image © Soopakorn Srisakul

Watch Teaser- Light House Project by all(zone) for Chicago Architecture Biennial 2015

Based in Bangkok, all(zone) is a group of happy design professionals who joyfully collaborate with specialists across the borders of their fields and country. All(zone)'s observations are always captured by contemporary vernacular design solutions. The design studio tries to learn from them in order to create alternative built environments where all could feel ‘at home’ in the world. All(zone)'s latest work called ''light house'', is a prototypical house for a person living in the urban area of Bangkok -or any big tropical metropolises. ''The light house'' is also on display at the Chicago Architecture Biennial 2015.  

image © Soopakorn Srisakul

This easy-movable house is a good example of solid materiality that how it is transformed in the context. This vernacular  light house is so light and flexible that it can be moved easily from one place to another. In the tropical climatic context, the vernacular house allows us to live in an environment soaking with lights and airs. In investigation all(zone) contemporary vernacular built environment, the studio proposes an alternative architecture where modernism is embraced with a lesser degree of rigidity and solidity in which architecture is not familiar with.

image © Soopakorn Srisakul

The house is very thin and composed of several layers of light perforated walls, shaping the minimum living space of 11.52 sq.m. with shared water facilities. The different degrees of perforation of the walls give variations to space within by selective filtering of external elements.

image © Soopakorn Srisakul

all(zone) states that recent housing projects are so closely tied up with a global real estate investment that makes it almost impossible for a young middle-class or a new generation of urban poor to live in the city with what they earn. In addition, with the ever-changing social and economic situation, one’s lifetime investment in owning a house would no longer be valid.

image © Soopakorn Srisakul

A more nomadic condition of living space is to be adopted. On the other side, several modern high-rise buildings are left idle in the middle of the city, either unfinished from over-and-over-again economic crashes or unoccupied because of obsolete building systems. These buildings are usually invaded by homeless or informal interventions.

image © Soopakorn Srisakul

The house is an attempt to create a new type of domestic space in a tropical metropolis. The half-temporary condition of Light House would be perfect to get settled in such condition of the unused buildings. It can be installed just quickly, lightly, loosely and freely on a platform and covered with a roof, in order to become an urban living unit for a short - medium term, and to be dismantled and reassembled again in another site - a bit larger than moving a suitcase. The prototype house could lead to a new type of housing with less rigid materiality and energy, instead of generic modern housing type.

image © Soopakorn Srisakul

The actual prototype was built in an abandon parking structure in the middle of Bangkok. Two young design professionals, A and B, lived here for some days. The movie shown at Chicago Architecture Biennial was a documentary of possible living in the houses.

image © Soopakorn Srisakul

image © Soopakorn Srisakul

image © Soopakorn Srisakul

image © Soopakorn Srisakul

image © Soopakorn Srisakul

image © Soopakorn Srisakul

image © Soopakorn Srisakul

image © all(zone)

image © all(zone)

image © all(zone)

Project Facts

Project Team: Rachaporn Choochuey, Sorawit Klaimark, Ruchanan Patarapanich, Aroonrod Supreeyaporn, Asrin Sanguanwongwan, Tanya Thapanand, Archaraporn Vashirasirsuntree, Weerachai Sirilorsakulpetch
Film by: Off Scene Films
Photograph by: Soopakorn Srisakul
Music by: Pakawan Ngarmlamiad (DJ Paka)
Size:  2.40 x 4.80 x 2.10 per unit
Area: 11.52 sq.m. per unit
Materials: ready-made PE coated metal frame, nylon net, spun bound fabric, polyester fabric, polycarbonates sheet, plastic laminated plywood
Budget: 1,200 US$ per unit

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