Project: Phatthalung House
Architects: Rakchai Norateedilok Architect
Location: Tambon Tha Khae, Thailand
Area: 462 sf
Photographs by: Rakchai Norateedilok Architect
Phatthalung House by Rakchai Norateedilok Architect
The Phatthalung House, located in southern Thailand, was built for the owner who returned to her hometown after 20 years in Bangkok. Surrounded by a rubber plantation, the house aims to connect the old house’s kitchen to the plantation scenery, with a design that encourages continuity through the interior. The main functions are living, bedroom, and bathroom, with wardrobe and bathroom at either end to avoid the sun’s heat, while the living and bedroom are only divided by a TV partition to allow for light and airflow throughout the space. Materials are chosen for their harmonious relationship with nature, with plain plaster used for the wall and floor structure, black painted steel for the roof structure, and wood finishing for a cozy atmosphere.
After spending over 20 years in the city of Bangkok, the owner decided to move back to her hometown in Phatthalung province southern Thailand and fulfill her wish to create a private space extended from the estate inherited from family. The estate which is built decades ago, located in the middle of rubber plantation and has been hosting the family gathering every year.
The location is surrounded by peaceful rubber plantation in which represents its local agricultural community. The area for the new house construction is between the plantation and the old house’s kitchen, which usually hosts family activities. Therefore, to create a connection between houses and plantation, the new house is designed to encourage the continuity from the old house’s kitchen to the plantation scenery through the spacious interior of the new house.
The main functions of the new house are living area, bedroom, and bathroom. Building orientation is aligned in East-West direction, wardrobe and bathroom are placed at the east and west side, for the main area in the middle to avoid sunlight’s heat and to be well-ventilated according to the tropical climate. The wooden screen is also installed for privacy, designed to be a diagonal pattern to comfort eyesight.
The living area and bedroom are only divided by TV installed partition that the light and air could flow through the whole space. The bathroom is designed without a ceiling to create the atmosphere that the users can embrace nature from tree branches or moonlight sky above.
The design focuses on using materials to be harmonious with natural surroundings, using fewer kinds of materials efficiently, and prefers to reveal the nature of materials. Main wall and floor structure are finished by plain bare plaster. Black painted steel is used for the roof structure. Wood finishing is also used to express its sense of nature and to create a cozy atmosphere.
