Khao Yai Estate

Khao Yai Estate presents a rare opportunity to create thoughtfully designed architecture adjacent to Thailand’s first national park, Khao Yai. The national park spans nearly 2,206 square kilometres and is a crucial watershed for numerous rivers and a vital habitat for over 350 rare and endangered species, reflecting immense biodiversity, which profoundly informed our sensitive response. The project brief calls for a family retreat that seamlessly integrates with the natural surroundings, with a strong emphasis on re-wilding to blend harmoniously with the national park. Deeply contextual in its approach, the design includes creating additional watering holes and planting of over 100 native trees to promote local biodiversity. The spatial arrangement encourages family connection, with walkways that link the villas and offer panoramic views of the national park, inviting quiet moments of appreciation for the natural landscape. The design places conservation at its heart, with an arrangement that follows the site’s existing contours and places buildings on multiple levels to work with the existing terrain and embrace the landscape. For living and landscaping operations, we utilised several natural water sources by drawing from on-site borehole. We worked closely with our client and landscape designers from Thailand, using their expertise on native planting, wildlife conservation and water management strategies. Inspired by traditional Thai stilt houses, we embraced a design that elevates the villas above the ground, allowing wildlife to move freely underneath and creating harmonious, shared spaces for families. This elevated floor design facilitates passive cooling by allowing air to circulate beneath the slab. Additionally, passive design strategies such as solar shading, provided by the roof overhang, minimize energy usage while enhancing comfort. The timber is locally sourced, and the copper roof will naturally patina over time, as a direct response to the climatic context further blending the building with its surrounding landscape.