In 2018, we began renovating the hip-roofed house at Baan Rom Taan. We encountered a white house that had undergone several renovations. The owner of Baan Rom Taan said the hip-roofed house is nearly 100 years old. It once served as the grandparents’ honeymoon suite and has been used continuously over the years. Hence, several generations of the family have filled it with memories. When tasked with renovating the house, the IF team began the project. They were determined to preserve the original design as much as possible.

This 100 Years Old Thai Home Was Renovated Into A House Of Memories | IF (Integrated Field)

The Past

The owner collected old photos of the 100 years old hip-roofed house from the past, along with narrations of memories. The green tiled roof had wooden eaves and wooden gable walls, but the given photos were black and white.

So, we worked on finding the 100 years old era-appropriate shade of green by studying the Royal Institute’s color palette to achieve the right shade, as it represents the original Thai architecture era, similar to the original Baan Rom Taan. We eventually found an era-appropriate green for the hip-roofed house.
We used green, white, and dark brown wood as the main color scheme for Baan Rom Taan

Meaningful memories

If a public project requires studying and respecting the area’s story and eras, then the same should apply to this house. A personal space like this vacation home also has stories and meaningful memories of the family. We worked closely with the homeowner to decide what memories to keep and cherish, to give this vacation home its identity and continue to serve as a shared space for generations in the family.

The homeowner explained that the 100 years old Baan Rom Taan has been a vacation home for the family since the grandparents’ generation. The bridge between the two buildings (Hip Roof House and Gable Roof House) serves as a connection of memories because as a child, the owner preferred walking through the bridge since there were many dogs below.

Keeping Whats Necessary

When there was an opportunity to renovate the 100 years old this time, they requested that the bridge between the buildings be kept intact. Because the original bridge obstructed the front of Hip Roof House, they adjusted the new plan and designed it to allow convenient wheelchair access so that elderly family members could live comfortably.

Under the elevated platform of the Gable Roof House that can be seen today, there used to be walls surrounding it in the style of a traditional house, serving as storage and the mother’s bedroom, but it is no longer in use. In this renovation, we demolished all four walls to create an open, spacious area with a view extending to the back.

Family Space

This area under the platform has become a space that everyone in the family can use together. Some days, it serves as a resting place for adults, some days as a socializing space for grandchildren, and some days the underprivileged children’s music group, which the homeowner enthusiastically supports, uses it as a rehearsal space.

A Vacation Home

Baan Rom Taan still maintains the identity of a vacation home. It is a space that connects everyone together by inhaling the relaxation from the sea breeze, fostering family relationships, and allowing everyone who stays there to engage in activities together. Today, Baan Rom Taan can still connect the present with the past, serving as a repository of memories and a place where the family spends time together, even if not all at the same time.

Reframe the Connector – The wooden walkway connecting the buildings is what we intended to be the main component of the Baan Rom Taan house renovation project. It holds a significant role in both the homeowner’s memories and in bridging the two buildings.

Rebuilding

They made the original walkway from aged white wood. We demolished and rebuilt it entirely, enhancing its design to better integrate it with the space between the two buildings. The new walkway design forms a flipped L-shape to connect the entrance of the hip-roofed house with the rear side.

The walkway previously attached to the front entrance of the hip-roofed house obstructed the building. With the redesigned walkway, they created a rear balcony area that serves as a cozy sitting spot.
We also added an outdoor restroom for continued access from the walkway.

Entrance

As for the entrance on the house’s side, we moved it closer to the building for aesthetic appeal. We established an external-to-internal connection from the walkway through to the backyard garden view. By rearranging the layout of the living/dining area and kitchen and aligning the bedrooms together, we merged the sitting and dining areas with the front, while clustering the bedrooms at the back and adding a private balcony at the end. This continuous viewpoint provides an open, intentional connection throughout.

Fact File

Designed by: IF (Integrated Field) 

Project Type: Residential Architecture Design

Project Name: Baan Rom Taan House

Location: Thailand

Year Built: 2023

Built-up Area: 4122.58 Sq.ft

Photograph Courtesy: W Workspace

Source: Archdaily

Firm’s Website Link: IF (Integrated Field)

The Firm’s Instagram Link: IF (Integrated Field)

Firm’s Facebook Link: IF (Integrated Field)

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