ancestral shrine symbolic of Vietnamese folk religion. It’s a mezzanine with an uninterrupted view of the entire interior. Carefully thought out, the courtyard directly below can be seen in full view from here.

A system of skylights built into the rooftop brightens up the spacious, well-ventilated stairwell, a clever hack to create calm and peaceful interiors.

At the very heart of design thinking, the gable front townhouse named “QAH” is made for easy, simple living, and in the fewest possible words, a house plan that strikes the right balance between work and life in the city.

A bird’s eye view of the gable front townhouse in relation to other homes in the neighborhood.

Architects: Q&A Architects (https://www.facebook.com/qaarchitects247/)

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Planter Box House: A Narrow Lot Home with Edible Landscapes and Raw Concrete Façades

By kangsadank
April 13, 2024
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia /

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

/ Photographs: Ameen Deen /

Edible landscapes provide amazing benefits. But what if you don’t have space for them? Raised garden beds and planter boxes come in handy to deal with the challenges of living in a small space. This narrow lot home in Kuala Lumpur is a living proof of creative design and the advantage it brings to garden plants fit to be eaten. Done right, they thrive everywhere, building façades included.

Form panels made of bamboo strips leave their imprints on poured concrete surfaces and unadorned planter boxes on the building façade.

Boasting beautiful edible gardens and lush fruit trees, the modern home in KL affords 340 square meters of living and functional spaces. The overall effect is impressive notwithstanding its austere simplicity characterized by the rawness of concrete surfaces. But that’s precisely the quality that radiates curb appeal.

There’s more to it than meets the eye. The secrets to creating indoor thermal comfort and sustainable living environments lie in those planter boxes that adorn building façades at the front and back. Plus, the rooftop deck has even more room for raised garden beds filled with herbs, vegetables and fruit trees growing luxuriantly.

A drawing illustrates the positioning of living, functional and gardening spaces on all three levels of the house plan. / Courtesy of Ameen Deen

A side-elevation view of the house plan in cross section shows front and rear façades bedecked with deep planter boxes starting from ground level all the way to vegetable gardening spaces on the rooftop. / Courtesy of Ameen Deen

Named the Planter Box House, it’s the brainchild of Formzero, a homegrown architectural practice renowned for advocating sustainability and design best suited to the geographical features and the Tropical climate prevailing in this part of the Malaysian peninsula.

That being said, it’s designed to be power efficient, thanks to passive building strategies that include deep planter boxes on the balconies where lush trees and edible plants grow. Together they work in tandem to keep the sun and heat out, thereby regulating indoor temperatures by allowing just the right amounts of daylight and fresh outdoor air into the home.

From a distance, the planter boxes crafted of poured concrete have a rawness feel to them that blends seamlessly with trees in the vertical garden landscape. The building exteriors are made to appear untidy and unrefined by design.

Take a closer look, and you discover more than 40 types of edible plants. For safety, big trees are securely anchored in deep planter boxes. Needless to say, they fill passers-by with curiosity as to whether it’s some kind of a fruit orchard tucked in the middle of an urban neighborhood.

A drone’s eye view shows planter boxes filled with fruit trees overlooking edible plants in the front yard garden directly beneath them.

For lack of a better word, it’s a home in a class of itself, one made attractive by a forest of lush foliage and the upper branching of trees that set it apart from everything out there. The poured concrete surfaces lack sophistication as a result of bamboo strips being used to make concrete form boards.

For the architects who designed it, the house represents a fusion between heritage unique to this part of Kuala Lumpur and a new design concept that attempts to redefine Tropical residential architecture from a modern perspective.

A concrete form board made of bamboo strips leaves its imprint showcasing ridges and grooves on the surface in its austere simplicity.

Take a look inside and, surprise! The solid, unsophisticated exteriors belie the fact that the house plan is quite open and airy creating a sense of space, thanks to windows and doorways glazed using clear glass with generous wall openings strategically placed for good ventilation all year round.

Downstairs sitting room enclosed by a clear glass wall affords a view of the front yard filled with thriving fruit trees.

The ground floor contains a kitchen and dining room lying furthest to the back of the house. A set of light and bright stairs crafted of steel separates them from a sitting parlor with comfortable furniture located upfront. The kitchen and dining room combo takes pride of place under a high ceiling that rises 6 meters from ground level.

It’s a spacious, well-lighted place, thanks to clear glass walls that stand tall from the floor to the ceiling. On the opposite side of the stairway, the sitting parlor affords a view of the front yard garden adorned with edible plants and trailing woody-stemmed vines handing down from concrete exteriors.

A steel staircase made light and airy by design separates the living room upfront from an open kitchen and dining room lying furthest to the back of the house.

The homeowner enjoys his retirement busy making art in the dining room enchanted by high-ceiling design.

A small piece of ground affords room for vegetable gardening right next to the kitchen and dining room.

A large dining table takes the most prominent position under a high ceiling that rises 6 meters from ground level. The room serving multiple purposes feels light and bright enclosed by a glass wall with swing doors opening to a small backyard.

Climb a flight of stairs, and you come to the second floor that’s in fact a private mezzanine containing a bedroom and a sitting room en suite. From here, the stairway continues on to the third floor holding a quiet, secluded reading nook. Worthy of attention is that every part of the home is surrounded by vegetables and herb gardens growing luxuriantly at the in front and back of the building.

Concrete planter boxes and fruit trees provide a privacy screen for the semi-outdoor shower room enclosed by glass walls.

Proceed to the rooftop deck, and a beautiful panorama of the cityscape unfolds before us. Equally fascinating are lush and shadowy gardens developing vigorously covering the full extent of the deck space.

Low-profile barriers on the third-floor balcony afford a beautiful panorama of the cityscape.

Albeit small in size, it’s a living space that speaks volumes for the homeowner’s love of gardening. And it shows in the way raised garden beds and planter boxes are put in every possible place.

In the end, it boils down to ingenious design, the kind that’s fit for the warm and humid Tropical climate prevailing in this part of Malaysia. Plus, it’s a confluence of ideas resulting in crisp cool shade, good ventilation and indoor thermal comfort. Simply fantastic!

Architect: Formzero

Principal Architect: Lee Cherng Yih

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Ngói Space: A Community Center in Vibrant Orange Graces a Suburb of Hanoi

By livingasean
March 5, 2024
CULTURE,DESIGN

/ Hanoi, Vietnam /

/ Story: Phattaraphon / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Le Minh Hoang /

A good-sized community center is making its presence felt on the outskirts of Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital. The building stands enclosed in authentic Vietnamese fireclay roof tiles. The external envelope in exuberant shades of orange rises above a street corner surrounded by modern structures. It begs the question. Is this some kind of experiment being undertaken to test a point that has never been dealt with? “Your guess is right.”

Named “Ngói Space,” the community center building sends a strong message that exciting new architecture can be created using indigenous building materials. In this particular project, more than 20,000 thin rectangular slabs of baked clay are used to make the building facades. They are the same ubiquitous building materials as those used for covering roofs.

Ngói Space Hanoi — The immediate empty space between the perforate shell and the building wall offers semi-outdoor room for relaxation.

Ngói Space performs a dual role as recreation center promoting community wellbeing and reception area for both normal and important occasions. It’s open to everyone in the community who needs a place and time to unwind, not to mention empowering the people and strengthening the neighborhood.

Among others, it has coffee shops, multiple purpose rooms, conference venues and exhibition halls plus a rooftop garden for relaxation.

The interior space is light and airy, a peaceful place to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.

The unique outer surface of the building got its inspiration from trees thriving vigorously in the wild, while the interiors conjure up mental images of the atmosphere inside a prehistoric cave dwelling. The design thinking process started with interior planning. Once that’s done, the team at H&P Architects then proceeded to work on the building’s exteriors.

A pencil sketch illustrates steps in the thinking process culminating in the final design of the community center building named “Ngoi Space” / Courtesy of H&P Architects

A diagrammatic representation shows the coming together of support structures and building facades crafted of fireclay roof tiles. / Courtesy of H&P Architects

The floor plans in cross section / Courtesy of H&P Architects

To arouse people’s curiosity and interest, the facades are covered in roof tiles fired the old-fashioned way, an indigenous building material that the Vietnamese were most familiar with. In a way, it’s a design that takes people back in time by reintroducing traditional materials and techniques and putting them to good use in modern day applications.

A trio of images shows how the thin rectangular slabs of baked clay are put together creating the face of the building that houses the community center. / Courtesy of H&P Architects)

There is one incentive for doing so. As the country continues to advance, more and more old homes are torn down to make room for new ones. So now is the time to start thinking about the need to reuse and recycle as a means of preserving natural resources.

For this reason, the facades are built of fireclay roof tiles recycled from much older homes. In this way, nothing goes to waste plus it’s a creative and cost-effective way to build in this day and age.

Here, the old roof tiles are put together diagonally to create one triangle after the other that in turn forms the perforate outer shell of the building. Together they go to work protecting the walls and windows behind them from severe weather.

Besides providing shade and more insulation for the interiors, the immediate cavity in between the two layers provides room for exhibitions and nooks along the walls to sit sipping coffee. That’s not all. There’s also a rooftop garden offering a wonderful panorama of the cityscape. Or just chill out and enjoy the view through wall openings anywhere in the building.

A meeting room set in theater style is illuminated by natural daylight.

From the design perspective, “Ngói Space” takes pride of place in this part of suburban Hanoi, having occupied a prominent position among modern buildings in the area. What makes it stand out is the perforate shell made of old roof tiles in shades of orange, an intriguing combination that gives it character and the power of storytelling about the city’s past and present.

All told, it’s a beautiful piece of modern architecture made possible by putting together little things to create a bigger thing. That being said, it takes courage and the ability to see things from a different perspective. Only then can one appreciate the value hidden inside little things and successfully turn them into a product that pleases the senses and the mind, much like an artist adeptly turning “objets trouves” into art.

Architect: H&P Architects (hpa.vn/en)

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W39 House: A Hillside Home Renovation That Brings the Outdoors in

By livingasean
February 21, 2024
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Ampang Jaya, Malaysia /

/ Story: Sarayut Sreetip-ard / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /

Built on a slope, this three-story home renovation project sits beautifully ensconced by a vast expanse of lush vegetation. The front façade opens to the east to take in panoramic views of the rolling hills as the sun rises over the horizon. The back of the house facing the hillside holds a quiet, secluded area for living rooms and bedrooms.

Originally purchased as part of a development project back in 1980, it has gone through several improvements to maintain a good state of repair. After the children had grown up and moved out to start a family of their own, the home was last renovated from 2015 to 2018.

Among other things, the upper floors were tailored to meet the needs of aging Mom and Dad while rooms downstairs are reserved for accommodations for visiting children.

Drawings of floor plans for all three levels. / Courtesy of Zlg Design

A cross-section drawing shows the side elevation of the home renovation project built on the hillside. / Courtesy of Zlg Design

Back in the day when the kids were young, the interior of the house was divided into smaller rooms. Things have changed and hence all the room dividers were torn down to create a larger, more light and airy interior that’s compatible with the Tropical climate.

The result is a complete home renovation that brings elements of the outdoors into the home. They include rays of sunshine that stream in through openings in brick walls and skylights, plus fresh air and the smell of flowers in the room.

W39 House Home Renovation — The bedroom wall is fitted with plantation shutters designed for good ventilation. It opens to connect with the entrance hall and center court.

The first floor contains a studio apartment complete with bedroom, bathroom, laundry space and a front yard landscape. The second floor holds sitting room with a kitchen island and dining space that opens to the terrace overlooking the backyard.

To ensure safety, the backyard is made secure by retaining wall systems that protect against flooding and erosion as well as create usable land for plants to thrive, a setting that conjures up images of being in the great outdoors.

The third floor is accessible via a spiral staircase. It’s a quiet, secluded living space with sitting room, home office and bedroom set apart by divider curtains for easy updates. Open to the outdoors, it conveys a great deal about the inextricable connection between humans and nature.

A spiral staircase connects to third floor. It’s enclosed in perforated walls built of light mass brick that’s inexpensive, plus there’s no need for cement plastering. During the daytime, rays of sunshine streaming inside add interesting dimension to the room.

In terms of value it’s a good home renovation that stands the test of time thanks in part to quality materials that perform well despite the weather. Meantime, bare concrete surfaces and brick masonry walls blend perfectly into their surroundings.

The front façade has since been adapted to go well with metal window and door casings. For good looks, they are fitted with vintage hinges recycled from old homes.

There’s a part of the wall that’s made using light mass bricks without cement plastering. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to find locally. Where appropriate, openings are made in the brick walls to let fresh air and natural light stream into the home creating abstract reflections on the wall. It’s a way to keep the interior cool and comfortable without air conditioning.

The bathroom is enclosed in perforated brickwork for good ventilation. Nearby solid sliding doors and walls add privacy protection while the gap at the top lets air pass through.

The natural surroundings play a crucial role in making a home renovation full of life and energy. This place is no exception. It’s a happy home built on a good understanding of the environment and the humble nature of human and non-human elements in nature.

So it’s good to let nature take its course for a change. Let lichens grow. Leave those little mud stains on the wall alone. Let climbers thrive on the trellis and the wall. They are there for good reason.

The same applies to those unkempt ground covering weeds here and there. There is beauty in imperfections too, especially those semi-outdoor decks made of wood planks. They may be worn by exposure to the air.

Unpleasant, perhaps? But they serve the purpose as place to enjoy a good cup of tea, have a conversation, even prepare food and wash dishes, or just sit back and relax in the early morning quiet. That’s the secret to living a memorable life.

Owner: Susanne Zeidler, Huat Lim

Architect: Zlg Design (zlgdesign.wordpress.com) by Susanne Zeidler, Huat Lim

This house appears in the Special Bilingual Edition (English and Thai) of Baan Lae Suan and Living Asean, titled “Tropical Suburban and Country Homes”. It focuses on designs for cozy living in harmony with nature.

We have handpicked ten houses for this special edition that serve as the perfect example of design innovations in sync with the natural world. Front and center, it’s about the pursuit of ways to live more sustainably and create a better future for all. Looking for inspiration? Perhaps a glimpse into nature-inspired “Tropical Suburban and Country Homes” is a good place to start.

Delve into the new book today. It’s hitting Thailand shelves now. For more details, visit https://www.naiin.com/product/detail/592504

For bulk ordering, contact livingasean.bkk@gmail.com

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LDT Residence: A Contemporary Home Celebrates the Alluring Charm of Bali

By livingasean
January 23, 2024
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Bali, Indonesia /

/ Story: Kor Lordkam / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Indra Wiras /

A contemporary home stands amid the rice fields that merge into the breathtaking landscape of Ubud, a town on the Indonesian island of Bali. It consists of two identical houses situated, side by side, parallel to the paddy fields growing luxuriantly in front and back.

Incorporating stunning earth tones into the exterior, each building covers about 200 square meters in extent, which translates into roughly 150 square meters of usable spaces. In essence, it’s a design that celebrates the richness of culture and rustic charm typical of the Balinese countryside.

Skillfully planned, it culminates in a living space made more private without a fence, a home in the rice fields set against the backdrop of rainforest ecosystems.

contemporary home bali — Opaque front façade ideas make this contemporary home in Bali feel more private without a fence.

From the perspective of the architects who designed it, the first thing that came to mind was how to create the external envelope that would sync with the natural environment. They decided on a single-level home plan that fitted perfectly in the circumstances that formed the setting of the place. Hence, simple clean lines parallel to the horizon are a focal point in the design as we see it.

The same applies to low-pitched roofs that are chosen for their ability to fit in this environment. In this particular case, dual garble roof lines create a distinct architectural feature. Plus, they perform as effectively as high-pitched roofs without appearing too large or too heavy for the surrounding paddy fields.

Interior space planning is tailored to meet simple lifestyle needs. The overall effect is impressive. Step inside, and you come to a small hallway where you can feel the atmosphere change.

The house plan shows spatial relationships between living and functional spaces. / Courtesy of UOS Architecture Studio

A cross section drawing shows different floor levels in relation to ceiling heights. / Courtesy of UOS Architecture Studio

There’s a comfortable living room-dining room combo with a small kitchen, and two bedrooms at the farthest end. The sitting room looks out over the rice fields, while an in-ground swimming pool and nearby wooden decks provide a visual connection between indoor and outdoor spaces.

All the rooms open to the green expanse of rice fields at the back of the house while, on the opposite site, the solid front façade goes to work protecting family privacy.

By design, the nontransparent front façade creates a unique architectural feature. It uses color and texture creatively combining the brownish red of brick masonry walls with the gray of Paras Tulung Agung, a type of sand stone obtained from sources in the locality, plus the carved wood doors that convey a great deal about the island’s cultural heritage.

A rooftop skylight illuminates and improves ventilation in the bathroom, plus more privacy.

Together, they protect privacy and make for a strong and durable home. Elsewhere, the living room overlooking the swimming pool and nearby sun decks open to admit natural light and fresh outdoor air into the home. All things considered, it’s a delightful place with gorgeous scenery to calm the mind and create deep relaxation.

Architects: UOS Architecture Studio (www.instagram.com/uosarchitecturestudio)

Lead Architect: Gde Banyu Priautama

Design Team: Tjokorda Gede Dalem Suparsa, Putu Rahayu Sitha Dewi

Contractor: NATS.Project

Owner: Hendra Rusli

This house appears in the Special Bilingual Edition (English and Thai) of Baan Lae Suan and Living Asean, titled “Tropical Suburban and Country Homes”. It focuses on designs for cozy living in harmony with nature.

We have handpicked ten houses for this special edition that serve as the perfect example of design innovations in sync with the natural world. Front and center, it’s about the pursuit of ways to live more sustainably and create a better future for all. Looking for inspiration? Perhaps a glimpse into nature-inspired “Tropical Suburban and Country Homes” is a good place to start.

Delve into the new book today. It’s hitting Thailand shelves now. For more details, visit https://www.naiin.com/product/detail/592504

For bulk ordering, contact livingasean.bkk@gmail.com

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Floating House in Thu Duc: A Home under the Canopy That Fits Right in Nature

By livingasean
January 11, 2024
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam /

/ Story: Kor Lordkam / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki /

Here’s a midsize three-story house in Thu Duc, a neighborhood on the northeast side of Ho Chi Minh City. It’s nestled in a riverside community that’s no stranger to seasonal flooding. Houses on stilts can be found almost everywhere. This new concrete home is no exception. It’s raised on pilings about a meter above uneven ground to keep it safe from rising floodwaters. More importantly, it’s open-concept design that adds character to the home. Precisely, over 70 percent of the house plan is open to fresh air and natural daylight, a well-design outdoor living space that brings joy to the home.

Floating House in Thu Duc — The light and airy flat-roof home is ensconced in the lush greenery of a riverside community.

On the whole, the concrete-framed house plan appears light and airy. It shows how component parts are pieced together using straightforward building techniques.

Functional areas are scattered over three concrete slab floors that vary from one to the other depending on needs. The ground floor at plinth height holds a quiet, secluded space consisting of the master bedroom and lovely veranda overlooking the backyard garden. It’s positioned to be invisible from the carport and main entrance areas.

Bypassing the first-floor private space, a flight of stairs at the rear of the building leads to the upstairs living room. With traffic flow arranged in this way, the master bedroom lies hidden from view — out of sight, out of mind.

The carport lies under the concrete slab that makes the second floor. The bedroom is separated from the entry area by service spaces such as bathroom and laundry room.

The second-floor living space contains a sitting room, dining room and kitchen. It’s made attractive by good-sized balconies that wrap around all four sides of the house plan.

The entire building envelop that encloses the sitting room is glazed using clear glass that stands tall from floor to ceiling. It’s a natural way to create a visual connection between the interior and exterior spaces on the balcony and beyond.

The third-floor deck offers a panorama of surrounding communities. It’s accessible from the second floor via an outdoor staircase that’s built into the front façade. There’s a bar counter with outdoor grill table for the perfect barbecue. A cool place to be, it lies under the canopy of overhanging trees with luxuriant foliage reaching into the sky.

It is, in brief, a design where nature is front and center, a home that’s comfortable without being strikingly noticeable. It reflects the line of thought that a simple, beautiful home can be built using ordinary materials and techniques; such as concrete masonry, timber, terra cotta tiles and white walls.

A drawing shows the house’s location within the community. / Courtesy of Sda. – Sanuki Daisuke Architects

Downstairs house plan / Courtesy of Sda. – Sanuki Daisuke Architects

Upstairs house plan / Courtesy of Sda. – Sanuki Daisuke Architects

Rooftop deck plan / Courtesy of Sda. – Sanuki Daisuke Architects

A front-elevation drawing shows structural relationships between concrete slab floors and functional spaces. / Courtesy of Sda. – Sanuki Daisuke Architects

In this particular case, the concrete-framed house is built on a budget using the usual commonplace materials. There’s practically no limit, and it’s up to the person to pick and choose to beautify his home. Take for example the outdoor staircase built into the front façade. In terms of the general impression, it’s an interesting architectural feature that performs its intended function.

Architect: Sda. – Sanuki Daisuke Architects (www.sanukiar.com)

Lead Architect: Sanuki Daisuke, Nguyen Huynh Bao Ngoc

Structure Engineer: Thanh Cong Construction Design Co., Ltd

ME Engineer: Hung Viet Tst Corp

Contractor: Coppha Builders Construction Co., Ltd

This house appears in the Special Bilingual Edition (English and Thai) of Baan Lae Suan and Living Asean, titled “Tropical Suburban and Country Homes”. It focuses on designs for cozy living in harmony with nature.

We have handpicked ten houses for this special edition that serve as the perfect example of design innovations in sync with the natural world. Front and center, it’s about the pursuit of ways to live more sustainably and create a better future for all. Looking for inspiration? Perhaps a glimpse into nature-inspired “Tropical Suburban and Country Homes” is a good place to start.

Delve into the new book today. It’s hitting Thailand shelves now. For more details, visit https://www.naiin.com/product/detail/592504

For bulk ordering, contact livingasean.bkk@gmail.com

You may also like…

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Baan Noi Doi Hang: Little House on the Hill Boasts the Beauty of Work-from-Home Design

By livingasean
January 4, 2024
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Chiang Rai, Thailand /

/ Story: Nattawat Klysuban / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Rungkit Charoenwat /

It’s amazing how a small space can make a big difference. Here’s a little house on the hill located at Tambon Doi Hang in Chiang Rai’s Muang District. It’s only 35 square meters, which is no bigger than an average condominium unit in the city. But it’s location, location and location that makes it a stunning place to live. The homeowner couple wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok and live somewhere out there in the countryside. Like a stroke of serendipity, their wish came true.

Theirs is a tiny home built into nature. It sits beautifully ensconced in the misty morning air and, beyond, forested mountains can be seen from miles around. It’s a calm living space designed for a remote work-from-home job and hence no time is wasted in daily rush-hour commutes.

Plus, they get to choose a way of life tailored to their needs. It’s a lifestyle pared down to the essentials thanks in part to a simple house plan, in which every square inch serves a purpose for which it’s intended.

The homeowner couple are natives of Bangkok. They had lived in other places before moving out to this northernmost corner of the country. So they pretty much had a clear picture of what they wanted in a new home plus the functionality and the size that would be right for them. They tossed the ideas around with a team of architects. And the overall result was impressive.

It’s a small house designed for two people to fit in comfortably, with a bedroom, workspace, bathroom and a kitchenette with coffee bar. It even has a closet and outdoor rooms for relaxation and al fresco cooking and dining.

Basically, it’s a small living space with many advantages. To begin with, it’s a way to avoid expensive cost overruns. It’s easy to keep clean and maintain in good condition, which translates into more time being devoted to something else more important.

A large countertop made out of hardwood is perfect for preparing favorite meals and beverages.

The closet with shelves attached to a wall has a wash basin nearby for extra convenience.

The house on a hill is positioned along the east west axis with the view of a lush landscape. The north and south sides have long eaves overhanging the walls that shield the bedroom from exposure to intense afternoon sun.

For health benefits, the architect puts in a front porch under the gable to create room to sit sipping coffee in the morning and to cook stakes in the late afternoon. The house plan is made in this way for good reason; the outdoors can impact human wellbeing. So it’s a good idea to step outside and connect with nature to reduce stress or just lean back and chill.

A floor plan illustrates relationships between spaces. / Courtesy of IS Architects

A drawing illustrates front and side elevations of the house built on sloped ground. / Courtesy of IS Architects

Little House on the hill — Multiple swing door systems are glazed using clear glass to soak up the views of lush countryside.

Like a good neighbor who cares about the community, the house was built using locally sourced materials by local builders and artisans highly skilled in woodworking and masonry.

The ingredients obtained from the locality included roofing materials, reclaimed hardwood, and cement for textured plaster walls. The builders were tasked with work according to their specialized skills so as to add countryside flair to the home.

A steel bracket connecting the house post with concrete footing helps protect against moisture damage.

Like everything else, the Northern Region is not without its challenges. It’s no stranger to air pollution caused by seasonal agricultural burning. To be prepared for all eventualities, the architect makes sure the doors and windows are impervious to dust and dirt when that happens.

Well-made swing door systems and awning windows are chosen for their effectiveness in keeping dust out. At the same time, attention to detail ensures there are no gaps between the window pane and the frame when shut.

A teakwood post supports the roof truss consisting of beams and common rafters, a collaboration between the project architect and experienced local builders.

On the whole, the little house on the hill is designed to blend perfectly with the circumstances that form the setting of the area. It’s a product of thoughtful planning by the project architect and the homeowners. And the result is a humble abode that syncs with the rhythm of life in the highlands region of Chiang Rai. Priceless!

Architect: IS Architects (www.facebook.com/isarchitects.team)

Lead Architect: Pawin Tharatjai

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

By livingasean
December 19, 2023
CULTURE,DESIGN

/ Jakarta, Indonesia /

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

/ Photographs: Mario Wibowo /

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lead Architects: Antonius Richard Rusli

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