When a client asked Peeraya Suphasidh to redesign this 1,711-square-foot condo apartment in central Bangkok, the architect wasn’t just concerned with aesthetics.

“Central Bangkok is a vibrant, dense urban area. Although there are public parks in the city, it takes effort to get there due to heavy traffic, and the high heat in the middle of the day also limits the time for those visits,” says Suphasidh, who founded her eponymous studio, Suphasidh Architects. “This project thus seeks to provide innovative solutions for thermal comfort and calmness.”

To this end, the architect harnessed the intrinsic qualities of natural materials like wood, stone, and earth. “The project’s emphasis on weight, depth, and material connection aims to contribute a feeling of calm and safety, and to create a place of ease and repose in the bustling city,” Suphasidh says.

The original apartment was composed of conventional materials and compartmentalized rooms. “It lacked a cohesive design language,” says Suphasidh. She removed walls to create open and interconnected spaces that can be sectioned off with sliding wooden panels.

The living room has a long row of banquette seating, and the television is concealed behind a sliding panel so that it’s out of sight and mind when not in use. The space melds with the large dining area and kitchen, and Suphasidh took great care in selecting each material on display.

“The living room features a custom teak coffee table, and the kitchen showcases antique teak cabinetry paired with Roman travertine for the backsplash,” she says. “The elements of the kitchen, except for the sink and faucet, are custom made with clean detailing in order to emphasize material expression.” Travertine can also be found in the handles of cabinetry, and the recessed wall skirting.

The architect sourced the antique flooring from old houses in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. “I think teak is a special and specific material to the tropical climate, with very dense and defined grains. Its durability and warmth are core characteristics I also admire,” Suphasidh explains. To accentuate the natural wood grain, Suphasidh had builders trace the patterns by hand. In the primary bedroom, she elevated the bed slightly on a low teak stand.

The home’s walls and cupboard fronts are finished with a mixture of lime and local earth, which helps thicken the material. The five-millimeter-thick finish absorbs and releases a modest amount of humidity—and the surface’s uneven roughness brings additional depth to the interior. The finish has a subtly fresh, clean, and soothing scent that is particularly welcoming after the owner returns from Bangkok’s busy streets.

To bring gravity to the interiors, Suphasidh introduced a series of large stone pieces that add up to a total weight of 1,763 pounds. The wall-mounted desk in the study weighs 716 pounds, and chunky rocks serve as nightstands and a coffee table in the living room.

The architect also selected these pieces to help passively regulate the home’s climate. The immense stones cool down at night, and they help to keep the interior temperature comfortable as the sun rises and the city heats up.

“The apartment feels serene and grounded in nature because of the material expression and thoughtful detailing, such as the decision to leave some of the edges of the wood and stone raw,” says Suphasidh. “There’s the soft feeling when bare feet tread on the teak flooring, and the cool touch of the granite table and the travertine cabinet and door handles.”

The owner has noticed these effects too. He cherishes spending quiet mornings in the living area, as sunlight gradually warms the interior. He also admires the varied materials and thoughtful design choices that engage the senses. And thanks to the home’s thermal mass, he rarely needs to switch on the air conditioning.

Related Reading:

It’s Always Springtime in This Serene Thai Home With an Indoor Tree

Inspired by Tom and Jerry, This Net-Filled Vacation Home Is a Kid’s Paradise

A Cleverly Designed Bangkok Residence Fits Two Homes Into One

Project Credits:

Interior Design: Suphasidh Architects /@suphasidh

Appears In

1,763 Pounds of Rock Help Cool This Bangkok Flat