BHX architects references children's drawings to design the 'basic house' in bangkok

after 10 years of designing private residences for their clients, the founders of BHX architects, korn and nartrudee thongtour, have realized their own tailor-made home in bangkok, thailand. as the name ‘basic house’ suggests, the project explores the fundamentals of beauty and function. the result is a building that combines basic materials with a sequence of small yet beautiful spaces.

the shape of the building came from the simplest inspiration of how children draw a ‘basic house’

all images courtesy of BHX architects

BHX architects created a simple house tailored to fit its occupants, making it special and unique in its own particular way. they approached the design by analysing the meaning of the word family and the concept of family being expanded from two people. they also thought about the poetry of the word ‘expansion’ and how it can be applied to a limited space.

trees casting shadows on the plain façade, giving a constant change in the aesthetics of the house at different times of the day

the courtyard in the middle of the house became the highlight of the home. it outlines the concept of family and invites nature into the indoor spaces. the open courtyard also allows visibility from one end of the elongated space to the other, affording constant interaction between family members.

here, circulation takes up 15-20% of the total space connecting the other 80% that was intentionally left as open spaces to fit the remaining functions of the home

due to the limited space, of a 30 meter long but only 9 meter wide plot of land, BHX architects laid out the corridor to one side of the building. here, circulation takes up 15-20% of the total space connecting the other 80% that was intentionally left as open spaces to fit the remaining functions of the home. they hid all the functions and storage behind the walls to allow the remaining spaces to be clean and open wherever you looked.

the courtyard in the middle of the home became the highlight of the house

the shape of the building came from the simplest inspiration of how children draw a ‘basic house’: a triangular roof, with one door and two windows. BHX architects fulfilled that dream while staying true to their minimal roots, which gave birth to the basic house – a home that perfectly aligns with the personality of the inhabitants.

outdoor living space in the main central courtyard

architect korn thongtour comments ‘a client once said to me that the happiness of building a home is where the flexibility of tailoring meets affordability and I agree. a home that suits the owner in its form, function and affordability is where the happiness of building homes meets good design.’

the minimal wooden staircase was designed without a banister to open up the living space even more

the courtyard invites nature into the interior spaces

the home is designed to be transparent but at the same time it has carefully thought out partitions to make sure that functions are still separated efficiently

the open courtyard allows visibility between the two ends of the elongated space

all the functions and storage are hidden behind the walls to allow the remaining spaces to be clean and open wherever you look

the building is formed from a triangular roof, with one door and two windows

the living area is one long communal space with separate functions in different corners, allowing everyone to be doing their own thing but still feel connected

project info:

project name: basic house

location: bangkok, thailand

design: BHX architects

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