“The brief dictated that the house be spacious, airy and open-plan, with privacy and security among the client’s chief concerns; he is averse to decorations and artwork, preferring landscapes and views out to nature instead,” shares Thean. “Building on such a beautiful site [required] a sensitive, responsive, and responsible architectural design that would sit naturally on the land it occupies. Surrounded by mature greenery, the site also called for a home that could help its inhabitants to read, appreciate, and coexist with it.”

Taking a leaf out of the work of American modernist architect John Lautner, the Park + Associates team drew inspiration from his sensitive response to sculpting spaces to fit the unique sites of the properties that he had designed. This 24,000 sq ft house carries forth some of these elements, while still conveying a sense of home within its vast dimensions.

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The goal was to create “a timeless architecture which acts as a foreground for the dramatic views of the natural landscape beyond”, explains Thean. “There is an emphasis on keeping the material palette and details neutral yet modern.”

The house is envisioned as a series of shifting planes, layered and configured to complement the sloping terrain.“Each floor plate is shaped in response to the site contours, hugging the land on which it is carried. As a result, each floor feels like it is at ground level,” says Thean.

This results in a poetic sequential journey as one wanders through the sprawling structure, where each space reveals and presents new views and perspectives of the large compound and the stunning landscape. “Perched over the terrain, the house with its cantilevered slabs offers panoramic views of the surrounding lush greenery and wildlife from within and without,” adds the architect.

Traditional building materials such as roof slates are applied in modern ways to reference both the local architecture and the mountainous setting. Other key architectural elements help amplify the beauty of the natural views; these include an entrance portal that perfectly frames the setting sun.

“The curved walls are all executed in off-form concrete in a brutalist modern response. They are also sculpted in response to the rock faces and cliffs in the national park,” shares Thean. “The roof form is shaped to appear contiguous with the distant Khao Yai mountain range; it is a continuous expression of the mountains.”

Given the massive scale of this project, the conceptualisation stage itself wasn’t a straightforward affair. The architects went through several iterations for the interiors, which initially echoed the look of the building facade, before quickly realising that the design had to evolve to still present a cosy setting that is in dialogue with the architectural concept.

Neutral finishes in materials such as off-form concrete and natural timber were selected to enhance the calming atmosphere, and paired with modern forms to fit the minimalist furnishings that the client prefers. “The language of sinuous lines is applied consistently to the design of the house at different scales, from the overall building form to details such as window portals that peel away from the off-form concrete walls,” says Thean.

The house has two wings that are connected by the roof planes. The guest wing is on the other side of the entry court and has a more intimate scale, while the sprawling main wing of the house features the primary living and dining areas on the lower storey, as well as the master suite and the children’s bedrooms on the second floor. In the main wing, the living and dining spaces are designed to be interconnected and extend seamlessly onto the outdoor pool deck. The bedrooms look out towards the mountain views and face away from each other to provide privacy.

The architectural practice sourced locally where possible; most of the finishes were produced in Thailand. The firm also employed passive cooling elements so the inhabitants can feel comfortable in a well-ventilated home without an over-reliance on air-conditioning.

“Amid the everyday chaos in the design industry, we do try as best we can to keep sustainability in mind and acknowledge that there is a balance that needs to be struck,” opines Thean. “We do not believe in relying solely on technologies to design and live sustainably. It has always been imperative that we start with the fundamentals—passive design—of designing in a tropical climate. Furthermore, we are increasingly designing for multigenerational homes, and with these come long-term design thinking to future-proof the architecture to ensure its relevance as families evolve and grow.”

The Singapore practice also upcycled the natural rocks uncovered during the excavation process, and reused these for the construction of the low retaining walls and the water creek; the latter helps to add to the micro-biodiversity of the area, as it provides respite for any passing wildlife. At the bottom of the site are ponds that help collect rainwater during the wetter seasons; this is used to water the plants.

Additionally, 407 mature trees from 81 species were selected by landscape architect Compound Collaborative in collaboration with Park + Associates to further enhance the verdant quality of the property. “The site was originally covered with overgrown shrubs. We made it our main objective to create a landscape framework [while] leaving gaps for the local species to weave their way in,” adds Thean.

Although the Covid-19 pandemic stretched the construction process into a three-year period, the end result made it worthwhile. “We could not have asked for a better client. He is a dream client—trusting when we needed him to be, and responsive when decisions were required. He was involved only when his attention or decisions were required, and was hands off otherwise,” shares Thean.

Both the design team and the client now hold this special place dear to their hearts. “Despite owning several holiday homes across Asia, this is now the client’s preferred retreat. I say that speaks for itself,” smiles Thean.

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