Park + Associates Creates an Undulating Home in Khao Yai National Park

This private retreat by Park + Associates sits nestled in the area’s national park, its views a foundational part of the experience

House in Contours represents a unique project: a new structure surrounded by the Khao Yai National Park providing a blank canvas with a client who wanted to steer away from any pastiche of traditional Thai architecture. ‘The homeowner really values hospitality and enjoys hosting families and guests over shared meals,’ says Christina Thean, principal partner of Singapore architecture firm Park + Associates. ‘House in Contours was designed and built for this purpose, while affording a sense of personal privacy that he could retreat to.’

Thean describes the client as ‘particularly sensitive to spatial quality’, with a preference for spaces that feel open and well-ventilated. ‘The permeable design with clear visibilities throughout was in large part a result of this preference,’ she says. ‘It was also important to borrow as much greenery and nature as we could from the beautiful park.’

The structure is inspired by Khao Yai’s topography and is conceived as a series of layered and shifting planes that respond to the site. ‘We’ve used a consistent architectural language of organic lines across scales both in the architecture and interior. This gives a fluidity that enhances the sense of movement, echoing the natural rhythm of the landscape,’ says Thean.

The home’s two wings are unified by an undulating roof that ‘appears as an extension to the Khao Yai mountain range’. Through this, different parts of the home are oriented towards unique views — some facing the mountains, others a nearby Buddhist temple. Private spaces are located to maximise privacy while capturing framed views of the lush surroundings, with verandas all around. Fenestration was a key component, says Thean. ‘The client believes that nature is art in itself, and that motivated us to painstakingly curate the fenestration to frame the various views on offer.’

The design team also worked heavily on the landscape. ‘The site was covered in overgrown shrubs,’ says Thean. ‘We collaborated with our landscape architect to integrate more than four hundred mature trees across eighty species to restore the indigenous ecosystem.’

Within, the materials and finishes of the joinery are kept subtle with natural finishes and neutral tones. Much of the furniture and the minimal artwork selection — the client preferring the views — was chosen by the client himself. Thean and her team’s brief included striking architectural accents such as the built-in wine bar, a counter finished with polished marble that defines the large open space and whose shape promotes circulation. The main circular staircase was another. ‘Its form was inspired by the natural contours of the site’s topography,’ says Thean. ‘At different times, it merges and connects with walls, ceiling and floors through sweeping gestures.’

Wherever possible, the team worked to support the local economy through sourcing materials and finishes locally, as well as engaging local builders and craftspeople. Through the process and the design, Thai elements are incorporated into a contemporary space firmly rooted in Khao Yai and Thailand: as Thean describes it, ‘Bold, distinctive and all the while catering to our client’s lifestyle.’

Text by Philip Annetta
Images by Derek Swalwell