Verdant Verandahs House / HYLA Architects

 Text description provided by the architects. More than just a screen for privacy and sun-protection, the concrete brise-soleil captures and intensifies nature along the perimeter of the house – a series of lush, landscaped verandahs immediately adjacent to the indoor spaces. Every single room at the upper levels looks into its very own private garden; one with a semi-outdoor bathtub that is literally outside, yet visually protected and well sheltered from the elements.

The pattern of the screen follows an underlying grid, but skips certain intervals to produce a composition with rhythm and a more asymmetric sense of balance. Other parts of the screen also form planter boxes, allowing more layers of green to grow and slowly reveal itself over the concrete.

Landscaping continues into other parts of the house. A courtyard at the second storey next to the staircase allows air and light into the central part of the house. The blues and greens from the pool and the heavy planting along side dominates the main living spaces on the ground floor, again celebrating nature as an integral part of one’s dwelling place.

RETREAT HOME LIVING

It is true that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the way we live and work, and many people have had to adjust to new lifestyles as a result. The idea of a retreat home, which provides a peaceful and secluded space for relaxation and rejuvenation, has become increasingly popular as people look for ways to cope with the stress and anxiety of the pandemic.

As for the design by 6pm IDEAS, it is difficult for me to comment on it without knowing more details about the project. However, I can say that good interior design can have a positive impact on our well-being and quality of life, especially in times of stress and uncertainty. A well-designed retreat home can create a calming and nurturing environment that promotes relaxation and self-care.

Overall, adapting to the changing world and embracing new lifestyles is important in order to thrive in the midst of the pandemic and beyond. Whether it's through a retreat home or other means, finding ways to prioritize our physical and mental health is key to building resilience and staying healthy

InterContinental Khao Yai National Park resort

Prolific Bangkok-based hotel designer Bill Bensley is renowned for his brilliantly unconventional properties. That’s a reputation he looks set to consolidate further as word of the forthcoming InterContinental Khao Yai National Park hotel spreads. 

Just under three hours from Bangkok and formerly referred to as InterContinental Khao Yai Swan Lake Resort, the 61-key property will occupy a 100-acre site enveloped by 50,000 trees and with views over seven lakes. The setting promises to be beautiful, but it’s the architecture that will likely be the resort’s most distinctive feature. Its inventory will include 16 80sqm suites repurposed from heritage train cars. 

For Bensley, the idea of incorporating the old-fashioned romance of long-ago train travel into the hotel’s structure stemmed from the surrounding area’s history as a gateway for rail transportation to northeast Thailand during the reign of King Rama V. Woven into the design will be threads telling the story of a train conductor who loved to explore his surrounding world at leisure, travelling languidly by rail not just through Thailand but to Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore and beyond.

Expected to open in October – though nobody can quite say for sure given all the chaos still being wrought by Covid – the InterContinental Khao Yai National Park will feature Somsri’s Kitchen as its primary restaurant, with the setting named after the mother of the train conductor. Set by the pool and the main lake, the hotel’s Tea House will occupy another converted train carriage. On site will also be a train-inspired spa, a kids’ club and wedding chapel. Multiple golf courses can be found in the surrounding area. 

nterContinental Khao Yai National Park’s launch comes at a busy time for Bill Bensley. Earlier this year he launched the opera-inspired Capella Hanoi and he is currently preparing for the 2022 launch of The Samurai Camp Okinawa, a camp that can be reached by zipline and which will be inspired by Japanese samurai culture, and Shinta Mani Loong Bay in Hainan, the latest installment of Bensley’s own Shinta Mani brand. That latter property will be surf-inspired and is set to feature Bensley’s take on American beach houses, all scattered along this corner of China. (I’m a big fan of Bensley’s Shinta Mani brand, whose affiliated Shinta Mani Foundation does so much to support surrounding communities and the local economy – I wrote about my encounter with the initiative in Siem Reap here.)

The InterContinental’s launch also follows the recent debut of Kruger Shalati, a hotel built from renovated rail carriages that stands above South Africa’s Kruger National Park’s Sabie River. In Thailand, holidaymakers who have traditionally wanted to experience high-end train accommodation have often booked a cabin aboard Belmond’s Eastern & Oriental Express. The train offers multi-day itineraries through Southeast Asia, with various departures from Bangkok running to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. 

P.S. Bill Bensley will soon be speaking about his work on a forthcoming LUTE Lounge webinar. Keep an eye on the LUTE website and Instagram feed for more details. 

 Bill Bensley 

LAKEHOUSE PHONG NHA.

The mountainous area to the west of Quang Binh, Phong Nha Ke Bang area is an area with beautiful terrain that is too famous.  Here, the investor chooses the land nestled along Ho Chi Minh Road, and hugs the shore of the irrigation lake (Dong Suong Lake).  Forming a service area to stop and stay very romantic and convenient to connect to Phong Nha cave discovery tour service.  We orient this as a small village, with hospitable natives.  Multi-generational families live together with farming jobs.  Fishing boats on the lake, girls gathering firewood in the mountains to prepare for a fiery evening, and children playing with poultry. With the goal of being a 3-star standard, we arrange the houses facing the lake.  The rooms follow the steps so the view is not limited to the natural scenery.  Vast area of ​​freshwater lake, will arrange outdoor games combined with water surface.  Lakehouse resort has a variety of room types, from bungalows, to villas, to self-contained apartments.  Service area, restaurant, GYM, SPA, swimming pool area B will connect with area A which has been operated before to become a complete closed service chain.  Going to the end of the internal traffic in zone B around the top of the hill is a place to cover the landscape, where we arrange a panorama bar that combines out door games such as water slides, outdoor cinemas ..v.v.

Lakehouse Phong Nha Resort was lead by architect Nguyễn Hữu Anh Tuấn of the architecture firm 6pm Ideas. The firm is based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and is known for its innovative and sustainable designs.

The Lakehouse Phong Nha Resort was designed to blend in seamlessly with the natural environment surrounding it. The resort's villas and bungalows feature simple, elegant designs that allow the beauty of the surrounding landscape to take center stage. The use of local materials, such as stone and wood, further emphasizes the connection between the resort and its environment.

The resort's main building, which houses the reception area, restaurant, and lounge, is designed to resemble a traditional stilt house, a common style of architecture in rural Vietnam. Overall, the design of the Lakehouse Phong Nha Resort evokes a sense of peace and serenity, reflecting the tranquil beauty of the surrounding countryside.

6pm IDEAS