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A Mid-City Modern Tropical House in Bangkok

By livingasean
April 11, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Patharasiri / English version: Peter Bontalbano /

/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /

It’s right in the middle of the city near a BTS SkyTrain station, but open to breezes and sunshine. This modern Tropical house is as cool and comfy as a country resort. It’s home to a multigenerational household including Mom and Dad and aging Grandma and Grandpa. Puchong Sathiraphipatkul, the architect who designed the renovation of this old family home, is the third-generation owner.

Modern Tropical Home — Open-concept design facilitates natural ventilation that lets fresh air enter on one side and out another.

“The clock’s ticking. How much time do we have?” Puchong was heard asking himself. He could still recall going about his busy schedules during his formative years that has had a profound influence on his professional development.

The old family home stands surrounded by tall buildings. Time flies. Going back a few years, his mother and father, grandpa and grandma were rapidly aging, so in just his third year of architectural studies he decided to take it on as a project, and his first customer was . . . his mother!

“I was thinking time was not waiting for us, so with my studies not finished and without much experience, I fell back on advice from teachers and older professionals.”

Puchong, now an architect with A49 House Design Co., Ltd., a Bangkok-based architectural practice, said that the challenge posed by his super-important first customer was to create what he called a “Sukhumvit-style” house, which had formerly been a family residence in the vibrant Sukhumvit neighborhood.

The house brings many fond memories of his mother as a discerning client. “Mom is Mom. She’s the ‘decider’, always has to be pleased in every respect,” Puchong added.

“In two years of professional life since then I haven’t had such a difficult customer. Back then I was constantly visiting stores and houses around Sukhumvit to get ideas on space configurations to suit our family lifestyle.”

They were lucky to get this huge plot of land in a short, quiet alley and near the BTS SkyTrain station. Taking sun and wind direction into consideration, Puchong faced the house north, with narrow sides to the east and west making space for a big yard. He also used landfill to raise the house 150 cm height for a better view.

“Starting with that trendy “Sukhumvit” theme, next comes “comfort design,” then “space design” for individual and common spaces and ‘transitional’ areas.” The architect of his own house shows us the outside fence, the carport, the walkway all around leading up to the reception hall and smaller spots, then up to the common areas and bedrooms above that.

“The home is fundamentally Tropical Asian; its heart is open to sun and wind. It’s in the form of two 600-square-meter blocks one atop the other, facing north onto the garden. The southern sun mostly falls on walkways, staircases, and outside balconies,” added Puchong.

“The central ceiling is high, for good circulation. The west side has a thick concrete wall for sun protection. It’s a ‘passive’ design: architecture in harmony with nature, no wasted budget on technologies of comfort.”

Mom and Dad’s master bedroom, with an open, high ceiling, features Earth’s own custom-designed teak furniture.

He ended by saying he couldn’t have perfected this modern Tropical home if it hadn’t been for the great contractors, relatives of a close friend, whose exquisite craftsmanship really shows.

“Others may see this house as a little off-beat, but it completely fits our family style, in a balanced way. Sure works for me.”

Owner/Architect: Puchong Sathiraphipatkul

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A Gorgeous White Brick House in Ampang Jaya, Malaysia

By livingasean
April 10, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Ampang Jaya, Malaysia /

/ Story: Skiixy / English version: Peter Montalbano /

/ Photographs: Rithirong Chanthongsuk /

This beautiful brick house belongs to a family of four in Ampang Jaya, a town to the east of Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur. The design work and use of materials such as bamboo and old brick taken from a pre-WWII colonial-style house make it special.

Childhood memories are fragments of the past that many of us can bring back to life. In her childhood, Mrs. Liew Jun Keong was entranced by house design. And in conversation with Studio Bikin’s architect Ms. Farah Azizan, her memories bubbled out, creating a happy chemistry of inspiration between the homeowner and the architect, with the end result of this gorgeous white brick house.

The kitchen counter with large pressed bamboo cylinder mortared in place and smoothed with a trowel.

Mrs. Liew said, “At first, I just had the thought I liked houses with a resort atmosphere and the sort of peace and quiet we used to find on holiday to Bali, Bangkok, or Singapore, experiencing nature in a more original state.

“Then I thought of the house we lived in then, in an area with a lot of unfinished concrete surfaces, and so told the designer I’d like a modern-style concrete house, but with plants and trees all around.

“By modern, I didn’t mean perfect, but featuring the natural surfaces of construction materials that have their own types of beauty.”

Ampang Jaya — The reception parlor with dark wood furniture and vintage cloth coverings in muted tones of blue and gray.

After a good talk, the architect and the homeowner found their ideas really resonated with each other. Ms. Azizan also had pleasant surprises for Mrs. Liew. She came up with the materials handpicked specifically for this house.

“I was really impressed with Farah’s detailed choice of materials. I tend to think of the normal uses for bamboo, for instance, as for pipes, but she used it as a decorative façade for the house,” said Mrs Liew.

“Next, it was this batch of white brick, which has an extraordinary history, coming from the demolition of a colonial-style residence built before World War II.

“The brick had no coloring when she bought it. We were lucky to get this brick, as it was the first batch. Others looking at this may first notice it has blemishes or that the sizes are irregular, but it’s iconic material for that period, with a great value, and absolutely perfect for our family.”

The entire house is painted white, except for sections of bare cement. There isn’t a lot of interior furnishing and decoration, and furniture is limited to what is necessary.

Mrs. Liew values simplicity and doesn’t care for fancy interior décor. She said that she hadn’t yet found decorative work with the kind of natural beauty she cared for.

The homeowner added enthusiastically: “I’d never dreamed of living in a place where sunlight reached into the center of the house, which is something I now really appreciate.

“And the bricks used in the construction have blemishes, but each imperfection somehow adds to the perfection of the whole.”

Owner: Mrs. Liew Jun Keong

Designer: Studio Bikin by Ms. Farah Azizan

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A TROPICAL WATERSIDE HOME MADE FOR THE THAI CLIMATE

By livingasean
April 7, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Wuthikorn Suthiapa / English version: Peter Montalbano /

/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham /

This tropical waterside house brings back memories of Thai life as it was along Khlong Samsen (Samsen canal) in bygone times. From the outside, it looks straightforward and contemporary, but inside is a fascinating mix of antiques from the owners’ collections.

1122 — Outer stair, up from the pool to the second-floor balcony

koh170106-0911 — Perforated fence with wind baffles for good air circulation within the property

koh170106-0033 — Blocks with 1-inch spaces to control fresh air coming into the house

koh170106-0288 — Work room with a library design

To match the Thai climate, Associate Professor Dr Tonkao Panin designed this house in a tropical style.

Although it has a contemporary look, the tropical waterside house contains a mix of antiques and collectibles belonging to owners Kajorn Tanaphaet and Eugene Kroon. A major design challenge for Dr Tonkao was to make old and new fit well together.

koh170106-038 — Swimming pool, designed as to appear continuous with the khlong (canal) outside

“My requirements are simply stated: 1. I don’t want luxury. 2. I want high ceilings, and 3. Air conditioning should be minimal. Tonkhao’s proportional design successfully connects the entire property: balcony, reception parlor, reading room, down through the kitchen and out to the swimming pool and pier.

“There are a lot of reasons I’m pleased with this location: it’s at the end of the soi, quiet and peaceful, one side opens onto Khlong Samsen, and there’s space in front for a nice garden.

“I bought the place some time before I ran across a house designed by Tonkao in a book I was reading and managed to get him to come design this one.

“As you can see, the end result is a good-sized house with a great style,” says Kajorn.

The design of this tropical waterside house took 8 months, and construction an additional year.

“We did it little by little, along the way discovering things we liked in the detail suggested by the word ‘house.’ Here is a mixture of many things: some sections come from Eugene and me, some from Tonkao, and there are things the craftsmen suggested as we chatted during construction.”

Aside from the remarkable style and the great number of owner-collected antiques and collected artifacts, another point of interest is the unusual transverse placement of the house, set crosswise on the property.

“Kajorn wanted to have the house right on the water,” explains Professor Tonkhao, “and orienting the house this way lets it catch the constant breeze from the lawn out to the khlong.”

So this tropical waterside house has permanent natural ventilation. “Even though the design is straightforward, we want it to create a feeling somewhere between being inside and outside, a tropical feeling.

“The house is designed so it can fully open up to the air from terrace and doorways, that all can be left open. At the same time, balconies and doors block the direct sun from entering the building, creating different levels of sunshine and shade inside and out.”

Even in the late afternoon, it’s still shady and cool. The patio has a long porch deck reminiscent of an “arcade,” the façade of a Sino-Portuguese-style house.

There’s a balcony door which can be opened vertically as a sunshade, a similar design to a Thai-style “baan krathung” pop-up window.

Features such as this help create an amazing sense of comfort for a Bangkok house.

Owner: Kajorn Tanaphaet and Eugene Kroon

Architect: Reserch Studio Panin by Associate Professor Dr Tonkao Panin & Thanakarn Mokkhasamit

A New Hybrid Home Embraces the Charm of Yesteryear

By livingasean
March 15, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Wuthikorn Sut / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /

Looking anything but traditional, this hybrid steel-concrete home boasts a beautiful open-concept space. By design, it creates the light and airy ambience symbolic of the house on stilts unique to Southeast Asia in former times.

The owner’s beloved traditional-style wooden home was damaged by massive flooding that inundated much of Thailand’s Central Plains in 2011. But love never dies. She had the old house torn down to make room for a new one. The result was a hybrid steel-concrete home with all the charm and character of traditional Thai-style residential architecture.

“She requested stilt house design with three bedrooms,” said Pises Isarangkool Na Ayutthaya, one of the architects on the team. “Much of the timber was recycled from the old house and put to good use in the new, and she didn’t need air conditioning.”

To fulfill the homeowner’s request, the team of architects came up with a house-on-stilts design with extended eaves for sun and rain protection. It was built of a mix of concrete, steel beams and connections strengthened by steel framing for durability. In the meantime, correct building orientation allowed the new home to reap the full health benefits from cool breezes blowing in all day from a nearby canal.

Generous wall openings allow plenty of natural daylight and fresh outdoor air into the home. They include sliding doors and windows along the exterior walls facing the nearby waterway.

To create cross ventilation in the home, air vents are installed on the opposite side to exhaust the warm air, a passive design strategy that keeps the interior cool and dry. In doing so, they were able to eliminate the need for mechanical air conditioning entirely.

Open air vents designed to exhaust the warm air, thereby keeping the interior space cool and dry.

Door panels recycled from the old house find a new purpose as cabinet doors and shelves used for storage.

To ensure nothing goes to waste, timber and other building materials left over from the old house were adapted for reuse in new purposes, such as ceiling panels, windows, handrails, and benches, even kitchen cupboards.

Reclaimed timber worn by exposure to the weather added vintage appeal to the home. It also served as a sentimental reminder of the old house that had been the family residence for many years before the big flood hit in 2011.

From the outside, the new house may look anything but traditional. But inside, it’s an entirely different story. The interior calls to the mind the image of the traditional house on stilts in the past, a place of residence thoughtfully devised to fit the Tropical climate. Plus, it’s well positioned to maximize certain aspects of the natural surroundings. And the result of all this: a beautiful home with curb appeal and a panorama of the lush landscape and nearby waterway.

Architect: Pises Isarangkool Na Ayutthaya, Itirit Hatairatana

Visit the original Thai article…

บ้านโครงสร้างเหล็ก ที่ยกใต้ถุนสูงเป็นบ้านริมคลองแบบสมัยใหม่

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From Unexciting Shophouse to Smart Home Office in HCMC

By livingasean
February 18, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam /

/ Story: Samutcha Viraporn / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Quang Dam /

Home offices are trendy nowadays. Given thoughtful planning, a dull shophouse can transform into a fashionable dwelling and place of business. The results are illustrated in this home office that looks to be one of the trendiest in Ho Chi Minh City.

The new design integrates a modern living space and a home office with a factory producing handcrafted leather goods. The house’s front façade is filled up with elaborate structural rod systems reminiscent of a giant labyrinth of beautiful needlework, albeit built of brick and steel.

It’s only recently that a homeowner couple acquired this downtown retail space and later decided to give it a complete makeover. “This house means everything to us because it’s the fruit of constant efforts to pursue our dreams,” said the young couple with an active lifestyle.

“For a product to be successful, say a handbag, it takes many processes involving fastidious needlework,” said the owners comparing their manufacturing job to that of the architect.

“Like meticulous craftsmen, the architect carefully puts together different parts to make a home, mixing old pieces with new ones, replacing unneeded features with practical strategies, and relying on well-thought-out plans to use every ingredient effectively, be it wood, brick, concrete, metal or even trees.”

In a way, this pretty much explains the elaborate structural rod systems that fill up the redesigned front façade. Elsewhere, parts of the walls and flooring deemed to be unnecessary were removed to make room for new ideas.

The remodeled front and rear facades showcase a multitude of steel cube frames welded together to look like a web of fine threads being “sewn” together to fill the void between two side walls.

The welded steel rod paneling is painted white and decorated with climbing plants thriving in full sun. Despite its slender appearance, the design is strong enough for home protection, at the same time creating a light and airy ambience for both indoors and outdoors.

Among other things, the old concrete stairway was removed to prevent the indoors from feeling stale and stifling. Then, a new set of airy stairs with no risers between the treads was put in place instead.

For a lightweight look, stair railings were crafted of steel rods painted white with wood treads in complementing shades. The uplifting design rendered the staircase looking as if it were hovering above the floor.

In the kitchen and dining area, a long curvy counter stands in contrast to the stillness of rough brick texture on the wall. All in all, clever design has transformed an unexciting shophouse interior into a home office that looks to be one of the trendiest in Ho Chi Minh City.

Architect: Block Architects (www.blockarchitects.com.vn)

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Sustainable Living in a Tropical House

By livingasean
February 16, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Samut Prakan, Thailand /

/ Story: Ajchara Jeenkram / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Apilak Suksai, Pratya Chankong /

No air conditioning, no TV, no problem. Introducing a delightfully charming Tropical house that embraces green living authentically within the local context and character of a coastal area where the tide meets the Chao Phraya River.

The allure of an enchanting Tropical ambience is reason enough for a couple from far away to call this part of Thailand home. This modest yet perfect home belongs to Alisa Tang, a journalist, and her other half, photographer/graphic designer Landry Dunand.

Call it serendipity, perhaps? US-born Alisa returned home to the learn more about her roots, but ended up staying after falling in love with Bang Nam Phueng, a Samut Prakan suburb renowned for a green lifestyle and plenty of smiles.

What a difference a location made! It didn’t take long before the couple decided to put in a home and got it ready in time to welcome their baby girl.

House-on-stilts design blends well with the atmosphere of a fruit orchard at the water’s edge. Interior living spaces are upstairs, while downstairs is set aside for Landry’s photo studio and still has plenty of room left.

The absence of electromechanical air conditioning, not even a TV, speaks to a strong resolve to contribute in their small ways towards reducing carbon footprint. The signs of sustainable living and life hacks inspired by nature are evident in a composting sawdust toilet and the use of solar energy for water heating. Bicycles provide clever alternatives to spending time wasted on long commutes.

Made for a hot and humid climate, the wooden house was crafted by local carpenters who were experts in correct building orientation as a means to harness daylight and control glare on the building surface. With a knowledge of wind and sun directions, they were able to align it to reap every health benefit the already serene location had to offer.

By design, high ceilings increase the perception of space, create indoor thermal comfort and make this Tropical house aesthetically appealing. All things considered, it’s a secret to growing a happy family and this modest abode in an orchard takes sustainable living to the next level.

Owner: Alisa Tang and Landry Dunand

Visit the original Thai version…

บ้านไม้ไทยในสวน อยู่สบายแบบไม่พึ่งแอร์

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Contemporary Home in a Calm, Peaceful Forest Setting

By livingasean
February 10, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand /

/ Story: Wuttikorn Suthiapa / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Thanakitti Khamon, Nattawat Songsang /

This contemporary house looks like it’s crafted entirely of timber, thanks to effective use of color, texture and techniques to create interest. It stands hemmed in by the healthy foliage of tall trees in Nakhon Ratchasima, a province in Thailand’s Northeast.

A few years back when her family planned to build a new house, architect Kanika Ratanapridakul was assigned to the task. It was the first time she had to work directly with local builders and suppliers.

At first, things didn’t go quite as smoothly as expected, but it was a mission accomplished nonetheless. The key to success lies in being a bit more flexible to ensure things get done right, on budget and on schedule.

“This home may have some imperfections, but it has the same good quality as the other projects I have been involved in previously,” said the architect, adding, “It feels natural and relaxing.”

To create a serene wooded landscape for her home, Kanika came up with a better idea. She had experience growing single-species stands of trees, dealing with homogeneous woods in the past. But this time, she thought differently.

And the result of all this, the house now stands surrounded by a mix of tree species, with a different set of characteristics, ranging from Indian cork to mahogany to bamboo.

A heterogeneous mixture offers many benefits. In no time they grow and mature to become a healthy ecosystem, turning the landscape into a little forest. At ground level, the land is covered by shrubs in bright tones, including Minnie roots, or popping pods, and pinto peanuts.

Evergreen foliage along the perimeter fence shades the bedroom from the heat of the afternoon sun.

The architect chooses house-on-stilts design for its warm, intimate feeling and better air circulation. Its open concept living area makes for flexible space utilization.

To create the look and feel of a wooden home, real timber is used only in areas that people always pay attention. They include the floors, ceilings, stairs, handrails, and wood paneling walls opposite the bedrooms.

As she puts it, that’s enough to create an easygoing wooden ambience, despite the fact that main building materials are concrete and metals. It’s about making effective use of available resources.

Solid wood panels make up decorative walls in the bathroom opposite the bedroom.

modern house Nakhon Ratchasima — Bench railing design incorporates the guard rails and deck seating in one solid piece.

“Wood impacts feelings and emotions. It makes the house feel warm and comfortable. Plants are one of the two groups of living organisms. They come into being, live and thrive just like us humans,” she said.

Many brilliant ideas went into making this modern house in Nakhon Ratchasima cozy and inviting. Yet it’s not flawless. Ironically it’s the imperfections that makes it perfect for the forest setting.

Architect: Kanika Ratanapridakul of Spacetime Architects Co., Ltd. (www.spacetimearchitects.com)

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A Modern Country House among the Fruit Trees in Rayong

By livingasean
January 27, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Rayong, Thailand /

/ Story: Wuthikorn Suthiapa / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Rithirong Chanthongsuk /

Forget big old mansions. There are ways to make your home feel cozy, warm and welcoming without burning a hole in your pocket. Carefully thought out, an ordinary place of abode can transform into a salubrious holiday destination. Here’s one picturesquely situated among the fruit trees in the lush countryside of Rayong, a coastal province made famous by fruit orchards about two hours’ drive from Bangkok.

The country house with contemporary flair stands in perfect harmony with its natural environment. For the homeowner and his family, time spent among the trees is time never wasted. It’s easy to get why they have long wanted to grow a fruit farm in this part of the country.

Here, the spiny Tropical fruit with a creamy pulp called “Durian” is an agricultural crown jewel. So upon acquiring the land, the homeowner asked an architect friend of his to design a wooden house set in the most beautiful surroundings. And the rest was history.

Proximity to a large water body made it necessary to position the house facade facing west and confronting the afternoon sun.

To dissipate heat and prevent it from entering the home, the architect stepped up to the challenge by putting in a terrace in front of the building and planted leafy trees to shade the area. It turned out to be a clever solution that maintained a comfortable indoor climate all year round.

Technically speaking, the modern country house among the trees is made up of four modules — three bedrooms and a living area with open air kitchen. They are conveniently connected via a system of corridors that also double as multi-use spaces.

The wooden walkways are raised a good distance from the ground to improve ventilation beneath the floorboard, resulting in thermal comfort in the interior living spaces.

Sharing her experience with us, architect Kanika Ratanapridakul said: “Had I designed it differently, the interior living space would have become very uncomfortable. So to create efficient ventilation, I put in plenty of windows and chose a high-roofed design.

“If it were one big building, the house would have looked bulky and taken up too much space. I took advantage of the space that we had to craft a house consisting of four separate modules, each of which served specific functions.

“And the result of all this was a charming country house with contemporary flair, one that was designed for cozy and comfortable living. On the outside, the spaces between different modules provided peaceful corners for relaxation plus pleasant surprises waiting to be discovered.”

From her point of view, it was a mission accomplished and something to be proud of. The homeowner has got exactly what he has been longing for, a handsome country house where the time goes by slowly every time he comes for a visit. It’s a family holiday retreat only for now. The homeowner intends to live here for permanently after retirement.

Architect: Kanika Ratanapridakul of Spacetime Architects Co., Ltd.

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The Clever Home Office Restoration of Studio Bikin

By livingasean
January 25, 2017
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia /

/ Story: Supachart Boontang / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Rithirong Chanthongsuk /

Every teardown has an impact on the look and feel of the environment in which you live. If you find your suburban home outdated, perhaps this renovation of Studio Bikin’s home office is an inspiring way to breathe new life into it.

This two-story house is the home office of Farah Azizan, co-founder of Studio Bikin. It is located in Bangsar, a residential suburb on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

“The house was built in 1950, almost seventy years ago. The structure is solid, and everything else is in good shape,” said Azizan.

“There is a simple, timeless elegance to it. So, I decided to do a complete renovation, combining a home and an office in one.”

Azizan tried to keep all existing elements and structural integrity intact, making the house capable of withstanding the desired loads for long life.

Metal grilles on the windows and doors and floor tiles were left the way they have always been. To create an airy interior living space, parts of the walls on the first floor were removed.

Meantime, glass louvers were retained to aid in heat dissipation, improve air circulation, and allow plenty of natural daylight.

The owner added the loft style to the design by putting in cracked concrete wall textures for a little bit of a grungy, urban feel. Special techniques helped make the ceilings and walls look interesting.

This was achieved by lining the mold with plastic wraps before concrete was poured. Wrinkles in plastic sheets left their marks on concrete surfaces resulting in aesthetically pleasing textures.

Tricky space staircase: The treads may differ in shapes and sizes from one step to the other, but the stairs are safe to use. — Tricky space staircase: The treads may differ in shape and size from one step to the other, but the stairs are safe to use.

The decorating style is anything but obvious. The interior space of Studio Bikin’s home office boasts a mix-and-match style that goes together well with a modern loft ambience.

This is evident in a set of a teakwood sofa and leather butterfly chairs, and shelving filled with glistening utensils silhouetted against a textured concrete wall.

The handsome abode has been home to more than one generation, yet there is a timeless elegance to it. The house of Studio Bikin has undergone complete renovation for comfortable living with modern amenities. Clever home improvement hacks have made it unique, trendy and cool in its own special way.

Owner/Designer: Farah Azizan of Studio Bikin (www.studiobikin.com)

An Amazing Transformation from the Traditional to the Modern

By livingasean
December 22, 2016
HOUSE,LIVING

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

/ Story: Supachart Boontang, Naruwat Plaimee / English version: Peter Montalbano /

/ Photographs: Sitthisak Namkham / Styling: Pakhawadee Pahulo /

Good ventilation, the core concept of traditional Thai houses, is adapted for the modern age in this contemporary house. From the outside it looks slick and belonging to the present, but this building has the heart and soul of conventional Thai residential architecture.

The owner has been living in this house with his father and mother since he was young. Now he has a wife and kids, and it’s become too cramped to hold all of them. But instead of moving elsewhere, the young couple built a new place where there used to be a garden right next to the old house.

The new design connects the two homes both inside and out, so family members can easily take part in common activities. This modern living concept is actually not a new one, but arose out of the structure and functionality of houses of earlier times.

contemporary house bangkok — [Left] To fit the unusual shape of the building and glass walls on two sides, furniture in this fashionable high-ceilinged reception parlor is positioned diagonally. / [Right] A colorful painting with chic graphic patterns adds panache to a light-colored room, brightening up the straightforward house design.

Reception parlor following the traditional Thai ‘Sala’ concept. A large glass wall opens wide to the natural world of plants and trees outside. /// The bathroom design has uniquely stylish lines. — [Left] Reception parlor design follows the traditional Thai “Sala” concept. The room is enclosed by glass walls that open wide to the natural world of plants and trees outside. / [Right] The bathroom has uniquely stylish lines.

The dining room and living room are similar to an open “Sala” in a traditional Thai house. All the rooms are connected through a large wooden balcony. Both buildings share a main entryway, carports and service areas.

The continuing space from the first floor to the hallway on the second floor is bright and airy, clearly visible from a wide-angle perspective.

Inside there are lots of windows for good ventilation. Beautiful large trees such as Black Afara (scientific name: Terminalia Ivorensis) are planted all about to provide shade. Excellent landscape architecture components such as ponds, a rock garden, and pathways paved with flagstones are added for a relaxing mood.

Trees and shrubs planted outside the bedroom give a nice view and enhance privacy.

This contemporary house is an example of how a residence you love can be expanded and transformed beyond its limitations into a bigger home. As this family has discovered, you don’t always have to abandon the old ways to find happiness.

[Left] To make good use of daylight, a small skylight is cut in the upstairs bathroom. / [Right] The main staircase projects out from the wall. Light cream-colored genuine wood paneling and a clear glass railing make the stair look light, as if floating.

Architect and Interior Designer: Lynk Architect by Ekalak Sathaphonthanaphat (www.facebook.com/lynkarchitect)

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This beautiful brick house belongs to a family of four in Ampang Jaya, a town to the east of Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur. The design work and use of materials such as bamboo and old brick taken from a pre-WWII colonial-style house make it special.

A TROPICAL WATERSIDE HOME MADE FOR THE THAI CLIMATE

This tropical waterside house brings back memories of Thai life as it was along Khlong Samsen (Samsen canal) in bygone times. From the outside, it looks straightforward and contemporary, but inside is a fascinating mix of antiques from the owners’ collections.

A New Hybrid Home Embraces the Charm of Yesteryear

Looking anything but traditional, this hybrid steel-concrete home boasts a beautiful open-concept space. By design, it creates the light and airy ambience symbolic of the house on stilts unique to Southeast Asia in former times.

From Unexciting Shophouse to Smart Home Office in HCMC

Home offices are trendy nowadays. Given thoughtful planning, a dull shophouse can transform into a fashionable dwelling and place of business. The results are illustrated in this home office that looks to be one of the trendiest in Ho Chi Minh City.

Sustainable Living in a Tropical House

No air conditioning, no TV, no problem. Introducing a delightfully charming Tropical house that embraces green living authentically within the local context and character of a coastal area where the tide meets the Chao Phraya River.

Contemporary Home in a Calm, Peaceful Forest Setting

This contemporary house looks like it’s crafted entirely of timber, thanks to effective use of color, texture and techniques to create interest. It stands hemmed in by the healthy foliage of tall trees in Nakhon Ratchasima, a province in Thailand’s Northeast.

A Modern Country House among the Fruit Trees in Rayong

The Clever Home Office Restoration of Studio Bikin

Every teardown has an impact on the look and feel of the environment in which you live. If you find your suburban home outdated, perhaps this renovation of Studio Bikin’s home office is an inspiring way to breathe new life into it.

An Amazing Transformation from the Traditional to the Modern

Good ventilation, the core concept of traditional Thai houses, is adapted for the modern age in this contemporary house. From the outside it looks slick and belonging to the present, but this building has the heart and soul of conventional Thai residential architecture.

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