The Monow House: Family-Connected Modern Living in Bangkok

Highlights

Project Name: Monow House
Completion Year: 2022

Gross Built Area: 880 sq.m.
Location: Pinklao, Bangkok, Thailand
Program: Residential/ Private House
Owner: Parkorn Wijitaratnakit & Sasimol Ussamarn

Architect & Interior Designer: Archismith
Tel: +668 6551 9191
Email: contact@archismith.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/archi.smith.architects

Instagram: @archismith.architects
Landscape Designer: Field Landscape
Structural Engineer: Pipat Supasantitikul

Mechanical Engineer: MEE Consultants
Main Contractor: Vijitchai Home & Building
Interior Contractor: Leben Works
Photographer: SkyGround architectural film & photography

Tucked within the vibrant cityscape of Bangkok, the Monow House by Archismith stands as a thoughtful architectural response to both family bonds and spatial challenges. Located next to the owner’s parents’ residence, this modern home intertwines the lives of two generations while maintaining individuality and privacy. Designed with meticulous attention to detail, the Monow House harmonizes communal living with contemporary design, offering a balanced blend of shared spaces and personal retreat.

A Family-Centric Design Concept

The Monow House was conceived with a unique familial purpose: to create a home that seamlessly connects with the neighboring residence of the owner’s parents. The design subtly merges the two properties by removing existing boundary walls and integrating shared spaces. A landscaped courtyard acts as the heart of this connection, visually linking the father’s TV room in the old house with the son’s living room in the new. Practical shared features include a fitness room for the mother’s daily use and a covered walkway that links the kitchens of both homes, enabling easy service sharing and a sense of unity. Extra parking spots further cater to both houses.

Navigating Privacy in a Tight Urban Plot

Located on a long, narrow plot with closely packed neighbors, ensuring privacy was a significant challenge. Archismith’s design team carefully mapped the surrounding windows to avoid direct views into the home’s interiors. The house extends upwards to three stories, making use of vertical space to allow for abundant natural light and ventilation in all rooms. The massing of the structure descends toward the front to ensure the parents’ house isn’t overshadowed. This tiered design not only preserves privacy but also fosters a welcoming atmosphere filled with light and air.

Material Connections Across Generations

One of the key requests from the owner was that the two houses visually relate, without resorting to identical architectural language. Archismith achieved this connection through material choice rather than mimicry. The third floor is clad in ceramic tiles from the same manufacturer as the parents’ house, but with a modern twist. These tiles, shaped into hollow-core triangles, offer both aesthetic appeal and thermal benefits, acting as a natural heat barrier. The design’s folding texture reduces direct sunlight exposure, with half of the surfaces remaining in shade most of the time. This innovative cladding solution required precise planning due to the irregular shapes and dimensions of the walls.

Blending with the Urban Context

Despite its modern design, the Monow House integrates seamlessly with its surroundings. On the street level, the house’s scale mirrors that of the rowhouses across the road, creating visual cohesion. The entrance’s dark tones were carefully chosen to contrast with and highlight the lush courtyard at the end of the arrival tunnel. Inside, a double-height glazed façade in the living room maximizes courtyard views while minimizing heat gain, thanks to its north-facing orientation. On the second floor, the working room is uniquely suspended to avoid obstructing the garden view, exemplifying the thoughtful planning that characterizes the entire project.

The Monow House by Archismith is a refined blend of family connection, material innovation, and urban sensitivity. Through its careful planning and execution, this residence showcases how contemporary architecture can serve both personal and communal needs, enhancing the lives of those who inhabit it. For more information, visit Archismith’s Facebook page.