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Initially, A49 House Studio was one of four studios in Architects 49 Limited engaged in both commercial and residential designs, with Nithi Sthapitanonda, President of the 49Group of companies, assigning projects to us. In 1997, during the economic collapse, the company was forced to reduce in size from four studios to just two studios. However, because of Nithi’s fondness for housing design, I was approached by him to join a specialized design team, resulting in the formation of A49 House Studio focusing on the design of houses.

The development from A49 House Studio to present day A49 House Design Limited, or A49HD, started from just three architects. As for interior designs, we had the opportunity to work with various other companies. If the client requested interior designed by A49, a team of Interior Architects 49 (IA49) focused on house design were on hand. Due to the lack of communication between architects and interior designers in the early days, this sometimes gave rise to various issues over the course of the project. Seeing this, Nithi planned to develop A49 House Studio to provide both architecture and interior design under one roof, and invited Archanart Kespayak from IA49 to join the team, forming the current A49 House Design Limited.

A49HD – Today, and Its Transformation from the Past

In the beginning, we worked out of a small space on the third floor of the A49 office building, and as the number of our staff increased, we moved to the second floor and expanded our space with continued extensions. Currently, we have a team of 50, and if this increases the space will become too cramped. In the future, we may need to explore new ways of working which require less space. However, due to the nature of our work, space is of essence for the various documents, and to be able to lay out a plan as we go over the details. I have worked through many eras, since the days of drawing on tracing paper and producing hand-drawn perspectives. For design competitions we had to engage specialist perspective artists to produce images in watercolor and poster paint, which took several weeks to complete. Today, drawings and perspectives are produced using computers.

With regard to our work methods, they have developed along with the times. You could say that, today, our work requires more detail than before. For example, in the past, one house would take just three months to design. This is including the perspectives and design drawings, which need not include much detail as these would be provided by the draftsmen and those who produce the shop drawings for construction. You could say that, back then, these technical staff were very skilled. Nowadays, we are required to provide more details in our drawings, thus increasing our work processes before we handover to the technical staff. There are also the various ways of presenting our designs to clients, offering them more choice and options. However, the fundamentals of our

I C O N

HERO SHOTS OF ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS

H E R O

SA LA

Covered Living Terrace

The secret to creating unique feature areas for each house which is to design something that is well suited to the tropical climate, and functionally supports the lifestyle of the residents, such as rest, relaxation, and other activities. It must also be modern and have a level of flexibility. One such space is the covered living terrace, or “sala” in Thai.

One of the first considerations is to orient the terrace in tune with the path of the sun and wind to create comfortable conditions, as well as ensure that it offers good views. With the concept of “Healthy House” as a basis, our designs do not require constant air conditioning, at it may affect the long-term health of the residents. The covered living terrace allows cross ventilation, and the extended eaves provide shade from the sun and rain. As one of the main feature spaces, not only is it a comfortable living area, but it also gives the house a unique and captivating characteristic.

In addition, the terrace can serve as a transitional space and buffer zone that efficiently separates public space from private space.

Covered living terraces can be grouped into two categories:

1 Open air terraces that are similar to multi function pavilions

2 Hybrid terraces with semi-outdoor spaces, allowing the users to fully enjoy the natural breeze, or can be closed using glazed doors. This effectively separates the indoor and outdoor environments and offers an air-conditioned living space.

Open air covered living terrace

Location

Area Photographer

Buriram, Thailand

4,000 sq.m.

W Workspace

The main concept behind the design of this waterside house in Buriram was to create a sculpture piece featuring a super cantilever structure which both modern and challenging. These elements aim to reflect the family’s construction business for roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. The continuous flow of the seamless structure also symbolizes the owner’s faith in “Phaya Naga” as well as the house’s location close to the Mun River, which is believed to be the home of the mythical Phaya Naga. Local businesses enshrine and worship Phaya Naga statues. Even Buddha images are carved as the “sheltered-bythe-naga Buddha” styles, as locals believe that the Phaya Naga brings prosperity to the business, happiness to the family, and smooth sailing in life. Thus, the design incorporated both elements to create the unique feature and characteristics of the “Naga House”.

On the approach to the house, the sub-entrance can be seen to the left and, from the Super Car Garage, one notices the unique angle of the stairs, along with its naga-like flowing form that moves vertically, looping around something. This creates a negative space surrounded by the building structure, similar to a Court House, offering a range of perspectives and efficiently providing natural ventilation and light.

Location Area Photographer

Natai Beach, Phang-nga

Veyla Beach Villa - 615 sq.m.

Veyla Sea Villa - 585 sq.m.

W Workspace Krisada Boonchaleow

“Weaving

CRAFT and DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY into A MONOCHROMATIC DESIGN “

This is the key concept behind the design of this luxury residential estate which deftly weaves architecture, interior, landscaping, technology, graphics and art elements to create a common theme. Veyla

Natai Residences is a new development of freestanding seaside villas, each with unobstructed views of the immaculate Natai Beach and the Andaman Sea. “Veyla” is the Thai word for “Time” and Sanskrit for “a house by the beach”

True to its name, the residences are a luxurious hideaway of exquisite tranquility located on the most pristine and secluded Natai Beach, one of the hidden gems in Phang-nga, Thailand.

CONCEPTUAL SKETCH

The residential estate comprises fifteen-magnificently designed units. Seven two-story “Veyla Beach Villas” sit on beachfront plots, while eight three-story “Veyla Sea Villas” offer direct, panoramic ocean views. Each residence style is a perfect marriage of aesthetics and functionality.

The creative minds behind the project were inspired by the local context and set out to create a project in symbiosis with its environment. The specific materials and color palette are inspired by the hue of Natai sand, which consequently led to the unique name, “Monochrome House.” This monochromatic scheme is intended to give residents a sense of peace and calm befitting a vacation house.

Veyla Sand Veyla Beach Veyla Sea

A B C

A luxurious hideaway of exquisite tranquility should you wish to escape the hustle and bustle of the busy city, located on the most pristine and secluded Natai Beach in Phang-nga, Thailand. Veyla Natai Residences offers a private beach sanctuary, the sense of space, clean air and water, and the all-encompassing natural beauty in an enclave of absolute calm.

Location

Photographer

A multi-generational family resides in this house, from parents to grandchildren, each with their own personal preferences.

The father had an inclination for Chinese styles, while the children preferred more modern designs. In addition, the house had to be designed to accommodate the family’s future generations. Thus, a central space, linking the living quarters, allows the residents to commune while still maintaining their own personalized private space within the home.

The layout of the house was inspired by ancient Chinese architecture, which has a prominent axis leading from the entrance to the main rooms. A clear separation of public areas to the front and private spaces to the back is achieved by the design of buildings and an elevated swimming pool surrounding a central courtyard.

In designing this residence, compromises had to be reached, not only between the residents themselves, but also with the principles of Feng Sui. The key to working together with the Feng Sui Master was to agree on a common goal, the happiness of the people residing in the home. Once this was mutually established as the main objective, the result was a design which was suitable to serve as a long-term residence, in harmony with the surroundings and the lifestyle of its residents.

Due to its exceptionally large size, it was a challenge to regulate the exterior form and prevent the structure from appearing too imposing. The designer focused on creating functional spaces within, linking them into an architectural narrative, grouping and connecting the various spaces.

Another feature that deserves recognition is the quality woodwork, which the designer selected as the main element. The timber was carefully selected both for its appearance and durability best suited for each area. For example, timber selected for ceilings, walls, and columns must be able maintain its condition together with the architecture for as long as possible. If you look at the patterns in each area of the house you will notice the careful placed joint lines of each element form a pattern, from the floor, walls, columns, timber battens, and ceiling. This creates dimension and a delicacy that, although the house is large, gives a sense of comfortable proportion to the residents.

in

the

regarding the design concept of this home. Once the homeowner agreed, the design team took these words and expanded on them to create a clearer vision of this house. The challenge was to design an eye-catching, modern, six-story home in the heart of Bangkok that meets the requirements of the digital age with balance and harmony in an interesting way.

Though this house is located in the densely populated heart of Bangkok, the front is adjacent to a relatively wide public road, allowing for convenient access. The rear of the property is flanked by two small roads, thus providing open space on two sides, with neighbors on either side. The surrounding detached houses are one or two-story homes and do not obstruct the city view.

“Four houses

one home” is the first phrase that was proposed to

owner

SUPER CAR GALLERY PLAN

SUPER CAR GALLERY SECTION

The vertical super car gallery with glass car lift to transport the cars to any level of the house makes the four house units completely independent of one another, offering privacy connected only through this vertical transport.

F A M E

W R A E

2021 THE INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE

AWARDS: WINNER Office Building

By The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture And Design

2021 WINNER OF ICONIC AWARDS INNOVATIVE ARCHITECTURE: WINNER Office Building By German Design Council

ARCHITECTS

Editor-in-Chief

Nithi Sthapitanonda

Kiattisak Veteewootacharn

Editor Rattawut Chansritrakul

Advisory Editional Board

Archanart Kespayak

Chana Sumpalung

Woranol Sattayavinij

Kriangsak Srikomonsilp

Krisada Boonchaleow

Text Editor

Rattawut Chansritrakul

Translator

Vilasinee Nitisopon

Project Coordinator

Atthanit Kulrakampusiri

Nathachai Cherdchom

Korpop Morarit

Editorial Team

Krisada Boonchaleow

Atthanit Kulrakampusiri

Nathachai Cherdchom

Thunyaporn Chettaprin

Korpop Morarit

Phattranit Wiangkhamma

Pann Singharaj

Supporting Team

Kanchai Poolsawad

Chanawin Soontornpipit

Sanikul Boonbunchachoke

Itsaree Junjarungjit

Natthida Suepakdee

Waritta Tansuwandee

Sasithorn Pengkamphoo

Noppakao Intan

Ponpan Sitthichoksiri

Kittiyaporn Saengthuoun

Jittip Charassrivisisit

Thanakrit Siriseth

Natthapat Chimpraserts

Naiyasit Sueakhanong

Retouching Team

Krisada Boonchaleow

Phattranit Wiangkhamma

Managing Editor

Suluck Visavapattamawon

Graphic Designer

Kamonchanok Plangpattanapanich

Project Coordinator

Bussara Kemapirak

Editorial Team

Rungrawee Surindr

Sponsorship Coordinator

Panphim Jaipanya

PHOTOGRAPHY

Contributing Photographer

Rungkit Charoenwat

Atthanit Kulrakampusiri

H-TALK Krisada Boonchaleow Kiattisak Veteewootacharn W Workspace DOF SkyGround

H-ICON W Workspace Kiattisak Veteewootacharn

Krisada Boonchaleow

H-FAME W Workspace

Kiattisak Veteewootacharn

Krisada Boonchaleow

H-HERO W Workspace

Krisada Boonchaleow

Nattasit Bunratsamee

49 HOUSE DESIGN

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