Bhoon+ House: A Courtyard-Centric Residence in Bangkok
Anonym Studio has created the Bhoon+ House in Bangkok, Thailand, a residential project that ingeniously reuses the expansive lawn of an existing family dwelling. This new construction, spanning 376 square meters, maintains a symbiotic relationship with the original home while establishing distinct privacy for its occupants. The core of the design is an open central courtyard, which not only links the two residences visually and spatially but also serves as a shared verdant landscape. The architectural approach emphasizes natural light and cross-ventilation, shaping a living environment that is both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional.
The Bhoon+ House, envisioned by Anonym Studio, occupies a plot that was once the garden of an established family home in Bangkok, Thailand. The primary goal of this redevelopment was to create a new household that would remain connected to the original residence. The design achieved this by preserving the former lawn as a common courtyard, allowing for seamless visual and spatial continuity between the two houses, while simultaneously granting enhanced privacy to the younger family residing in the new structure.
The architectural layout is defined by this central open courtyard, strategically placed to respond to the existing house and the site's orientation. Given that the street frontage faces east, incorporating the courtyard into the middle of the new volume allowed for the creation of a secondary, north-facing edge. This innovative placement ensures an abundance of natural daylight permeates the interior spaces and offers expansive views across the garden. Furthermore, this shared courtyard acts as a communal landscape, strengthening the bond between the architecture and its outdoor surroundings.
The building itself adopts a long, linear form, mirroring the rectangular dimensions of the plot and thoughtfully adapting to the sun's trajectory. This deliberate arrangement minimizes direct solar exposure on the main walls, while the north-facing facade features large glazed surfaces that maximize natural light. Consequently, the primary rooms are oriented to overlook the serene courtyard, benefiting from both ample natural illumination and efficient cross-ventilation. This thoughtful design ensures a comfortable and well-lit interior throughout the day.
The design team at Anonym Studio has seamlessly integrated the courtyard into the very fabric of the architecture, moving beyond merely treating it as a separate green space. A distinctive feature is the recessed section of the roof, which elegantly accommodates a central tree within the courtyard while preserving the smooth flow of the main roof plane. This architectural detail gives the house its unique roof profile and visually merges the planted courtyard with the overall structure of the building.
The interior, spanning approximately 400 square meters, revolves around a continuous communal area encompassing the living room, dining space, and kitchen. Strategically placed large glazed openings at various points in the floor plan flood these shared zones with natural light and frame picturesque views of the courtyard and the surrounding garden. Operable awning windows in the kitchen further enhance natural ventilation, while utility areas and a dedicated Thai kitchen are discreetly situated at the rear of the house.
The rear service volume is characterized by an exterior curved wall, meticulously crafted from white-painted brick. Deliberate gaps within the brickwork allow for the passage of light and air, creating a naturally ventilated enclosure. This element thoughtfully contrasts with the more open, glazed facades that face the central courtyard, adding textural and visual interest to the design.
Throughout the Bhoon+ House, natural light is introduced through a harmonious combination of courtyard glazing, upper-level windows, and internal voids. Along the second-floor corridor, glazed walls permit daylight to cascade through the central opening to the lower level, fostering visual connections between the different floors. The upper level houses private rooms thoughtfully arranged around the central void. A dedicated room for board games, enclosed by a full-height glass wall, receives ample light from the adjacent balcony. The main bedroom combines an east-facing glazed wall with captivating views of the garden, situated beneath a gabled ceiling and featuring a raised platform that extends into an inviting, informal sitting area.
The exterior aesthetic is defined by a pristine white material palette, a minimalist gabled roof, and expansive glazed openings. The east-facing facade welcomes the gentle morning light into the bedrooms, while the open courtyard side maintains a continuous visual link with the adjacent family home. Across the entire project, Bhoon+ House skillfully employs the courtyard, recessed roof, and glazed openings as integrated architectural elements. These components collectively orchestrate daylight, ventilation, circulation, and views, while meticulously preserving the relationship between the existing residence, the shared landscape, and the newly established family home.