intimate courtyards form this luxury beach resort in thailand designed by onion

bangkok-based studio onion has completed a heavenly beach resort on thailand‘s samui island. the ‘SALA samui chaweng’ resort is composed of two parts: a 52-room beachfront complex and a 82-room roadside complex. onion has shared images of its roadside project, which is defined by intimate courtyards and a domestic-inspired design that explores the relationship between vacation and normality. 

entrance court

images by Wworkspace

SALA chaweng roadside is quieter and more private than its beachfront counterpart. the program is planned around five courtyards with specific functions: the outdoor stairwell, the outdoor dining room, the outdoor living room, the outdoor playroom, and the outdoor bedroom.

lobby area

each courtyard is populated by household furniture such as sofas, swings, beds and giant lamps, which are placed in-between existing trees and newly planted greenery. guests can relax in huge beds shaded by big trees next to the public swimming pool, have a drink from the pool bar, and feel that, in this homely setting, they are indeed on vacation.

spa entrance

within the various courtyards, onion brings attention to the sky through roof voids of different shapes, sizes, and materials. voids layered in bamboo are placed between the outdoor dining room and the outdoor bedroom whereas oval-shaped concrete voids characterize the transition space between the outdoor dining room and the outdoor living room. 

walkway to the spa rooms

white walls dominate throughout SALA chaweng roadside. they are long, massive, sometimes concave, and sometimes convex, but always with a satisfying play of light and shadow. color is only applied to the spa area. these dark green and blush pink walls create a different spatial experience for guests. a bathtub is positioned in the garden surrounded by the dark green walls while a clear glass door brings nature into the spa treatment room. in SALA chaweng roadside, there is no clear distinction between the interior and the exterior spaces.

spa court

the complex contains four types of rooms: the two-bedroom garden pool suite (329 m2), the one-bedroom garden duplex pool suite (181 m2), the garden pool villa (77 m2), and deluxe garden balcony (45 m2). onion has also designed some of the objects in the rooms such as the lamps, the beach bag, rattan shelves, and knotted ropes for pulling the drawers. each room has a private patio where guests can relax on a huge circular outdoor bed next to their own private swimming pool. 

restaurant

living room court

living room court

bedroom court

garden pool suite

guestroom

guestroom

outdoor private pool

outdoor private pool at night

project info:

name: SALA samui chaweng beach roadside

location: chaweng beach, samui island, thailand

architect: onion (arisara chaktranon + siriyot chaiamnuay)

interior design: onion

year: 2019

photography: Wworkspace

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom