Elevating Flight: Raja Haji Fisabilillah Airport's Innovative and Expandable Terminal Design
The airport in Tanjungpinang, previously called the Kijang Airport, was renamed as Raja Haji Fisabilillah in 2008. The design is fot its new passenger terminal began in 2009, undertaken by WIRATMAN as another manifestation of their small airport typology that had been devised for areas with small capacity requirements. Currently it only serves domestic flight, but has served international routes in the past. The airport design allows flexibility towards this change and also for the possibility of reopening the international routes. Its program places emphasis on expandability, designed to grow symmetrically left and right with the central areas as its axis. This enables the buNdIng to expand in a manner that maintains a thin building mass, which is more fitting for natural lighting. The innovative solution of placing electrical and mechanical utilities on the roof are also used here, allowing the building to expand in a uninhibited manner. Within the terminal, check-in areas display artwork and graphic design that refer to cultural richness Tanjungpinang. Similarity, the baggage claim area are decorated with panels that inform arriving, passengers of the various sight and attractions to be found in the city, catching the eyes as a point of interest. Their arrangement complements the linear arrangement of the check-in counters and conveyor belts. Again, in this airport a simple back-to-back processing is used for baggage handling, in accordance with the principles of apt design: the simplicity is fitting for the small scale of the terminal, the readily available skills of its workers, as well as for ease of maintenance. Luggage is collected from behind the linear counters, to be manually sorted and loaded by workers onto the aircraft.
The roof area in the form of a small sinusoid wave is further developed into a larger sinusoid wave as a symbol of clouds. Clouds are interpreted as places that have height and can be reached by flight. Therefore, the shape of a large sinusoid wave is right to be used as the roof of the main passenger terminal building. By choosing the main wall around the building in the form of glass, it further strengthens the impression of a roof that floats lightly like a cloud.
The temperature of the roof sheet cuts down the heat radiation traveling downwards into the building making the interior of the building cooler.
Clean, the Roof Material that Resistance to Tropical Staining.
Durable, there is Durability against Weathering & UV Penetration.
Beauty, there have Excellent Color Performance.
During the 12 years of RHS Airport Terminal Operations since 2012, COLORBOND® Materials Have Proven to be resistant to environmental conditions with high salinity and have good material color consistency.
A Harmonious Blend: 'Laab Is More' – Where Family and Tradition Flourish
“Laab is more than just a classic northern meal; it represents this modest family’s way of life.”
Nestled within the heart of a historic village in Ban Waen Subdistrict, Hang Dong District, the house is surrounded by the homes of extended family. The owner desired a haven that offered both privacy and a welcoming space for gatherings with his loved ones. He sought a design that departed from the traditional wooden structures of the surrounding residences and minimized wood usage due to potential maintenance challenges.
The architects faced the task of crafting a space that catered to the owner’s multifaceted life. As house owner is a photographer, he craved a peaceful and secluded environment for work and creative pursuits. However, he also embraced a modern lifestyle, enjoying skateboarding and the company of friends and family while gathering for traditional meals like laab. He held a deep connection to his rural roots and wished to maintain a sense of connection with nature. To address these desires, the design team created a functional space that seamlessly integrated with the owner’s lifestyle.
Notably, the cooking area features a low floor-level section, ideal for preparing and chopping laab ingredients, fostering a communal experience for the owner and his guests. Maintaining privacy amidst the close proximity of neighboring houses was crucial. The architects achieved this by incorporating strategic wall placements. The central core of the house echoes the traditional Lanna dwelling style, featuring a split-level living area. The upper floor offers dedicated spaces for work and sleep, catering to modern living needs. The lower level boasts a relaxed living room that seamlessly connects to a multi-purpose terrace. This outdoor area embraces the laab-making tradition, providing designated areas for Studio Sifah opted for a distinct material palette. The wavy metal roof sheets, crafted from BlueScope Zacs Cool in Asian White color on Aussie 700 corrugated profile, harmonize with the surrounding zinc and fiber cement roof. The wall cladding echoes the size and texture of wooden panels traditionally used in rice granaries, a familiar element in the Northern region. The architects cleverly separated the roof and the wall elements, creating a gap that visually lightens the structure. BlueScope Zacs Cool in Asian White color on Aussie 700 sheets were folded and finished with rubber strips, resulting in a clean and sophisticated detail. Concrete and steel construction were employed to evoke the lightness of traditional wooden vernacular houses. The design incorporates thoughtful details like small light openings in the lower wall sections and ventilation gaps in the upper part. The strategic use of steel reflects the spirit of Northern craftsmanship while seamlessly integrating with the simple, rural character of the community.
Laab Is More embodies the essence of fusion aesthetics. It champions contemporary living while preserving the soul of rural life. The architecture itself narrates a story through a distinct language that the studio aptly describes as “ordinary yet extraordinarily cool.” The design’s hidden coolness lies within the ordinariness of Northern elements, like laab, subtly weaving the spirit of the people into the contemporary architectural language.
Sustainable Design for a Modern Era: Boonsong Osot’s Office and Warehouse in Nonthaburi
Boonsong Osot is a renowned Thai company specializing in producing herbal medicines. The goal of their new project is to construct an office and warehouse in the vicinity of Nonthaburi Province. The architect plans to incorporate parts of Thai house architecture into the design of contemporary office buildings, similar to how Boonsong Osot utilizes traditional Thai herbs in modern medicine. The project owner has three key requirements: an office building, a living area with guest bedrooms for company visitors, and a warehouse. The layout of the building is designed to accommodate different needs, and it is meticulously arranged in a sequence and pattern where the office area is positioned at the front. The offices occupy both the first and the second floors. Adjacent to that is the core section of the structure, designed as a space for both relaxation and leisure. The second story serves as a relaxing area and provides access to the bedrooms on the third floor.
Both portions are constructed with interlocking forms, with an open space towards the garden at the center to establish a tranquil ambiance. The main entry on the second level features a prominent walkway structure that extends outward. Parking is located in front of the entrance, and the warehouse is situated at the far end of the area.
Due to the congruence between the architectural concept and the style and features of traditional Thai houses, the building has been divided into zones, which also aids in facilitating ventilation. Additionally, it facilitates enhanced natural light access into the building’s interior. In addition, the team repurposed the walkway section that links the areas through a spacious outdoor terrace known as a “chaan” in Thai to establish a semi-formal multi-purpose area where users can gather, converse, and utilize as an informal meeting space. Furthermore, the primary functional space of the building was elevated to the second floor to prevent flooding and allocate the majority of the ground floor area for service purposes. This concept is akin to elevating the functional spaces on the stilts found in traditional Thai houses.
The roofs of the structures are gable roofs that resemble traditional Thai houses. However, the design changes the orientation of the roof ridge rotation to give the structure a distinctive form. As a result, when the buildings are viewed from different angles, they take on different shapes. The architects used metal sheets to construct the gable roof. This material supports the architectural idea, which aims to preserve the essence of traditional Thai houses. Metal sheet is quite important in this area of the task as it is easier to create a sloping roof ridge. Furthermore, the capacity to flex and bend into various forms, maintain continuity in various joints and accept the overlay of gutters and other systems.
The capacity of COLORBOND® steel to flex and bend into varied forms, maintain continuity in various joints, and support the overlay of gutters and other system parts has a significant impact on the particular architectural design of Thai houses built with modern materials.
The walls are double-layered, which helps prevent heat and sound, and prevents rainwater from flowing back into the building. All of this significantly impacts the particular architectural design of Thai houses built with modern materials. Metal sheet is used to maintain the structure’s architectural integrity and original aesthetic identity. Additionally, the architect employs a variety of materials, including wood, which is the traditional material used in Thai architectural constructions. Despite the multitude of distinct components associated with Thai houses, the language used in the design establishes a degree of resemblance that merges with a modern mindset; thus, it perfectly showcases the fusion of traditional and contemporary ethos of Thai herbal medicines produced by Boonsong Osot.
Engineering Precision: The New Foundry of the Royal Thai Naval Dockyard
The Foundry of the Royal Thai Naval Dockyard is a facility that specializes in manufacturing bronze propellers for naval vessels. Completed in October 2023, the foundry spans approximately 2,300 square meters. Initially located at the Thonburi Naval Dockyard in Bangkok, the need for relocation led to the establishment of the new facility at the Phra Chulachomklao Naval Dockyard in Samut Prakan province.
This relocation to a more suitable location minimizes its impact on the local community, environment, and neighboring structures a significant improvement over the challenges faced by the former site amidst highly urbanized residential areas. In this project, the architects used metal sheets for both the roof and the walls because the main function of the building is a factory where the construction required high and wide column spans so the choices of roofing and walling materials are quite limited. This leads to metal sheet, which is lightweight and easy to install.
This aligns with the architectural design direction in the details where steel sheets are used on the walls and the roof. One of the persistent issues faced by the old foundry was insufficient lighting, despite attempts to enhance natural light with electric lighting. This is coupled with the users’ requirement to utilize sunlight as the main source of interior illumination. The building also accommodated the furnace inside, which causes high heat. These factors necessitated the design team to comprehensively understand wind and light directions before orienting the building accordingly. Considering the need for optimal interior illumination and ventilation, the rectangular architectural form was realized to facilitate efficient space management for machinery placement and accommodate potential future expansion.
In light of these factors, the design aimed to create openings that allow just enough natural light to enter. To minimize direct exposure of sunlight to the interior functional spaces and users, triangular openings were strategically placed instead of adding openings to the sides of the building. The design also aligns with the concept of simplified wave patterns caused by rotating propellers, resonating perfectly with the context of the project as a vessel propeller casting factory. The openings were positioned to bring in soft, diffused natural light from the north, creating a gentle ambiance within.
Additionally, the design of the building’s angled walls were carefully calculated and louvers were installed to help with interior ventilation while efficiently controlling the amount of natural light. These components prevent intense glare and heat from the afternoon sunlight coming from the west. Meanwhile, the skylights reduce the need of artificial lighting inside the building during the day. The louvers also contribute to the building’s appealing visual dynamics, beautifully harmonizing with the consistent presence of metal sheet throughout the entire architectural structure and fostering a unified aesthetic