Vatanayothin Residence

The Vatanayothin Residence is a tropical house on Mee Por Farm, an agricultural farm with a view of a mountain at its east.

The key elements shaping the house's design are its visual relationship with its context, particularly the position of the site facing the mountain, and the need for passive solar design.

The owners prefer a two-story house: the lower floor is a working area for agricultural products, and the upper floor is a living area. The entrance porch level is between the lower and upper floors. According to this arrangement, the entrance porch's surrounding soil is filled as a low mound that encloses a part of the lower floor.

All main areas are oriented to get natural ventilation and natural light and to see the views of the pond, plants, and trees on the farm; and the mountain behind them.

The building is a reinforced concrete and steel structure; its exterior materials are polished cement, exposed concrete, painted plaster, wood, clear float glass with wood frames, and cement roof tiles; its interior materials are wood, homogeneous tile, and painted plaster.

The entrance porch walls are clad in wood. The sitting and dining area walls are enclosed with high-glass openings and wood frames to provide full-height views outside. The wood elements give the house a warm character and an intimacy toward its surroundings.