under the rain trees house by all(zone)
On the bank of the Ping River in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand, covered by decade-old rain trees, this expansive dwelling tucks itself blissfully amid the riparian nature. Dubbed Under the Rain Trees, the residential project is signed by Bangkok-based architecture studio all(zone) whose approach materialized as a stitled and sculptural concrete body, breaking out into five smoothly curved wings that seemingly reach for their surroundings while remaining connected to one another. Together, these wings hold one common facility and four private apartments, each shaded by the existing canopies that have been left undisturbed by the architects on site.
all images © Soopakorn Srisakul
five-winged body echoing thailand’s vernacular houses
The all(zone) team composed Under the Rain Trees with an enclosure for each wing that gradually dissolves outward from the solid central body, morphing into open platforms overlooking the landscaped site. The concrete slab roof follows almost exactly the floor plates, curving up at the end of each wing to embrace the riparian floa. Topping the residence is a roof terrace, serving as a piazza where one can get close to the sky while being shaded by the fine grain of the rain trees. As flooding on the shore is capricious, the main level is raised on stilts, leaving the ground mostly untouched and thus allowing wild vegetations to merge with the house.
The typology of the interior living spaces is similar to those of vernacular houses by the water: small boxy wooden rooms floating on an elevated platform. Contemporary materials such as concrete, sleek glass walls, solid dark stone cladding with metal frames actually endow the house with a more comfortable layout, embrace its setting to its full capacity.
