This mixed-used building in Thailand includes the home and work spaces of a pair of siblings, arranged around planted courtyards and perforated concrete-block walls.
Bangkok-based Ekar Architects were tasked by the two siblings, one a pharmacist and another a vet, to design a mixed-used building that included homes for their families and spaces for their businesses.
Although sharing the Multi-Place building, the clients wanted their spaces to feel separate from one another, prompting the architects to place a long wall down the middle.
"The separated residential areas for two families needed to portray a detached house-like feeling to this mix use buildings," said the architects.
One side is three storeys high and includes the veterinarian's home, veterinary clinic and pet shop. The other side reaches four storeys and houses the pharmacist's residence, pharmacy, a hostel and cafe, and meeting rooms.
一个单坡屋顶连接两个不同高度的部分，而在建筑中心则有一个狭窄的缝隙用以标志功能上的区分。
A mono-pitched roof bridges the different heights of the two parts, while a narrow gap in the centre of the facade marks the separation.
外墙是由来自当地工厂生产的混凝土块构成，用以阻挡来自泰国素叻他尼繁忙的街道的灰尘和噪音。
立面的穿孔混凝土之间部分填充了玻璃块，这样的做法让阳光能够渗透到室内，也为业主提供了开阔的视野。
The external wall is made of concrete blocks sourced from a local factory, acts as a barrier to the dust and noise from the busy street in Surat Thani, a city on the Gulf of Thailand.
Its perforations, some of which are filled with glass blocks, also allow the artificial light to seep out at night and reveal sections of the spaces behind.
As there are few openings on the exterior, the architects created two voids on either side of the building. A tree grows up the larger courtyard, on the side of the hostel, which also features blue-painted steps and wooden decking.
These outdoor spaces separate public spaces set to the street-facing side, and the more private living areas located at at the rear of the house.
"According to clients' need which was to separate their residential space from one another, the architects added this garden to be a relaxing linkage between two detached residential spaces," the architects said.
"The split area was converted into a peaceful garden in which brought a natural sunlight into the massive architecture and acted as a natural boundary between public area and private area," they continued.
业主在一层的每个房间都能透过大窗户看到花园。而在上层，建筑师则通过每层的露台与花园竖向连接。
在室内，白色油漆墙壁和光滑的地板弥补了黑色扶手周围的空隙。
On the ground floor, the rooms surrounding the each outdoor space feature large windows into it. On the upper levels, these step backwards to create outdoor terraces.
Inside, neutral finishes of white-painted walls and glossy flooring, are offset by wooden touches and the black handrail surrounding the voids.
部分混凝土墙仍然与内部楼梯间紧密相连，并在墙壁上设有木制钩挂袋。
而混凝土墙同时也为休息区和阅读区之间形成了功能上的分隔作用。
Part of the concrete wall that remains exposed inside runs along a staircase and features wooden blocks that form hooks for hanging bags.
Concrete blocks also make partitions between reading nooks in the hostel area.
EKAR architects has offices in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. The studio's other projects include a canal-side house in Thailand with adjoining cafe and music room.
Photography is by Chalermwat Wongchompoo.
