Bann Kanom Chan

Project Description

Since the owner’s family has just started their new business of „bakery catering“, they decided to build a new house both as their home and as a business place. The name of this project comes from „Kanom“, which means „dessert“ in the Thai language, and the street named „Chan“, where the project is located. The site is located in a high-density area of Sathorn that surrounded by houses, terraced houses and old buildings. Taxicabs are always coming in and out, as the taxicab parking space is next to the site. This particular context plays a very important role in the design, as it defines the volume and orientation of the building.

Anonym was appointed for the design, based on these factors and to create privacy for the owner family. The key idea is to layer functions, as well as to arrange vertical zoning for the separation of public and private spaces. All the space on the first and second floor is dedicated to public areas. There are offices and areas that all office staff can access. The third floor is divided into two living spaces for two families. This determined the volume of the building, with three storeys of solid walls on the east and west side providing privacy for the interior rooms. The space in between is the inner courtyard that allows natural light to penetrate the interior space. This is where the main staircase connects all the floors. Natural light plays a key role in this area, with shadows cast through the glass louvres. Anonym included full-height windows on the southern side to expand the view of a splendid big tree in the neighbourhood, as well as to make use of natural ventilation. At the front of the house, the architect designed a double-volume balcony that forms an inviting main entrance. It is a multifunctional area that the owners and office staff can use for any special events. Another element that is very important for the house design is the use of various materials, such as glass, black steel frames and white plaster walls. The contrast of contexts makes the house stand out from the neighbourhood and it has become a widely noticed building in this area.