British Embassy, Bangkok

British Embassy, Staff Housing & Amenities, Bangkok
MJP Architects




source: http://www.e-architect.co.uk/thailand/british_embassy_bangkok.htm

Surfaces (Thai Architecture Elements Series)

These little books are published to make available unused images from Nithi Stapitanonda's book Architecture of Thailand (2006.) In each he focuses on one or two architectural elements with images and some text, this one looks at color. See also Roofs, Doors & Windows, and Colors.

When we look at Thai architecture from the perspective of modern architecture, we discover many commonalities in the approach to design and in the choice of materials. The distinctive Thai beauty fits well with modern design in such aspects as the relationship with the environment, function, and consideration of the impact of open spaces. (from the introduction.)

A classification of materials in the images:

WALL...
plastered masonry:
plain
with painted mural
with embellishments inset in the plaster for decoration
with punched openings for ventilation
woven matting:
in herringbone pattern
in basket-weave pattern
with reeds lined up in vertical orientation
in wood slat or bamboo framework
wood planks:
horizontal siding
horizontal siding as angled vents
horizontal slats sometimes with punched designs
vertical siding
arranged vertically overlapping with some short planks to create openings
vertical slats sometimes with punched designs
railings in an "x" pattern, or spindles
wood panels:
as solid walls, sometimes with intricate carvings/painted and divided into boxes
as swiveling windows
as shuttered windows
clay:
bricks (structural) long and flat, sometimes used to create curved surfaces
3D tiles creating raised mosaics, or smooth/3D with painted designs arranged in mosaics
stone:
bricks (structural)
3D decorative tiles with carvings, mosaics
metal:
intricately carved latticework in temples with glass/mirror insets

FLOOR...
glazed tile:
decoratively painted
wood:
planks
matting
bamboo to create paths
concrete/stone/bricks:
gravel or sand
pavers over gravel or laid into concrete
perforated pavers to allow grass to grow through
continuous paved surface laid orthogonally or diagonally
stone pavers placed far apart to make a path

CEILING...
wood:
lattice holding jars
open bamboo beams and underside of roofing (looks nice with the structure painted)
planked or paneled soffits
masonry/concrete:
vaulting
coffering

ROOF...
wood:
thatched leaves with rods placed over to hold them down
halved bamboo placed over/under
shingles sometimes with decorative ends
ceramic:
wide tiles placed closely over each other
molded tiles (spanish-look)
shingles with pointed or rounded ends to make diamond pattern

Colors (Thai Architecture Elements Series)

These little books are published to make available unused images from Nithi Stapitanonda's book Architecture of Thailand (2006.) In each he focuses on one or two architectural elements with images and some text, this one looks at color. See also Roofs, Doors & Windows, and Surfaces.

Colors hold high significance in Thai culture; most Thais register a deep connection between colors and the ideas associated with them. For instance, each day of the week is assigned a color and the King's color is yellow based on his birthday, while the Queen's is blue based on hers. These bright colors show up in everything from shirts commemorating the King to cloth bunting along the road. This book focuses in on the use of the primary colors in architecture, but it is clear from a quick glance at any Thai street that many vibrant colors are used unapologetically in all manner of buildings.

Some notes from the text:

The color red, or vermilion, signifies power and sacredness. It is part of the Thai national flag and is also utilised for inscriptions on holy cloth that is used as a talisman. Red is also widely used in almost all Thai architectural elements...applied along with other colors to enhance beauty and interpretation, for instance red and gold used together enhances the shine of gold and adds brightness...red can also be applied in combination with opposite colors...such as red-green, red-blue, and red-yellow.

Yellow is significant in Buddhism; the color expresses sacredness and also prosperity and wealth. It is favored both in Thai paintings and architecture...in this book, gold is included in the category of yellow color. Gold is the color that expresses prosperity and wealth more prominently than other colors, therefore, it is favored in architecture of significance or in buildings meant for the higher ranks such as those dedicated to Buddha or the King. Thai craftsmen always use gilded copper plates to cover the principle pagoda, decorate the roof of buildings with gold colored glass mosaics, and apply gold with other colors such as gold on black lacquer, gold-blue, and gold-red.

Dark blue, a cool tone color, gives a feeling of calmness. It also signifies royalty and is another color that is seen on the Thai national flag...blue was imported from China in later times therefore the application of blue was only for high-ranking buildings such as royal temples and the grand palace.

'The Thai House: History & Evolution' vocabulary

From The Thai House: History & Evolution (2002) by Ruethati Chaichongrak & others. (p 242) There is also a fantastic resource page (p 243) of "some trees and plants commonly associated with Thai houses" in the back of the book.

General

Bang- Raised. Often found at the beginning of village names.
Dao Harng ceremony- a pre-test to see that the house components are in their correct places.
Don- Raised. Often found at the beginning of village names.
Keub- A Thai measurement equivalent to 0.33 cm.
Klong- a canal.
Kranok- A commonly found decorative design of swirling tendrils & foliage.
Kwang tawan- Against the direction of the sun: the gable faces north or south. Generally inauspicious.
Long tawan- With the direction of the sun: the gable faces east or west. Generally auspicious.
Muang- A city or city state.
Muang fai- An ancient small-scale gravity feed irrigation system in northern Thailand.
Pa phae- The so-called 'goat forest,' the name given to community forests in northern Thailand.
Rasami phra arthit- A sunburst design found on gables throughout Thailand.
Sork- A Thai measurement based on the distance from elbow to wrist equivalent to 50 cm.

Construction Components

Bai raka- a certain type of roof finial
Blanor roof- a so-called Manila-style roof.
Charn- terrace
Chofa- roof finial found on temples.
Dunk- A central vertical roof timber.
Fa- wall panels.
Fa khat thae- woven bamboo wall panels.
Fa pakon- wooden wall panels.
Fa prong lom- loose-weave bamboo panels.
Hamyon- A carved wooden plaque above the door on the inside of the bedroom of northern houses.
Homrin- the space between the bedroom house and the kitchen house in northern Thailand.
Hong- a post span and a measurement of the Thai house.
Hua Thian- a round tenon on the top of house posts.
Janthan- rafter.
Jua- gable ends.
Kalae- crossed and carved gable ends foind on certain northern houses.
Kamyan- eave truss.
Kansart- extended eaves or roofs to protect the sides of the house.
Kantoey- eave bracket. Usually for chapel.
Khaira- soffits which extend from the walls or gables.
Khangkhao- a small piece of wood used to attach the rafter.
Khor song- upper section of the wall panel below the khue.
Klorn- latches.
Khue- cross beams.
Koey- a lean-to roof extended from under the house eaves found in Isaan.
Kongpat- part of the foundation.
Kradai- stairway.
Krua- kitchen.
Langkha- roof.
Lima roof- a hipped roof whose five ridges refer to the word lima or five in Arabic.
Loog fak panel- wooden wall panels with a raised center panel, found in the central region.
Mae ding fai- a cooking platform.
Maelae roof- a gabled roof type found in southern Thailand.
Na thang- windows.
Ngua- part of the foundation.
Ok-khai- the ridge beam.
Pae- purlins.
Panlom- windbreak on the gable.
Peek nok- soffit.
Phuen- floor.
Pratu- door.
Prueng- the rectangular frame used to brace the house floor and wall.
Ra- floor beam.
Rabieng- verandah.
Rae- a disc of thong larng wood used as a foundation.
Raan nam- a shelf for water jars in northern Thailand.
Ranaeng- laths.
Rawd- post tie beam.
Salak duey- wooden wedges and pins used to lock components together.
Samae- wooden nail.
Sao- posts.
Sao ek- the first post also known as the auspicious post or the king post.
Sao laeng ma- posts supporting the porch of northern houses which are seen as symbolising a dog guarding the house.
Sao nang rieng- posts used to support very large kansart.
Sao tho- the second post, sometimes called the queen post.
Tao- a bracket supporting the roof or kansart.
Teen sao- the base of a post. In the south these are not sunk into the ground and are often concrete.
Toen- the multi-purpose area outside the rooms of northern houses.
Tong- joists.
Waeng sord/waeng keeb- floor beams.
Yong- a carved panel below the window.

Types of Buildings

Dunk tang khan yao- the largest type of yao (north-east.)
Huen- a house (northeastern dialect.)
Hor klang- central hall.
Hor nok- bird pavilion.
Hor suadmon- prayer hall.
Hor trai- scripture hall.
Kappiya kuti- structure housing monk's food.
Kuti- monk's residence.
Lao khao- rice granary.
Long khao- rice granary (northeast.)
Pae loog buab- a bamboo raft.
Po- a wooden raft.
Ruen kalae- a northern house built of hardwood with the extending crossed eave boards.
Ruen khahabodhi- rich person's house.
Ruen khrua- kitchen.
Ruen klang- central hall.
Ruen krueng sab- house built of wood.
Ruen krueng pook- a house built of bamboo.
Ruen mai bua- a house built of bamboo.
Ruen mai ching- house built of wood.
Ruen norn- sleeping house.
Ruen loog- subsidiary building added for children to sleep in.
Ruen khwang- a house built crosswise to the other two in a group.
Ruen pae- a raft house.
Ruen sam hong- a house with three post spans.
Ruen yai mi khong- a twin house built of wood (northeast). the most prestigious type of house.
Ruen yai- a large house built of wood. Typical of a relatively well-off family.
Sala karn parien- preaching hall.
Teng na- a northern rice field hut.
Therb- a type of hut used for storage.
Thieng na- rice field hut (northeast.)
Toob tor lao- small lean-to adjoining the granary used as living accomodation.
Ubosot- ordination hall within a temple compound.
Viharn- temple building housing the Buddha image.
Yao- a temporary building (northeast.)
Yung khao- granary.

Roofs (Thai Architecture Elements Series)

These little books are published to make available unused images from Nithi Stapitanonda's book Architecture of Thailand (2006.) In each he focuses on one or two architectural elements with images and some text, this one is divided by roof type. I'd like to get copies of "Surfaces" and "Colors." There are also volumes entitled "Stairs & Railings," "Statuary," and "Gates & Fences." (Update: See also Doors & Windows, Surfaces, and Colors.)


Some notes from the text regarding pattern recognition:

Tiered roofs
-visually reduce the mass of a large-scale building, making it look slimmer and more buoant
-reflect the status of the building: more tiers=higher significance of building, owner, or dwellers
-high, vertical layering implies faith in Buddhism or the King

Single-planed
-in the North, where it is cooler, eaves reach down to cover the windows. "Ka Lae" are crossed pieces of wood at teh gable-top to give good fortune, and "Ka Ko" are carved pieces covering the end of purlins.
-in the Southern region with heavy rains and winds, houses on stilts are not as high as those in Central and Northern Thailand, and have a higher pitch to facilitate drainage
-Northeastern style roofs are of the lowest pitch due to dry climate & low rainfall

Multi-tiered (like wedding cake-cone form, spire)
-based on belief related to the mythical Sumeru Mountain...highest rank of roof.

Gable & Hipped
-enable good rainwater drainage and air ventilation
-builders prefer to use small roof tiles on high pitch roof planes
-tiles placed so as to make a border on each roof plane help to make the roof appear light and buoyant

Roof Elements
-Cho Fa, gable-top decoration made in bird-beak shape or fish-lip shape
-Khrueang Lamyong, gable eaves & tile end covers
-Hang Hong, gable end decorations made in the shape of Nage heads placed in a row
-Thais consider it inappropriate to decorate common buildings to be as or more elaborate than temples and palaces.

Doors & Windows (Thai Architecture Elements Series)

These little books are published to make available unused images from Nithi Stapitanonda's book Architecture of Thailand (2006.) In each he focuses on one or two architectural elements with images and some text, divided by region. See also Roofs, Surfaces, and Colors.

Some notes from the text regarding pattern recognition:

-"with windows and doors, the most common material is wood, because it is easy to work, light-weight, strong, and has good weight bearing capacity and tensile strength."
-Thai doors always open inward (and it looks like windows most often open outward.)
-spiritual themes (to ward off evil spirits, etc.) are often incorporated in woodwork on traditional doors to designate the separation between the inside & outside.

There are lots of fantastic pictures of walls & wall openings, and I wanted to note these two temples in the north (Lanna architecture) that have solid masonry bases with punched openings and wood on top:

Wat Phra That Lampang Luang.Wat Ton Kwen

Our Church, Bang Bua Thong

We go to a Thai church in Bang Bua Thong (outside of Bangkok) that rents 3 adjacent shophouses. They run a daycare during the week, and the pastor's family lives on the top floor. (I'm not sure what's going on there with the lack of window on the top floor, far left.) The owners of the building have gotten foreclosed on, so the congregation has been looking for a new space. They decided to build a new building not too far away, which is being funded by the mother-church in Bangkok. I love that it's orange, which makes it easy to point out to taxi drivers!
This is a little oasis of living things just outside the front door...very little space, but enough to add some greenery and fish!
This is the mother-church in Bangkok---the architecture of which is greatly admired by the pastor.
The main floor, used for daycare, church dining hall, meetings, etc. It is 2 shophouse modules, and the partition over the front makes for an interesting feeling in the space. The kitchen is in the back (a narrow sliver between the building and property wall that has been roofed over.) Bathrooms are under the stairs. I think I must have inherited my propensity to stick things to the walls around me from my Thai side. At the very minimum, most Thai buildings feature pictures of the King.
Here is the same space later (looking from the other corner,) when everyone came down to eat:
A classroom off to the side...sorry for the blurriness.
There is a mezzanine between the ground level and the sanctuary level.
This is the sanctuary; it is the only air-conditioned space in the building. It takes up the front of all three modules.
Outside the sanctuary, the stairs lead up to the pastor's living quarters.
Some drawings of the new church building. It will be similar to the current one in that the daycare and meeting space will be on the ground level, and sanctuary/pastor's quarters will be above.
Here is our pastor with one of his sons. There is a church building on his tie, which was appropriate as he had a meeting today about the new building. The congregation seems excited about the change, and really enjoy looking at the drawings.
The view out the front door...some sun-shading, ventilation.

pattern language: unprogrammed space

I was thinking about the wardrobe in our bedroom the other day, and wondered if the preference for storage furniture over storage architecture (closets) points to any truths about the way Thai people think about space. Generally, it seems that traditional (excepting temple) spaces are multi-functional, and many times portable. (think houseboats, floating houses, pre-fab buildings on stilts.) Electrical and plumbing is often exposed, and easily modified---creating spaces perfectly suited for today's needs, but not "set in stone." Another thought on this: I think a lot of Thai people are more likely to bring the dinner table into their favorite room just for a meal, than have a separate space just for dining.

Heierarchy of Space

These images are from a photo-collection entitled "Vanishing Bangkok." I just wanted to write a little bit on the heierarchy of space in Thai buildings. We spoke about the way in which this mirrors Thai society in your experience with the printing house---that the manager is supposed to be above her subordinates literally as well as figuratively. (though it seems this is not a hard and fast rule, as I have inquired of my husband from which floors the dean of engineering and the university president preside, and neither is at the top. Perhaps because of heat-accumulation!)
But anyway, another way in which ordering of spaces is significant--and common throughout the kingdom is in the transition from public to private space. Similar to the need for a gradient of light from the outdoors to indoors, Thai buildings seem to begin by being very open to the outsider, and then become increasingly more intimate. It can be seen in the procession of ground space-stairs-gate-verandah in traditional houses, or in the movement from central meeting space to covered walkway to classroom in schools. The place where it is most clearly seen is in the shophouse (a legacy from Chinese immigrants.) Most have completely open fronts facing a public street (though that is changing now with the prevalence of air-conditioning in shops) that serve as both buisiness and personal space...as one moves back into the building, it becomes more and more family space...with the kitchen in the very back, and stairs leading to family sleeping space. The way in which the public and private lives of families share the same space/objects seems liberating...and there are still boundaries in place that preserve privacy.

Daylight in Thai buildings

Is it fair to say that most traditional Thai buildings (temples, houses etc) have dark interiors? Maybe buildings were seen as shelters from excessively bright light, as well as from rain, wind and the heat of the sun. When was glass introduced into Thai building?- before this windows were closed with shutters, keeping out most of the daylight.

Interiors that are relatively dark can be pleasant enough, but increase the risk of glare- as the eye adjusts to the low level of illumination inside any direct contact with direct light will produce the sensation of glare. So transitions from inside to outside are important, through verandas etc. Daylight can also be softened/diffused by using lattice and other types of screens, which can be highly decorative (see picture of house in Lopburi).

The size and direction of the light source are critical- diffused daylight coming from large areas and from different directions will reduce the sensation of glare. Direct sunlight will give much more glare. Interiors which give sensations of glare also need more artificial lighting to make them comfortable. But large openings for daylighting can be a security risk, tho this can be mitigated by putting them out of reach at high level.

Contrasts of colour and reflectance of adjoining surfaces can also add to the sensation of glare. The range of colours in Thai traditional architecture was quite limited, and tended to be on the warm side- creams, yellow, ochres, terracotta, gold etc. Are there strong associations linked to different colours in Thai building, in a similar way to clothing?

What other factors should be considered to develop an approach to lighting and colour in a new building? Here are some tentative 'patterns':
-Light from opposite sides of a space
-Avoidance of direct sunlight in interiors
-Direct daylight diffused by lattice screens, shutters, window jambs etc
-Light coloured surfaces next to daylight openings
-Transition spaces between inside and outside to reduce sudden changes in light levels
-Spaces narrow enough to ensure that the range of daylight levels is limited to what is comfortable.

FLICKR finds: roof...what makes it Thai?

1. thai building, 2. Thai Building, 3. thai building, 4. Thai Building, Chiang Mai, 5. Thai Building, 6. 4-73 BK_ thai building, 7. Traditional Thai-Style Building, 8. Local Thai Hotel...built on the river, 9. Nonthaburi - Thai House 1, 10. Suan Pakkad Palace museum - main building, 11. Thai house, 12. Traditional Thai Architecture, 13. Thai Style Architecture, 14. Ban Thai resort, 15. Uthani Thai River Lake Resort

What makes a roof look "Thai?"

Possibilities:
-Color! (preferably brown)
-the roof's plastic sheet-like-nature--a large expanse coming down to meet the ground
-multi-level, with changes in slope
-eave props
-large overhangs
-decoration

FLICKR finds: Layering

1. T H A I L A N D, 2. Up-country Thai restaurant, 3. Thai house of Chula, 4. Thai Signage, 5. Thai House we're building on the farm., 6. Untitled, 7. Thai statues carry building, Royal Palace Bangkok, 8. IMG_27772b, 9. Jim Thompson House, Bangkok, Thailand

I just love how the first image shows the importance of delineation between public and private in Thailand. The definite need to know at exactly which point to take off your shoes.

Otherwise, I thought these were great to show how the Thai are adept at layering building materials, plants, images, decoration, signage, and even the levels of their homes (center image.)

"new-old" Thai Architecture

-very exact symmetry
-formal 'grand order' entrance way
-elaborate tiled hipped gable roofs, with several stages, eaves props etc
-main accommodation upstairs on 'piano nobile'- with open undercroft
-lots of covered and undesignated outdoor space

From looking at the buildings here, it seems like the symmetry of public buildings with the central entrance might be more from the "colonial" period here. (I know Thailand was never colonized, but there is still a bunch of that kind of architecture around---especially in government buildings and palaces.) Of course, the temples are all symmetrical, but the traditional everyday type buildings like houses, hospitals, schools, etc. were not. The spaces that seem the most "Thai" are at a more human scale where you don't really get a sense of the building as a whole when you are in it. Kind of like walking down a labyrinthine soi in the way that spaces connect, I guess.

I tend to lean toward less roof stuff going on, but I think you can create a pretty "Thai-looking" roof without making it too complicated. For instance, it would still get the idea across if you took away the bottom awnings, and played with the roof proportions so that there is more overhang. I actually sort of like the eaves props, even if they are usually not doing much. Sun-shading is definitely necessary, and if the overhang could be designed in such a way as to actually use the props, it could be nice. (hopefully not too kitschy.) The way that there are two levels of windows here could work great for ventilation, if they are operable.

The open ground floor level is great, and very appropriate programatically, as well as climate-wise. Traditionally, the buildings were put on stilts for protection from 1.) floods, 2.) animals and insects, 3.) neighbors. It also creates a great multi-functional space. All the buildings on campus here at Mahidol have open ground floors, which makes for a cool place to meet and relax for the students...and a more informal auditorium for school meetings. One thing that seems to help, though, is to define the boundaries using a low wall or benches...or I suppose even a change in floor level.