Project Description

This is a large holiday home located in Khao Yai, Thailand, for a client and his extended family members. The brief dictated that the house be spacious, airy and open-plan since the client is claustrophobic. Privacy and security are predominant amongst his concerns.

The client is averse to decoration and artwork, preferring landscapes and views out to nature instead. The outlook of the house should be unique and outstanding amongst the architecture in this quaint, thematic town; whilst addressing the site context. Khao Yai is known for its mountainous terrains, rich biodiversity and largely unblemished landscape. It is a popular retreat destination amongst locals due to its ranches and farms and home to the KhaoYai National Park.

Their site sits on a slope, directly facing the National Park. Taking cue from the topographical contthe lines of the site, the house is conceived as layers of shifting planes. Each floor plate was designed in conjunction with the site contours so it feels always continuous with the surrounding levels. The axis shifts as one moves through the spaces, creating varied spatial experience. The material palette is kept subtle - neutral toned off-form concrete and timber accents, resulting in an architecture which act as a foreground for the dramatic views of the natural landscape beyond. there is an emphasis on keeping the material palette and details neutral yet modern.

The client does not appreciate traditional architecture. Functionally, the house is separated into 2 wings unified by shingled roof planes shaped to appear contiguous with the distant Khao Yai Mountain Range. The main wing comprises of main living, dining, master and children's suites. The living & dining spaces are interconnected and extend seamlessly onto the pool deck which overlooks the distant mountainscape. On the upper floor, bedrooms are angled away from each other for privacy & to maximize views out towards the landscape. The guest wing, more intimate in scale, is kept to the other side of the entry court.

The overall language of sinuous lines is applied consistently to the design of the house at different scales - from the overall building form to details such as window portals that peel away from the off-form concrete walls. The finishes and materials are sourced locally in Thailand, an effort to return back to the Thai economy. The architects planted a total of 407 mature trees, across 81 species. The site was originally covered with only shrubs.

The architects endeavoured to reinstate the local landscape here, creating a framework yet leaving gaps for the local species to weave their way in. Materials were upcycled, such as the rocks found during excavation process; reused as low retaining walls and also in the reconstruction of the water creek. The creek is a respite for any passing by faunas, encouraging micro-biodiversity. There is also a raingarden acting as rainwater collection ponds and a detention pond at the bottom of the site. Water is retained during wetter seasons and used for watering of plants.