The Modern Thai House: Innovative Designs in Tropical Asia

6 of the 25 houses featured in this book are “three-generation homes” – a concept largely unknown in modern Western culture, but an enduring concept in Thailand (and many parts of Asia) for economic and cultural reasons.

Modern multigenerational cohabitation presents a number of design challenges: spectrums of privacy needs, independence, encountering/gathering, and family needs changing over time, etc. I enjoyed the spread of modern solutions from these architects/clients who designed with extended family and aging in mind.

For reference, the 6 houses, and their architects:

1. The Three Parallel House (Kanika Ratanapridakul)
2. Baan Taab 1 (Srisak Phattanawasin)
3. The Yellow Hole House (Plankrich Architects)
4. The Komkrit House (Boonlert Hemvijitraphan)
5. The Harirak House (Bundit Kanisthakhon)
6. Laemsingh Villa No. 1 (Ernesto Bedmar)

Other three-generation houses mentioned (but not visually featured) were Baan Ton Son by Prapapat and Theeraphon Niyom, and House U3 by Kanika Ratanapridakul.

The book also features a few houses that were designed in response to climate change, e.g. passive house strategies for cooling with minimal electricity.

Broadly, though: a nice coffee table book. Pretty photography. Includes floor plans. An easy leisure read.