- Project: KA House
- Architect: IDIN Architects
- Location: Thailand, Pak Chong
- Year: 2014
- Area: 240 m2
- Photography: Ketsiree Wongwan
A Courtyard Home That Turns Inside Out
KA House, designed by IDIN Architects, is a refined vacation residence for a couple located amid the rolling hills of Pak Chong in Thailand. Here, the architects embrace the idea of a home oriented around a grand inner courtyard—a space where the exterior becomes interior, and views, light and shadow become active participants in daily life.
Instead of presenting a conventional front façade as entrance, the project flips expectations: the courtyard facing the lake acts as the true “entrance” of the home, while what appears from the road becomes a quasi-rear façade. This reversal guides the visitor through a composed architectural sequence—from a restrained arrival zone into a generous central space rich in openness and spatial generosity.
Form, Materiality & Spatial Story
The 240 m² home is conceived as a two-level structure where the lower level accommodates living and dining, and the upper “mezzanine” level contains bedrooms overlooking the courtyard and pool. Parking is tucked into a half-level underground, taking advantage of the sloped terrain and keeping the view corridor uninterrupted.
A most striking feature is the triangular timber lath screen that wraps parts of the building. These wooden fins are not just aesthetic—they regulate light, define privacy, and filter views in subtle ways. In the morning, soft daylight flows gently through the slats into private zones; in the afternoon, the living areas receive warm illumination while dynamic shadows play across surfaces.
The material palette is restrained yet textured: exposed concrete, warm timber, subtle glass expanses—all working together to provide a lifestyle of calm, connection and quiet elegance. Privacy is achieved without enclosure: the home feels protected from the outside world, yet open internally toward the courtyard and landscape.
Life & Landscape in Harmony
KA House excels in how it weaves daily life and landscape into one. The inner courtyard becomes the heart of the home: children can play, family members can relax, and nature enters the architecture rather than being kept outside. From the mezzanine bedrooms, one can observe both the courtyard and the pool—a constant spatial interplay between levels and zones.
Orientation and site-strategy were clearly developed to respond to context—not the other way around. The architect’s decision to embed the parking partly underground, and to wrap the home around the courtyard, shows a nuanced reading of terrain, privacy and views. The result: a house that is contextually rooted and experientially elevated.
Why KA House Matters
In the landscape of contemporary Thai residential architecture, KA House stands out for its thoughtful architecture of simplicity, privacy and connection. It is significant because:
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It demonstrates how a modest 240 m² footprint can yield generous spatial quality when oriented around courtyard and view.
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It shows how architecture can invert conventional notions of entrance and façade to produce a richer lived experience.
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It uses material and light not as decorative elements, but as active agents in shaping atmosphere and daily rhythms.
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It bridges interior and exterior—private and communal—without resorting to over-complexity or spectacle.
For architects, clients and residential design enthusiasts, KA House is a compelling case study in how form, material and site can merge into a home that is both refined and deeply humane.
