IDIN Architects Office, a creative private working place

IDIN Architects office is located in one of the most chaotic districts in Bangkok. The main idea is to create a creative private working place while hiding from the diversified context.
The design process starts with packing all functions tightly and surrounding them with tall trees which work as a fence for both coverings from busy surroundings and being a relaxing greenery view. Due to the narrow land, it is suitable to align the building along the land’s length. This long compact building mass is stretched out for inserting terraces and courtyards in between the areas for more surfaces connecting with natural light and green area.
The building consists of three zones: a cafe which both welcome coffee lovers and serve as a reception for company's clients as well as the recreation area for staffs during the day, a working space which covers most of the area, and a private residential area for the company's principal.
These three zones are respectively separated by three hierarchies of space; public, semi-public and private, in both vertical and horizontal direction. The public space, cafe and meeting room for company clients, is at the front on the ground floor. The semi-public space, working space is in the middle on the second floor. The private space, a private suite for the owner, is in the rear zone on the third floor. The cafe is the only function that can be seen from the main entrance; the rest will reveal itself respectively as visitors walking through the building.
The architects working space is facing the north and enclosed with the Low-E glass wall for entire greenery view and the quality north light. This zone is the heart of the building which required to be an appropriate space with a relax atmosphere, good quality of light and comfort temperature, for creative work. Conversely, in order to block the harsh heat, almost all the west side of the building is solid wall whereas staircase which is the main circulation is aligned along the south. Each void at the staircase is located on the significant platforms, to let the natural light into the interior space, such as a stair landing, in the corner of the corridor or the working area entrance hall. This organization prevent the working space from heat directly but still allow viewing a greenery view and getting the quality light.
Another significant design process is selecting the material of the main feature wall to finish continuously from the solid exterior wall to interior space. The burnt cedar woods are chosen where its black colour support the idea to hide the building from the surroundings. Importantly, its unique black colour and texture do not come from painting or colouring, but from the result of the burning process which to protect plank from fire and termite. Such material implies the IDIN architects’ belief that architecture is a solution of problem-solving where the result should be unique, aesthetic and beneficial to people in better living.