Marble House

Openbox intertwines architecture and landscape with marble house in Thailand.

Openbox Architects’ recent residential design intertwines architecture, interior and landscape in the form of marble sculpture.The initial idea is to allow habitant’s behavior to carve a dwelling space into a monolithic piece of marble sculpture. The main piece appears so solid, yet so light it floats to defy the gravity, while external landscape space flows underneath through the center courtyard. Residual marble pieces fell onto the ground to become part of the landscape features, isolated, yet visually related so boldly, as they use to be part of the marble boulder.

The excavation of unique shape, form and space is created by shifting the building linear and non-linear planes. The Marble House is placed on one end of a rectangular land plot with a large, magnificent Rain tree on the opposite end. The visual impression of the Rain tree is enhanced by a modern architecture style pavilion. A contrast of the simplest structure and a fully grown, natural-formed Rain tree, over a reflective swimming pool surface create a memorable, signature scene for the house. 

Marble finishes is, in fact, a large scale, light-weight, wall tiles with marble pattern print. As an external finishes applied over a layer of internal brick wall, it also acts as weather cladding, shielding the house from direct Sunlight, and external heat of Bangkok summer, and therefore help to cool down the interior during the day.
 
Relationship between architecture and landscape is subtly displayed everywhere. The overall square shaped form surrounds an open courtyard in the center, allowing natural light and ventilation to reach all remotest corners. Bamboo in the center courtyard moves and sways to create the presence of the wind. 

The concept “private balconies” are very useful for an urban residence, surrounded by neighbors. Pockets of enclosed open terraces create privacy, but still welcome natural light and ventilation. The void above such area becomes a great feature, as the terms given by the architect, “the private sky”.

 Some windows have to be placed on the neighboring side. The concept of tilting of windows towards more open corner of surroundings also contributes to the form of the house. After all, it all started by having the habitants behavior and view preference to naturally form this piece of sculpture. The play of materials, space and forms flows seamlessly inside-out, and outside-in making strong connections between architecture, landscape and interior.

Openbox Architects
Lead Architects: Ratiwat Suwannatrai
Architects Team: Nattawan Supanan, Sudatip Pipatthakorn, Nonglak Boonsaeng

Lead Landscape Architects: Wannaporn Suwannatrai
Landscape Architects Team: Chawannuch Jirasukprasert
Lead Interior Architects: Wannapat Jenpanichkarn
Interior Architects Team: Pichaya Sampanvejsobha, Chitchaya Klinkhum
Lighting Designer: FOS Lighting Design Studio