Thai Houses
Thai craftsmen are known for practical space utilization and for the traditional carvings with which they cover the walls, stairs and rooftops of the homes. The homes are built with golden teakwood with a distinctive wing shaped roof structure that is inspired by temple architecture. House building is generally completed in a single day using collective labour. The house can be dismantled and moved and rebuilt in a new location.
The traditional Thai house is a one storied house constructed on an elevated platform with airy ground level ventilation and protection from floods. The house uses only pins and pegs to join the boards together. The basement is not really a basement, but an open space below the house which can be used for a number of activities. The houses usually have only three walls with the fourth side open to the air. The exterior walls are decorated lavishly. A wide open veranda is used for various activities.
A modified version of the Thai house is the two storied house which permit the linking together of two or more housing units symmetrically. This is in keeping with the traditional concept of the extended family and a need to provide a sense of belonging to a family. Each house has two rooms which can be partitioned into adjoining bedrooms by optionally opening or closing a door. Most houses have five windows which open out into lush gardens. The height of the ceiling also promotes circulation of air within the building eliminating need for air conditioning. The bedrooms are adjoined by a separate room that serves as a bathroom. These are usually equipped with modern western style facilities. The lower floor consists of a banquet style dining hall and a kitchen.
Indian and Khmer-Thai architecture:
Indian and Khmer influences on Thai architecture is seen in the evolution of soaring multitiered rooftops and towering spires. These doorways, lintels and windows are made of sandstone and are rectangular in shape. Bricks are carefully laid with mortar, bound with vegetable glue and then sheathed in carved stone. In some buildings stucco, sand lime and glue mixture is used and strengthened with terracotta armature to cover brick walls. In others wood is used with elaborate carvings.
Chinese influence can be seen in the ornamental decoration and in the use of porcelain fragments of various colours. Glass mosaics are used to highlight spires, gables and pillars. Lacquer, gilt, mother of pearl inlay, gold leaf and porcelain fragments are used to achieve gleaming elegance.
Thai-European Blends in Architecture:
The Vimanmek Mansion and the Government House in Bangkok are examples of Thai European blends in architecture. The Chakri Throne is designed by a British designer and is wholly European. It originally was designed to have three domes, which were replaced by the Thai spires resulting in a kind of hybrid architecture. This trend gradually spread to housing architecture and a number of noblemen commissioned westerners were hired to design the houses. Spatial arrangement of the houses began to change. The houses were constructed to be complete structures at two levels linked by an interior stair case. Living areas are characterized by defined separations of rooms. The houses had an entrance hall with hat racks for visitors. The ground floors consist of a reading room, library, reception room and formal dining room. It often accommodated a pantry and a ladies powder room too. The staircase led up to a corridor connecting the various bedrooms. Some houses also had a tower room which served as an altar. Toilets are never installed inside the house as it is socially unacceptable. These were located near the kitchen or the servants quarters. However, during the recent years, with the improvement in sanitation and water transportation, toilets too are being located within the house.
These houses were all built in a large garden setting with unpaved roads, pools and plaster cast sculptures. The front lawn is generally separated from the main gate. The house had a portico for dropping visitors during the rains.
American-Thai architecture
The American missionaries brought in their own style of architecture. The missionary house had an external veranda wrapping the upper level of the structure. It was intended to provide shade to the lower level. The interior of these houses had high ceilings and adequate ventilation outlets. A number of windows dot the exterior walls giving an illusion of spatial connection. The kitchen area is separated from the main house. Coach houses and carriages houses and stables for horses began to be constructed with the introduction of these modes of travel.
Post War II
During this period a number of box like shop houses sprung up in Bangkok. These were purely functional houses.
Bio-Solar Houses in Thailand
These houses were adapted from the research findings from the Kasetsart University and the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency. The houses are constructed to cater to the need to harvest 20 to 25 gallons of water per day. Dew, rain are collected in the roof and water is filtered and stored in a tank with a capacity of 950 gallons. The houses are around 1900 square feet and have three bedrooms. There is a 670 square feet solar cell located on the roof of the house capable of generating 22 Kilowatts. The sun powers the equipment and a computer installed on the landing between the upper and lower floors enables the occupants to monitor the equipment. |
