The Modern Thai House

A tremendous body of sophisticated and sensitively designed architectural work has been produced in Thailand in the first decade of the 21st century. The 25 houses in The Modern Thai House illustrate the radical new ideas coming from a dynamic younger generation of architects who are producing work comparable with and sometimes even surpassing the very best architecture in the world. Most of these architects were trained in the U.S. or U.K. and reflect not only American and European sensibilities but also affinities with their contemporaries in Asia —including Japan, China, Singapore, and Bali—all hotbeds for innovation in modern design. The houses in this book are readily accessible from Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiangmai. They reflect a wide variety of concerns and solutions, such as: sustainability; responses to climate; strategies for cooling with minimal electricity; openness versus security in a large metropolis such as Bangkok; cultural sensitivity and responsiveness, as evidenced in a "three-generation house," built for a society in which the extended family is still prevalent; and cultural memory, as in the use of elements such as pilings, verandahs, and steeply pitched roofs with large overhangs that echo traditional Thai designs.

Nurtured by an increasingly knowledgeable and wealthy clientele, modern architecture in Thailand is emerging with a variety of innovative architectural expressions.

Robert Powell is an architect and writer. He was formerly Associate Professor of Architecture at the National University of Singapore and editor of Singapore Architect. Currently Project Director and Head of Ecomasterplanning with Llewelyn Davies Yeang (London), he is working with Ken Yeang on projects in India, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Qatar and the UK. He is the author of 30 books including: Modern Tropical Architecture: The Work of Tay Kheng Soon and Akitek Tenggara, Rethinking the Skyscraper: The Complete Works of Ken Yeang, Singapore: The Architecture of a Global City, The New Malaysian House and The New Indonesian House.

Albert Lim Koon Seng is an acclaimed Singapore-based architectural photographer whose images have been published extensively in architectural journals including A+U (Japan), Architectural Review, Singapore Architect, SPACE (Singapore), and Monument (Australia). His photographs have also illustrated numerous books including Living Legacy, Modern Tropical Architecture, Singapore: Architecture of a Global City, The New Malaysian House, Singapore Houses and The New Indonesian House.