Lemon House

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Add To Collection

Other Projects by Hanabitate Architects

Add To Collection

Rain Tree House

Add To Collection

Lanna Rice Research Center, Chiang Mai University

Lemon House

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Firm

Hanabitate Architects

Type

Residential › Multi Unit Housing

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2022

SIZE

1000 sqft - 3000 sqft

BUDGET

Undisclosed

Photos

Kanthamanee (12), Demis Galli (7), Hanabitate Architects (7)

Lemon House was renovated from an old apartment located in a small dead-end alley of Puak Team Community, in an old town area of Chiang Mai. Its neighbourhood is full of old wooden houses, apartments and other kinds of collective housing built in many periods, therefore almost all the passers-by are the inhabitants in the community. The new usage of the renovated building is still for living purpose, but in a more flexible way. The owner of Lemon House can use the whole building as her own house at a certain time, while another time some rooms of the building can be used as guestrooms. During stay with guests, the privacy and access between the living house of the owner and guestrooms can be completely separated. The renovation also aimed to enliven the nearby neighbourhood by making more pleasant townscape and better living environment. The renovation process from demolition, construction, adaptation to new utilization tried to concern about the effect to the former inhabitants, to acquire the good result of architectural design project in a sensitive neighbourhood from both Inside-Out and Outside-In perspective.

The renovation method tried to use the original structures and elements of the building as much as possible. Due to minimum setback of the old building and full extension to the property line from the surrounding houses at all sides, the design took advantage of the northern side, an only open side, for normal access, maintenance, and view to connect with the community outside. Therefore, a detached staircase tower was demolished and merged with the car parking space to make a new front garden, a transitional space between the internal living space of the building and external public space of the community.

The project did not hope for building outstanding architecture to the neighbourhood but creating architecture as a medium to connect with structure, element, activity, and townscape of the nearby community in the main.