Excessive above the busy streets of Bangkok, a quietly outstanding dwelling sits the place few would count on it. Designed by WARchitect, this contemporary wooden home was constructed on high of a 5 storey condominium constructing within the Lat Phrao district, remodeling a as soon as forgotten rooftop right into a heat and welcoming dwelling.
The proprietor had lengthy used the rooftop for a purely sensible goal. It was dwelling to water tanks and little else, leaving a big expanse of concrete unused. Slightly than letting that area go to waste, he envisioned a small non-public home for himself, one that may sit above the town but stay calm, easy, and hidden from view.
That concept got here with challenges few residential initiatives face. This was not a plot of land with bushes and gardens, however a concrete rooftop elevated greater than 15 meters above avenue degree. Surrounding greenery was changed by the vertical outlines of neighboring excessive rise buildings. From the bottom, solely the entrance facade may ever be seen.
To stop the brand new home from clashing visually with the condominium under, WARchitect set it again from the constructing edge. From public roads, the home is invisible, permitting the condominium block to retain its unique presence whereas the rooftop dwelling exists quietly above it.
One of many defining options of the home is the way in which the wooden ceilings and partitions stream constantly from inside to out. WARchitect handled the partitions and roof as if they’d no thickness, utilizing delicate architectural strategies to create the phantasm of a skinny, floating floor. Drop ceilings and mild slopes disguise lighting, curtains, and air con, making the area really feel seamless and calm moderately than technical.
All through the house, materials decisions play a key position in its character. The architects used Balau wooden planks that the proprietor already owned, embracing pure imperfections resembling cracks, knots, noticed marks, and variations in color. Slightly than hiding these particulars, WARchitect handled them as a part of the wooden’s pure allure.
Inside, the house opens up into a lightweight crammed dwelling and eating area wrapped in wooden and glass. Giant openings body panoramic views of the encompassing cityscape, turning the skyline right into a continuously shifting backdrop. As a result of the proprietor hardly ever hosts friends, the architects leaned into simplicity, designing an area that feels intentionally uncluttered and virtually naked in its honesty.
The kitchen sits simply off the eating space, fitted with floating wooden cupboards that reinforce the sense of lightness all through the house. From right here, there may be direct entry to a small inside courtyard. This courtyard, full with a tree, acts as the center of the home and is seen from almost each room, blurring the road between indoors and outside.
Sleeping areas are tucked discreetly into the format. One bed room sits behind the tv wall in the lounge and is accessed by way of a pocket door. Inside, hid lighting casts a gentle, even glow throughout the wooden surfaces, making a relaxed and intimate environment suited to relaxation.
One other bed room opens instantly onto the outside area by way of a sliding glass door. Outdoors, the onerous concrete rooftop has been softened with a layer of pebbles, turning what was as soon as a purely practical floor into an extension of the dwelling setting.
The loos introduce a delicate distinction. White accents break up the heat of the wooden, whereas a backlit mirror and a flooring to ceiling window make sure the area stays shiny and ethereal with out dropping its sense of privateness.
In a metropolis outlined by density and peak, this rooftop dwelling proves that privateness, simplicity, and heat can nonetheless exist above all of it.
Pictures by Rungkit Charoenwat | Architect: WARchitect | Architect in Cost : Thawin Harnboonseth / Photsawat apariman
