Regarding the design, I focused on how the walls can be adapted and aggregated to create a space where several activities and usage can be performed even with the absence of a furniture. Rather than a room which was determined in general (ie. bedroom, living room), the space within this project aims to combine similar activities into a single space separated by several walls of two sides where it can later be named after its usage.
The clients are a family of four, consisting of a 42 years old male Japanese chef who was once divorced, a 34 years old noodle merchant at the start of Soi 38 who is obsessed with Japan, one 12 years old Japanese boy from the father’s previous marriage, and a 6 months old Thai-Japanese infant from their second marriage. Briefly, the father requires a space similar to Japanese rooms, flexible enough to be adjusted depending on the activities performed, and a kitchen where he can practice his cooking skills although however, unsure about the stability of his budget, it is suggested that the room should be able to revert to a normal bedroom as well in case he decided to quit this career. For the mother, an exterior (facade) of which shows status, an interior which looks as good but not too expensive and an integration of Japanese style house (to show off to her friends) which fits well with the climate of Thailand is requested. For the son, the client wanted his own room, with a built-in bathroom and restroom where it is convenient both in usage and access. Regarding the infant, the parents requested for a room with a clear observation and an easy access. From all these requirements, making all specific rooms would be in opposition to the mother’s request of budget; thus, the idea of the “moving, aggregated walls” is suggested so that different spaces containing different activities can be made just by rearranging the position and direction of the walls.
In linkage to the previous projects, for example in Project 1 where, in my case, the fact that Thai people are obsessed with “imported” products are emphasized, states that people are fixated on the image they give to outsiders or guests, and in most cases goods which are imported from a foreign country, as in Europe or in some developed countries such as Japan, are considered to be more standardized. Towards the design, the idea relates back to Project 2, Neufert, concerning the Customization of Thai Standard Rooms where Functional Aggregation (to merge rooms with similar uses into one), Functional Pretension (to create another room specifically for the eyes of the public), Functional Augmentation (a case in which one rooms are used to perform several activities even though it is not originally designed to be used that way), and Functional Adaptation (where elements within the room are adapted to fit the conditions of the space, for example lighting in regards to where the windows are located) are proposed. These ideas are considered to be a part of the design, and thus combined with the research and the idea of “multi-function space” in Project 3 where the case study is Katsura Imperial Villa, the “Aggregation of Walls” is created.
