This secluded country retreat in Chiang Rai belongs to a graphic designer who loves spending time in nature as a way to find inspiration and spark creativity. Nestled in a valley among the mountains, it’s a place in which to rest, relax and have a break of the hustle and bustle of the big city. At the risk of stating the obvious, building on a slope can be challenging and hence a lot of effort was put into planning and design. The house facade is set in open land with scattered groups of trees abutting a highway, while the building itself is built on the sun-facing hillside overlooking lush rice fields that turn gold when it’s time to harvest in winter, a sight to behold to say the least.
From this vantage point, the view is breathtaking. And that’s precisely where a design team from IS Architects comes into play. Their job: overcome construction site obstacles and create a place that’s beautiful, safe and comfortable to live. The result is a modern country house that blends with the local way of life so as to become indistinguishable from it. Where appropriate, parts of the steeply inclined hillside are adjusted to create an ideal setting for the house and landscape design. Overall, the house plan is simple yet functional with indoor and outdoor spaces arranged according to levels of importance.
Built on sloped land, the house is designed to keep things simple to avoid over-engineering and technical complications. The bedroom is tucked away in a quiet, secluded area on the uppermost floor. The second floor holding a living room, kitchen and the art room opens to a large timber terrace overlooking a steep hillside that descends to meet the rice fields below.Courtesy of IS ArchitectsCourtesy of IS ArchitectsCourtesy of IS Architects
Open the main gate, and you come to a small yard lined with trees that provide a buffer between the house facade and the main thoroughfare up front. Together they protect the house from outside noise, dust and dirt. By design, the front yard is as long as the house is tall. For indoor thermal comfort, the building is positioned in relation to the sun, wind and climatic factors. Plus, open concept floor plans help get rid of cooking smells fast, resulting in a healthy home environment.
A row of trees protects the home from outside noise, dust and smoke. By design, the front yard is as long as the house façade is tall to avoid getting too close to the road in front of it.
From the driveway, a flight of garden steps beside a perimeter wall provides access to the backyard below. So there’s no need to go through the interior of the house. The overall foot traffic route is neatly planned, obvious and easy to follow. From the backyard, another flight of stairs set in a north-to-south direction leads to quiet and secluded living spaces on the second floor, something vaguely reminiscent of a corridor connecting different parts of an art gallery. To put it briefly, it’s a place to get away from it all.
Walk in the door, and you discover an integrated house plan that brings together functional spaces for working, living and leisure. There’s a living room that’s conveniently connected to the kitchen, dining room and the art room. It opens to a large timber balcony set in the southeast direction to take in the view of lush paddy fields and forested hills. In the late afternoon, the setting sun casts a warm glow over the architecture and surrounding mountain landscapes, creating light and shadows that inspire artists with its many wonders.
Noteworthy features of the house include the adaptation of elements of vernacular architecture to meet modern-day lifestyle needs. By design, the interior living spaces are well-lit and well-ventilated, thanks to generous wall openings that let plenty of natural light and fresh outdoor air into the home. In a way, it’s the marriage of modern and folk architecture that gives the house its character. Among other things, roof trusses, rafters and wooden parts of the home are built of reclaimed timber. It’s roofed over with fired clay tiles in warm shades of brownish-gray color. The floors are finished in terrazzo alternating with washed sand beautifully handcrafted by local artisans.
A contemporary style and elements of vernacular architecture combine to make the house look and feel good. It’s simple yet attractive, thanks to a variety of local materials that give the home its character.
All things considered, the project is a challenge that brings out the best in local builders, designers and engineers who put their heads together and produce a beautiful work of architecture. The way it looks attracts people’s attention. It sends a message that contemporary architecture has pride of place in society, and in this case a home that blends with the context that forms the setting of rural Chiang Rai.
In short, nature has always inspired artists and thinkers. In this particular instance, it has given the homeowners and architects the tools they need to deal with many challenges that occur on site. The result is a home that looks and feels good, plus it combines a contemporary style with elements of folk architecture in a neat and organized way.
/ 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 ArchitectsA drawing illustrates front and side elevations of the house built on sloped ground. / Courtesy of IS Architects
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!
A bird’s-eye view of the little house on the hill in relation to lush greenery in the surroundings.
/ Story: Kanamon Najaroen / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Quang Dam /
Here’s a Tropical-style home located in Da Nang, a coastal city in central Vietnam famous for its gleaming sand beaches, Buddhist shrines and the Marble Mountains. The beautiful Han River runs through it. The hybrid timber and concrete home is appropriately named “The Hiên House” for its lively green façades, Hiên being Vietnamese for semi-outdoor room along the outside of the building. Overall, it’s a design that comes from thinking outside the box to create a relaxing space in the open air.
The house’s external envelope is simple yet contemporary in style enhanced by verdant balconies and terraces symbolic of homes in the Tropics. Plus, there’s a unique Vietnamese flair to it. As the architects intended, it’s a layout that speaks volumes for a lifestyle that seeks reconnections with nature.
The concept is manifested in the way the ordinary balconies and terraces transform into the proverbial “breathing space” for nature to recover from disruptions. That said, it makes perfect sense to live more sustainably in this day and age.
Wood and Concrete House
Situated away from a densely populated urban area, the wood and concrete house occupies the full extent of a long and narrow lot sandwiched between two roads. It’s home to three generations of a family highly skilled in traditional carpentry living in one household.
There are four stories of living spaces, excluding a rooftop deck. By design, the floor plans cater to the needs of different generations and hence vary in size and appearance from one level to the next. To celebrate the family’s distinguished career in carpentry, the architects made woodworking front-and-center concerns in house design and interior decoration.
During construction, the homeowners were also on hand to provide technical expertise at various stages in the process, especially where traditional Vietnamese woodworking skill was needed.
The light and airy front entrance is visible from the driveway covered in stone pavers.
To help protect the environment, the design team at WINHOUSE Architecture, a design atelier headquartered in Da Nang, chose to use reclaimed wood instead of newly cut timber from the lumberyard. The recycled building materials used in this project included parts of the staircase, such as treads and risers taken from old homes that had been torn down previously.
Other parts were adapted from old decking, post sleeves, balusters and handrails as well as wooden fascia. They were made suitable for a new use or purpose. And, importantly, they were easy to transport and repair without using specialized tools.
Timber is durable even as it ages. It’s safe to handle and capable of withstanding heat and humidity in the air over a long period of time. Old and weathered wood has a natural appearance that’s beautiful and needs no preservative chemicals to prolong its lifecycle, which translates into big savings and convenience.
Using reclaimed wood in combination with local knowledge and modern techniques add a new dimension to construction technology.
Balconies and Terraces for Free Air Circulation
What sets the four-story house apart from the rest is its surprising room ideas and lively green balconies that fill up the entire front façade. They are integral to a design that brings natural light and fresh outdoor air into the home. At the same time, they help dissipate heat from the building keeping the interior cool during the daytime.
Elements of design common for Southeast Asian architecture, the roofed open-air platforms along the outside of the building, be it the balcony or the terrace, perform many useful functions. Among other things, they expand the living areas, protect against the elements, and provide space for sitting rooms and passages for walking along.
First Floor Plan / Courtesy of WINHOUSE ArchitectureSecond Floor Plan / Courtesy of WINHOUSE ArchitectureThird Floor Plan / Courtesy of WINHOUSE ArchitectureIn cross section, a side elevation drawing shows space planning decorated with plants working in tandem with wall openings to admit natural light and fresh outdoor air into the home. / Courtesy of WINHOUSE ArchitectureIsometric visuals show reclaimed building materials being adapted to suit new purposes on all four levels of the new home. The message is clear: save the Earth and cut costs. / Courtesy of WINHOUSE Architecture
As is often the case with most houses, the elements of design such as balconies and terraces are built on the outside of the house. But in this particular case, the architects think it wise to incorporate them in the interior as well, sort of like going in the reverse direction. First they put in an inner courtyard at the center of the ground floor plan.
Then, by disposing the rooms around the courtyard, the areas with a faint light, such as the sitting room and workspaces, suddenly become well-lit and well-ventilated. It’s a clever hack to bring the outdoors into the home. The result is a comfortable living space filled with natural light and fresh air that contributes to feelings of relaxation.
The kitchen in the farthest room is well-lit and well-ventilated.Going in the reverse direction, the terrace that in most cases lies along the outside of the house is put inside overlooking a lively green inner courtyard.
Taking as a whole, the traffic patterns and space design make the long and narrow house plan feel roomy inside. Walk in the front door and you come to a hallway that’s light and airy, thanks to a rooftop skylight illuminating the stairs connected to a foot bridge over the nearby inner courtyard. There is no need to turn on electric lights during the daytime, which translates into big savings.
Illuminated by a rooftop skylight, the staircase and foot bridge spanning the void over the inner courtyard make traffic flow easy and convenient.
A well-lit foot bridge crafted of reclaimed timber connects the major living spaces in the home.
Climb a flight of stairs to the second floor, and surprise! It’s divided into two separate parts, the front room and the back room linked by a foot bridge that spans the void above the inner courtyard.
The same space planning applies to the third floor, except for one thing. The next staircase leading to the fourth floor is positioned further toward the back of the building. The front part holds a bedroom with a balcony decorated with lush greenery.
Cross over the foot bridge, and you come to the back room containing a workspace and sitting room. The fourth floor contains a quiet, more secluded reading room with a bright and breezy small garden for relaxation. It’s a comfortable living space and the light is more diffuse under the canopy of trees.
Plants growing luxuriantly make the house façade green and lively.
Local builders skilled in traditional carpentry reinforce wood beams and pillars for increased load capacities.
In conclusion, the wood and concrete home called “The Hiên House” lives up to its name. All the elements of good judgement in design go to work turning it into an oasis of calm. Everything works out as it should, from a well-lit, well-aired inner courtyard to the plants, trees and small gardens thriving luxuriantly on the balconies and terraces. Perhaps, one word describes it all, salubrious!
/ Story: Kor Lordkam / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Andhy Prayitno, of Mario Wibowo Photography (www.mariowibowo.com) /
Nestled on the outskirts of Indonesia’s capital Jakarta, an urban modern home aptly named “Distracted House” looks completely different from everything else. The densely populated neighborhood shares a common characteristic. It’s chock-full of one- and two-story homes closely packed in a way that it feels uncomfortable. To deflect attention away from the humdrum existence of a crowded space, a team of talented engineers at Ismail Solehudin Architecture came up with a clever idea for a craftsman-style home unlike anything else.
The result is a work of outstanding artistry made clearly noticeable by irregular polygons with unequal sides and unequal angles. But what makes Distracted House even more interesting lies in its irresistible power of storytelling.
Beautifully done, it looks the epitome of Javanese culture designed to showcase the ways of life, religious beliefs and traditional vernacular style unique to the Indonesian archipelago.
That’s what gives this home its timeless appeal that blends perfectly with the surrounding landscape.
The two-story, 420-square-meter building is home to an extended family with seven resident members on a normal day. On special occasions and holidays the number can increase to more than 10. That’s precisely a challenge that the architects had to overcome by creating enough usable spaces and functions to satisfy demands.
To fit in with the existing built environment, the only way to go was up. The architects relied on two building methods to solve the problem.
First, the roof was raised slightly higher than normal to create enough room for a mezzanine on the second floor, thereby giving the house extra living spaces, plus well thought out details make the interior feel warm and welcoming. This was achieved in a way that’s compatible with the mostly two-story homes neighborhood.
The second method involved putting in a courtyard with swimming pool at the rear, plus adding plants and greenery inside the home.
The pool that’s the focal point of the courtyard can be seen in full view from inside the dining room and sitting room. To bring the outdoors into the home, small rock gardens with lovely low-maintenance plants are integrated in the design, while skylights set into the roofline keep the interior well-lit during daytime hours.
Overall, the interior living spaces are invitingly comfortable thanks to a well-designed stairwell that opens to admit fresh outdoor air into the room.
Despite the limitations, attention to detail makes the home a special place to be and prevents it from becoming a stuffy, overcrowded space.
Apart from a bright and airy atmosphere, it’s the house’s outer appearance that’s getting the most attention. Plus, family traditions, lifestyle and religious beliefs play a part in determining the location of, and interaction between functional spaces in the home.
This is manifested in building orientation, by which the new home design axis is aligned with Qibla, or the direction towards the Kaaba (the stone building at the center of Islam’s holiest site in Mecca). Hence the Musalla, or room set aside for prayer in Islam, is located at the farthest end in this direction.
A place to quietly reflect inward and connect with Allah, it’s also used for religious ceremonies in the family.
Conceptual Diagram Courtesy of Ismail Solehudin ArchitectureHouse Orientation Concept Courtesy of Ismail Solehudin ArchitectureFirst Floor Plan House Courtesy of Ismail Solehudin ArchitectureSecond Floor Plan House Courtesy of Ismail Solehudin ArchitectureRooftop Plan House Courtesy of Ismail Solehudin Architecture
Like so, the main communal space of Distracted House is set oblique in relation to the rectangular yard landscape, an unusual layout that sets it apart from the rest. To synchronize modern living with traditional Javanese style and taste, the team of architects added Joglo house architecture to the design.
The term Joglo refers to a steep pitch roof at the center that was associated with Javanese aristocrats in olden times. The center of the floor plan is filled with smaller rooms and functional spaces, creating a conducive environment for a harmonious family life.
Meantime, areas on the periphery are roofed over to keep them in shade.
Overall, the building envelope is made of wood and concrete masonry construction painted white. Where appropriate, air bricks are used as part of the house’s ventilation system.
Except for its unusual shape, the entire roof is covered in terra cotta tiles in a dark shade of orange that’s consistent with other houses in the neighborhood.
In summary, it’s a well-thought-out design that speaks volumes for lifestyle, a strict adherence to religion, and cultural heritage passed down through generations of a family.
A new home made with skill, creativity and imagination, it’s a look that conveys a great deal about the residents through interior and exterior design.
Who would have thought that a home with absolutely unique physical features would ease into beautiful suburban vibes? Interesting, to say the least.
Architects: Ismail Solehudin Architecture (ismailsolehudin.com)
Lead Architect: Ismail Solehudin
Design team: Radhian Dwiadhyasa
Building contractor: Wani Build
Structural Engineer: Pt. Desain putra persada (new building) Andi Dzikril (building structure)
Here’s a home designed to create a good first impression. Named “the House in Chau Doc,” its external envelope is made of galvanized steel sheeting, ironwood (Xylia xylocarpa), wire meshes and right-angle steel bars — ordinary materials often associated with run-of-the-mill places of abode. For architect Shunri Nishizawa, there is opportunity in every crisis. Despite many limitations, he is able to put them to good use in creating a living space well suited to the surrounding circumstances, the environment and weather conditions characteristic of the area.
Situated in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region where the mighty river passes and empties into the sea through various distributaries, Chau Doc is no stranger to flooding.
It’s a problem that runs like clockwork to the extent that the annual inundation of the Mekong River Delta is regarded as normal. That’s the circumstances that form the setting in which this house is located.
Designed to perform in the event of a flood, it has a set of stairs especially built to link up with the second floor when water overflows beyond its normal confines.
House in Chau Doc is a home built on a budget by choosing the building materials that are right for the circumstances. At the same time, it presents the opportunity of experimenting with materials and design techniques that can answer the lifestyle needs similar to those provided modern urban homes.
For this reason, the new home at Chau Doc comes complete with tranquil spaces that help people feel calm and relaxed. It doubles as a design laboratory, in which the building materials of choice are assessed for their looks and ability to perform in real life.
Despite the key elements of visual design evocative of modern urban homes, it’s the natural atmosphere that makes this countryside house feel calm, fresh, and welcoming.
This is achieved by bringing the great outdoors into practically every part of the home. Meantime, an open plan layout affords ample semi-outdoor family room and cozy sitting area.
House in Chau Doc’s Location Illustration Courtesy of Nishizawa ArchitectsHouse in Chau Doc’s Conceptual Drawing Courtesy of Nishizawa ArchitectsSection Drawing Courtesy of Nishizawa ArchitectsStructural Diagram Courtesy of Nishizawa ArchitectsFloor Plans Courtesy of Nishizawa Architects
What makes House in Chau Doc interesting is the open walls design that visually connects with nature and doubles as passive ventilation systems. This makes the interior living spaces feel comfortable without being affected by galvanized steel sheeting that forms the outer shell.
Plus, the house façade and rear walls are fitted with large windows protected by overhanging eaves. Together, they go to work allowing just enough fresh, outdoor air and natural light into the home, thereby preventing it from getting too warm or too uncomfortable during daytime hours.
Taking everything into account, it’s a thought-provoking design that challenges us to explore deeper and wider to overcome limitations in a bid to create comfortable living spaces. With the power of the imagination, a home that inspires happiness and well-being is perfectly doable as this architect has shown.
Even better if the beauty of a locality is incorporated in the design.
Find out more about architectural design in sync with nature, as well as ideas for a possible course of action within the context of nature, climate and culture from Shunri Nishizawa, architect and founder of NISHIZAWAARCHITECTS, Vietnam, at the upcoming the “room X Living ASEAN Design Talk 2023.”
Meet up with a panel of experts comprising four distinguished architects from three countries. This year’s conversation event is on the theme of “URBAN FUSION / RURAL FLOURISH: Interweaving Urban and Rural Designs”. The Talk is scheduled for Sunday August 6 at the room Showcase zone inside Baan Lae Suan Fair Midyear 2023, BITEC Bang Na, Bangkok. It’s an opportunity not to be missed. Mark your calendar!
/ Story: Nantagan / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Rungkit Charoenwat /
All he ever wanted was a place out in the country. Dechophon “Teng” Rattanasatchatham, the architect at Yangnar Studio, built his humble abode amid the rice fields in bucolic Chiang Mai’s Sankamphaeng District. Carefully thought out from work experience, it has come to redefine the meaning of rural home life from the perspectives of both the architect who designed it, and his family living in it. Like so, a calm and beautiful piece of vernacular architecture was created, one that came complete with all the requirements for good living. Plus, it’s aptly named “Tita House,” which is Thai for a bright and friendly rural appeal.
Sharing his piece of paradise, Teng said: “To start with, because I was going to live here, I wanted to draw on all my experience in vernacular architecture, design, ideas, and results of the experiments I had done in the past and put them to good use.
“I envisaged building a home that would be best suited to me and my family, one that kept within the budget and was built out of reclaimed timber that I had at the time.”
Viewed in its essential qualities, the house plan was adapted from vernacular architecture, which has been the signature of the atelier Yangnar Studio from the start.
It was built the old-fashioned way of Northen Thailand vernacular architecture by carpenters from within the locality. Clever building hacks utilizing a mix of modern tools and time-honored traditional techniques resulted in the superb vernacular carpentry of a true-to-nature wooden home.
From the look of things, the inconspicuous earth-oriented ebony building appeared unpretentious and capable of merging with the surrounding landscape.
Architecture on stilts features a mix of low and high elevation floors.
Tita House represents a marriage of the modern and the traditional. It’s rich in architectural features indigenous to the Northern Region.
They include, among other things, stilt house design that integrates lower and higher elevation floors to form a coherent whole. Essentially it’s about making appropriate adaptations of tranditional vernacular architecture that are convenient for and acceptable to family lifestyle needs.
As the architect put it, “The idea of integrating a lower elevation floor (the smaller building) in the design was adopted because there was a need for easily accessible under-floor space.
“Plus, it provided storage room for agricultural tools, food raw materials and articles for household use. Nearby, a higher elevation floor (the main building) offered plenty of ample under-floor space for woodworking, a casual relaxed sitting room and areas for the children to run and play.”
Under-floor space offers many benefits. Aside from creating multifunctional room, it doubles as a passive cooling system that drives natural air circulation.
This helps prevent high humidity levels in the home and keeps the interior cool in summer. It’s a more effective way to cool a home than building a wooden floor on the ground, which is prone to moisture damage, Teng explained.
The veranda that’s part of the smaller building is used for open flame cooking. Next to it lies a space for welcoming house guests and dining.
Right Building Orientation Improves Comfort
Tita House comprises two buildings that blend like cuts from the same cloth and are connected by a wooden deck that’s roofed over to protect from the elements. The smaller of the two buildings is used for open-flame cooking and eating, while the bigger building houses main living quarters.
As is often the case with vernacular architecture, it’s built on a split-level home plan. Cooking and eating spaces lie at the lower end, while the front deck and main living quarters are positioned slightly higher.
The area for eating and entertaining house guests lies to the north of the main building. It’s pleasantly cool and bright under the shade of trees that are the vital part of a wild yard landscape.
Winds blowing into it from underneath the nearby smaller building keep the area nice and comfortable all day. The main building that houses family living quarters affords a fine mountain view easily seen from the front deck connecting to two bedrooms at the far end.
Ground Floor Plan Courtesy of Yangnar StudioFirst Floor Plan Courtesy of Yangnar StudioSection Drawing Courtesy of Yangnar StudioSeen from the outside, the two buildings connected by a terrace look onto a wild front yard landscape.
“The reception area is positioned to the north of the main building for it gets beautiful morning sunshine.” Teng explained.
“As time passes and the sun moves across the sky, the nearby smaller building provides protection from afternoon heat. This way it’s nice and cool in the shade for much of the day.”
The veranda reserved for guest reception and dining is covered in concrete block pavers with retaining frames surrounded by landscaping beach pebbles. It’s raised higher than existing ground level for easy access to the main building.The cozy sitting room that’s part of main living quarters opens to the terrace leading to the smaller building.The workspace comes complete with low-profile bookcases on one side and a long desk for the home office on the other.Looking through office windows, on a clear day the iconic Doi Suthep Mountain can be seen in full view.
There’s a living room that forms part of the suite in the private house. It’s designed to conveniently connect to a workspace lying between two bedrooms.
The workspace itself is on the east side of the house plan with bay windows projecting outward from the wall of the building. Elsewhere, transom windows are fitted with weather-resistant insect screens instead of glass, thereby allowing fresh outdoor air to enter and circulate inside.
Meanwhile, long eaves that overhang the walls of the building protect the interior from the elements. The under-floor space beneath it is kept cool by design, thanks to the house floor that extends outward to form the upper covering that keeps it in shade for much of the day.
For the health benefits of early morning sunlight, the two bedrooms are positioned on the east side of the house plan.The shower room enclosed with brick walls lies in the open air. Nice alfresco design improves ventilation and protects against moisture damage.The west side of the main building looks onto a backyard vegetable garden where onion greens, collard greens, cualiflowers, and herbs are grown for household use.
A Product of Intermixing and Experimenting with Ideas
Tita House is the brainchild of the homeowner and architect who created it. To him, it’s a living experiment of current time vernacular architecture. It contains architectural features, building techniques and qualities that he has never tested before elsewhere.
“I had the opportunity of visiting a village in the North of Vietnam and Kengtung (a township in Myanmar’s Shan State) and came away impressed by the method of building houses there,” said Teng.
“It was very interesting. They started out by making flat component pieces in the shop or on-site. Then people in the village joined together to assemble them step-by-step to form a unified whole. In no time, a complete home was erected simply by connecting prefab paneling together.
“It gave me the inspiration to adapt and try it myself.”
Apart from trying out new methods for structural frames making, Teng also put other creative ideas to the test.
This new house of his was the outcome of those experiments. In a nutshell, it was about making appropriate adaptations that best fit the circumstances.
In the case of Tita House, the integration of a low elevation floor in stilt house design was something not seen very often in the North of Thailand’s vernacular architecture. In most cases, different elevation floors, if any, were kept apart in two separate buildings.
Flashbacks, prefab component pieces are seen being erected in the initial stage of construction at Tita House.Structural framing component pieces arrive ready to be assembled on site. They are put together using mortise and tenon joinery with an emphasis on wood color and texture that are true to nature.A perspective view of interactions between different elevations in the house plan.
Besides architecture, there are several internal fitments that are worthy of note. They include wash basin design ideas for preparing vegetables, washing dishes, and watering plants in the yard.
Here, pieces of kitchen equipment are beautifully organized. They are connected to the backyard garden below by a line of bamboo poles that carries water supply to a glove of banana trees.
For a neat appearance, the wash basin is crafted of teakwood paneling put in place parallel to the edge of a balcony.
Teng said: “From experience, I have done an experiment on teakwood wash basins for customers only to discover that most of the time they were too small for their needs.
“So I came up with a bigger size, put it to the test right here at home. Apparently it worked out very well. The large teakwood basin dried fast and required little to no maintenance.”
A large-sized wash basin crafted of teakwood is put in place parallel to the edge of a balcony. It connects to a line of bamboo poles that carries water supply to the backyard garden below.
An Unpretentious Home Made Attractive by True-to-Nature Materials
The two buildings were made almost entirely of reclaimed timber. Cut into desired lengths and sizes, the pieces were put together using mortise and tenon joinery to create individual component parts.
The next step was to assemble the pieces of the jigsaw to form a unified whole on-site. The materials of choice were wood and brick. To bring out the color and texture that’s true to nature, brickwork was not plastered in a cement mixture to create smooth hard surfaces, which translated into big savings.
To add a touch of nature to the room, teakwood planks that make up a wooden floor are nat stained to a dark shade.
According to Teng, “Most of the wood reused here came from old homes that were torn down at various places. For durability, they were given a coat of protective wood stains on site. For the most part they were weathered almost black and differed greatly in terms of the appearance or texture, a quality that gave the home its vintage vernacular appeal.”
All things considered, it’s an unpretentious abode that speaks volumes for what the architect and homeowner is about. Every little thing has a story to tell, whether it is about the ways of the community, the materials, or the architectural features integrated in the design.
It’s a home that conveys a great deal about a desire to reconnect with nature through sustainable living. And Tita House is doing exactly that.
A bird’s eye view reveals a peaceful front yard covered in the lush foliage of small trees and shrubs, such as basils, polyscias, and crotons that thrive among flowers. The south and west sides of the property are lined with native tree species that keep the house in shade.The house merges into the rice fields, comfortably ensconced in the dusk of a Chiang Mai mountainside.
Owner/Architect: Dechophon Rattanasatchatham of Yangnar Studio
/ Story: Sarayut Sreetip-ard / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: DOF Sky/Ground, architectural film and photography service /
Nong Ho Holiday Home is a gorgeous tropical home out in the country. An escape from the fast-paced city life, the tranquil abode is intended as a family holiday home during the winter months.
The house stands environed by the pleasant mountain base grounds at Nong Ho, only a short drive from downtown Chiang Mai. Strictly speaking, green is the prime color of the surroundings, and the panorama of the mountain landscape is one of breathtaking beauty. Priceless!
Commenting on the design concept, Skarn Chaiyawat, architect and founder of his architectural firm and namesake, said:
“The 300-square-wah, rectangular site on which the house is built is exceptionally good. In the evening, lights blaze in the sky as the sun disappears over Doi Suthep that’s easily seen from a distance. It’s really a beautiful sight to see.”
It’s a piece of land with great potential, so the main idea driving the design isn’t confined to the house alone. Rather it’s a layout that has the beauty of the natural environment at its core.
On the ground floor, open plan ideas come in handy, covering a large area from the sitting room to the dining room and pantry, plus a Thai-style kitchen at the further end of the interior.
“After careful consideration, I chose the I-shaped house plan. The longer side of the rectangle overlooking the backyard lies facing west, thereby opening every room to the scenic beauty of a mountain landscape,” the architect explained.
The architect and the homeowners agreed that, to avoid looking harsh or too modern in appearance, it makes perfect sense to blend modern building materials with heritage products in the locality.
The result is a modern vernacular home that boasts the richness of natural textures.
It’s built of reclaimed teakwood from old houses in the area and roofed over with clay tiles made the old-fashioned way by local artisans. House floors and parts of the walls are covered in glazed clay tiles made by Mae Rim Ceramics in Chiang Mai.
All told, it’s a beautifully semi-handcrafted home that’s original and unique in its own special way. Plus, it helps reduce impacts on the environment.
The more open the house plan, the more exposure it gets to sunlight and moisture.
Here, the problem is corrected by constructing elegantly extended eaves around the house. Where appropriate, several arrays of retro-inspired bamboo louvres protect the house from the elements, meanwhile providing a delicate aperture to the delightful view.
Together they reduce the heat, allow in gentle breezes along the east and west facades, and offer the benefit of adding decorative privacy screens to the home.
Here’s what we found. A good home isn’t made for comfortable living alone. It must also be capable of promoting good physical and mental health.
Although it has a street frontage, the family’s right to privacy is jealously guarded. There’s a backyard swimming pool for exercise. Looking out the window, a spectacular mountain view can be seen from a distance.
There’s plenty of room left to grow a vegetable garden, too. In essence, it’s a way of creating an ecology of nature-human interactions.
The architect wrapped it up nicely: “Even while indoors we can hear birds sing and gentle breezes rustle in the trees, plus the sweet smell of plants and rain in the yard.
“No need to turn on air conditioning all the time. It’s a beautiful natural setting that brings peace of mind. For us, it’s a great definition of a holiday home.”
Looking for cool treehouse ideas? Here’s one beautifully crafted of wood – a revolutionary design that epitomizes the ultimate return to nature.
After four months in the making, the building design company Stilt Studiosrecently unveiled the latest prototype of its treehouse series that was truly awesome. Known as “Treehouse C”, the home rises among the treetops in the salubrious weather of Penestanan, a cozy Indonesian village just a stone’s throw from Ubud town in central Bali.
Noted for its beauty and the richness of culture, Penestanan has been dubbed an artist village since the 1930’s. A 15-minute walk from the town center, the village is home to many go-to restaurants and bars sprouting up everywhere amid the green expanse of rice fields. Treehouse C itself sits high up in the leafy branches in a small community called Bukit Sari.
Strictly speaking, the home is raised high off the ground by a robust core element consisting of four vertical columns. Together they carry the weight of the entire dwelling. For strength and durability, the upright pillars are braced by a staircase and post-to-beam knee brackets for additional support.
On the rooftop, a steel cable stay system extends radially from the top of each mast anchorage to connect with the roof framework and the floor plane below, resulting in a reduction of member cross-sections and structural frames for the whole building.
From a distance, it gives the impression that the house is hovering among the lush green treetops, a sight that can leave a memorable experience. Plus, its surprisingly lightweight appearance is further enhanced by slender façades decorated with wood frames and glass paneling designed to carry nothing else but its own weight.
The latest edition of Treehouse C differs from previous C models built at Buduk village, published in October 2020, in that the original layout has been updated, changing from an open floor plan to one divided into several rooms. They include a kitchen with dining room and nearby sitting area, plus a spacious bedroom with cozy nook ideas interconnected via the bathroom corridor. The 64-square-meter design is for 2 to 4 people to fit in easily.
More so than anything else, it offers a panorama of the surrounding landscape and amazing sunrise views from Mount Agung, a famous volcano and the highest point in Bali.
As may be expected, the front yard is filled with edible gardens designed and executed by True Nature Nusantara, a Bali-based landscape consultancy specializing in natural regenerative processes.
Commenting on the role of permaculture in creating sustainable ecosystems, Bodhi Denton, the company’s director, said: “The goal of developing these gardens is to create a delightful labyrinth of low-maintenance and colorful perennials and trees like they exist in the wild, plus a laid-back, inconspicuous area to sit and enjoy the view of nearby rice fields.”
It’s for this reason that the gardens are full of flowers and ornamental plants indigenous to the Tropics plus fruits and herbs. It even has a small pond used for watering plants. Besides its famous Tetra Pod homes, the building design company also offers technical drawings of Treehouse models A, B, and C for purchase.
In three simple steps, you can get access to the drawings and license to build your dream house among the trees. Visit the company’s website for more details.
Here’s a warm wood house that’s an embodiment of superb craftsmanship in the indoors and cool refreshing greenery outdoors. Precisely, it is the simple design with the deliberate use of texture and clean lines that gives it a sense of youthful exuberance — a minimalist home that blends perfectly with nature.
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Khagee Ketjumpol, the homeowner, said he bought this house about ten years ago having been attracted to an orange jasmine tree (Murraya paniculata) gracing the front yard. After that, he decided to restore it to a good state of repair that was more up to date in style.
It was a home makeover project designed for better living conditions of everyone in the family. A professional builder with more than 30 years of experience, Khagee knew exactly what he wanted to do and how.
The result was a complete renovation that struck the right balance between comfort and a distinctive appearance with the great greenery outdoors.
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The remodeled house plan offers three stories of living spaces with an abundance of natural light canopied by overhanging trees.
The homeowner couple live on the top floor that’s decorated penthouse style, while their daughter occupies the second. The ground floor consists of common areas designed to encourage social interaction and spaces for a range of activities, including home to three pet dogs.
Outside, a Siamese rosewood tree (Dalbergia cochinchinensis) standing three stories tall among the greenery outdoors adds a peaceful detail to the front yard.
To establish the ideal room temperature for comfortable living, tall-growing trees are preserved and integrated into the house plan and landscape design.
Where appropriate, parts of the ground floor are left unfilled and overhead windows are created to allow the upper branching of trees to thrive.
The result is a spacious, well-lit, and well-ventilated home built around shade trees that provide sun protection all year long.
As Khagee puts it:
“I like plants for they offer shelter from direct sunlight, increase oxygen, and filter dust that poses a serious threat to environmental quality, plus they help keep the house cool. In line with the minimalist style, open floor plans create a living space that’s pleasant to look at and easy to keep clean.”
The family’s love of nature and everything about wood is clearly seen in home interior design. Much of it is made of reclaimed timber that once served a different function.
Here, Khagee was able to recycle used items from his collection to fit new needs as floor panels, wall coverings, even ceiling planks.
Where possible, steel framing and glass panels are also used.
“I like the touch of wood. Throughout my career as builder, I have collected many used building materials and reclaimed wood.
“Much of it that went into renovating this home was more than 30 years old and imported from Laos. To me, house building is an investment, much like buying land or gold.
“This way, we’ve come to appreciate the value of wood. It’s the natural vibes of wood that bring positive energy into our home,” said Khagee.
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A few pieces of house furniture are used on an as-needed basis true to the idea of minimalism.
For a spacious interior, even large pieces like the bed and the sofa are made of steel framing that gives them a lightweight look. Because of this, they appear to hover just above the floor.
The light and airy atmosphere is further enhanced by recessed lighting, a nice little collab between the homeowner and a team of architects from the Unknown Surface Studio.
After many years of building houses for other people, the time is ripe for Khagee to make one for himself and his family.
Not only is it a dream come true, but it’s also a beautiful wooden home ensconced by greenery outdoors.
It’s no surprise that he aptly calls it “Little Paradise”, a home made for the happiness of his loved ones.
Like a journey back in time, here’s a modern Tropical house with the charm of bygone years. It’s a complete renovation project inspired by the cluster homes characteristic of traditional Thai ways of life. Built with the future in mind, the old family home is lovingly restored to answer the lifestyle needs of the three generations who live here. Plus, it blends into a beautiful lush green landscape.
Extended families have long been a pillar of Thai culture. Back in the day, when a couple joined in matrimony, traditionally it was the groom who moved into the home of the bride. As the family grew, it was time to build a new home nearby, usually on the same property.
Likewise, this add-on unit of construction is well suited to the purpose. The result is a building complex that contains separate houses where extended families live together independently of one another.
Prior to being renovated, the two-story home had stood on this 200-square-wah (800 sq. m.) plot of land for almost two decades. Rated structurally sound, it was capable of accomplishing further improvements. Hence, a complete remodeling project was undertaken so that three generations could live together and yet enjoy the privacy and comfort of home.
Extended family living offers several advantages, among them a close support structure and care for the wellbeing of all family members.
The redesigned home plan boasts a peaceful courtyard with swimming pool enclosed by the walls of a large L-shaped building. There’s a passageway that allows access between the two residential units on either side, while parts of the upper floors are reserved for future use.
The connected wings are interactive communities. In fact, they physically exist as two separate houses ready to change hands at some future time, which explains an empty space lying in between.
The ground floor of what was once the original family home now houses a reception area with a gym, dining room and small kitchen. The second floor is a private residential home with Mom and Dad’s bedroom and a sitting area conveniently linked with the other building.
The newly added extension comprises three all-inclusive residential units. Clearly separated from one another, they are accessible by a roofed platform along the outside of the house.
Although the homeowners have a deep affection for cluster homes built the old-fashioned way, it makes perfect sense to opt for new construction materials that are long-lasting and suitable for modern applications. They include building walls with aluminum stud framing and faux wood siding panels, which are more appropriate than real wood for air conditioning.
To protect the home from the dangers of extreme heat, exterior brick walls are decorated with engineered wood cladding products. And for a more natural look, clear protective finishes are preferred over paints, while aluminum trim provides additional decoration along the edges.
In the same way, doors and windows are made of aluminum that looks and feels like wood. Together they bring a beautiful design element to the project. Plus, aluminum is more durable and functional than real wood.
Overall, it’s an intriguing combination of the modern and the traditional – a modern Tropical house built of steel frames, timber and concrete construction. Together they enhance the home’s contemporary appeal, while the finishing and decoration is typical of Thai residential architecture.
More than anything else, it’s design that promotes social interactions among family members. While the children enjoy privacy in the comfort of their home, they have places to hang out together, shoot the breeze, exercise and share meals with Mom and Dad.
Plus, open concept floor plans offer many benefits. They keep the house well ventilated, help beat daily stress, and eliminate the need for air conditioning.
To get rid of food smells fast, the kitchen is at the furthest end, where Mom prepares both international dishes and authentic Thai recipes, especially the southern kind that only Mom knows best. All things considered, it’s mealtime socializing that’s the center of family life. It’s something they do together to stay connected.
Architect: Pipol Likanapaisal and Apichart Rojthoranin (Space Story Studio)
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