This house is located in Prachinburi Province, Thailand. Since Prachinburi is a province situated inland in the eastern region, the climate tends to be hotter than that of coastal provinces. During our initial site visit, we experienced the intense heat in what can be classified as very hot - humid climate zone; even the passing breeze was warm. Prior to receiving any brief from the homeowners, we internally set the objective that "we must effectively manage this heat."
Moreover, since the main entrance of the property is adjacent to the road, it became imperative to manage dust and external views effectively.
This house features a Double Skin façade surrounding it to reduce heat transfer from the external environment to the interior of the building. The front of the house, which faces west, has been designed with a large two-layer wall that effectively shields against sunlight throughout the day and provides privacy from the bedroom. On the eastern side, the wall is adorned with concrete blocks to filter sunlight before it penetrates through the windows into the house. By employing this principle, when measuring the temperature inside the house compared to outside, there is a significant difference of more than 5 degrees Celsius on particularly hot days.
The homeowner resides with their family, consisting of parents and two children. The My father has a hobby as a carpenter; so the area in front of the house has been organized into a small workshop. It features an open space which is designated for loading materials and equipment for his various carpentry tasks, and a table for cutting wood and assembling furniture. Adjacent to this space is a storage room for equipment. Meanwhile, the mother enjoys baking, with the children assisting her. Consequently, The kitchen and workshop area are thus positioned to be always visible to one another, with a small garden serving as a central connecting point, allowing everyone in the house to maintain sight of each other even while engaging in different activities.
The living room and dining area form an open space that connects to the backyard garden, enhancing airiness with a double-volume ceiling designed with decorative walls that filter sunlight before it penetrates the glass. Additionally, strategically placed openings allow air to flow from the backyard through to the front of the house. The external air, coming from the concrete road, is both hot and dusty; however, passing through the garden and water feature, it undergoes some filtration, slightly lowering the temperature. As a result, the living room remains comfortable for use throughout the day, even without air conditioning.
Ultimately, the aspect that the designer cherishes most is witnessing the homeowners living comfortably within their home, able to escape the intense heat and relax indoors. We take great joy in hearing the homeowners affectionately refer to their residence as the “Gift Box.”