junsekino plans 'o-tree house' around a lush courtyard in thailand

junsekino architect and design has completed a one-story dwelling called ‘o-tree house’ for an extended family in thailand‘s samut prakan province. conceived as a series of units arranged around an open courtyard, the project strikes a delicate balance between privacy and connectivity.

images by spaceshift studio

before junsekino‘s architectural intervention, the plot lay vacant, except for a large tree. in order to retain the tree, the architect decided to build the design concept around it. like ‘seats under a rain tree’, the low lying building weaves around it and utilizes the tree’s canopy to cool down the interior spaces.

the house is divided into different units, which are all connected by a central courtyard. the separation of the units affords privacy while the courtyard allows family members to chat and socialize. each unit has it’s own skylight that bathes the interior space in natural light while the courtyard outside receives dappled light from the tree canopy above.

to make the most of the central garden space, the units are framed by large windows. as well as providing views of the landscape, the windows also preserve visual connection between units and family members.

materials like glass and slim steel structural members give the architecture a certain lightness. by dividing the architecture into parts, the architect has been able to achieve a clear space without any column or beam obstructing the view to the outside. there are two main voids for each unit that face the main courtyard and the outer layer of landscaping, obliging the surrounding nature to become part of the interior space.

project info:

project name: o-tree house

type: residential

location: bang phli, samut prakan, thailand

client: somrual vitoorapakorn

architect: junsekino architect and design

interior designer: junsekino interior design

structural engineer: NEXT steps design & consultants

landscape designer: kaizentopia

completion year: 2019

area: 7,212 ft2 (670 m2)

status: complete

photography: spaceshift studio

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