Public Talk 02 ------ Yan Chyuan Kai

 Ekaphap Duangkaew , an architect originated from Thailand . He is an alumnus of Chiang Mai University , completed his architecture studies from his hometown itself . Mr Duangkaew is the founder of EKAR and the co-founder of NOTDS which both are very well-known in Thailand . As i perceived , Mr Duangkaew is quite a minimalist type perfecting the simple , clean spaces yet bring in the modern sense in his buildings . He refined architecture as has to be functional yet aesthetic .He fond of emphasizing the culture , the society of people as the main aspects of designing which he brings most of the concern about it onto the table .  Mr Duangkaew also love the nature is being balanced in the building , where he incorporate vegetation in most of his design building.

         I believe Mr Duangkaew has a lot of experience in this field , where he showed his various project including renovation projects and commercial projects . The first building he talked about is the T-House , where it located at Nonthaburi , Thailand . The T-house under the NOTDS's project has three main function for its existence , An office, a warehouse, plus a residence for family expansion . Mr Duangkaew mentioned that , he wanted to mix the Thai living style with the Western way , therefore T-House is built . The house is kept ideally correspond to his minimalist style , retain the same tone in the house . Mr Duangkaew believes in the term 'Jai Baan' meant the heart of a house , which also imply to core of the house . According to him , The T-House 'Jai Baan' is the two crossing staircases that connect every spaces on the second level . I like he separate the spaces as in zoning in which the ground floor is ideally for working spaces area and the first floor is the spaces for private uses as such as living area . What makes a building differ from the other is having an identity . Mr Duangkaew installed the cotton stripes weaving above the stairs to represent the identity of the family , the historical past of the family , the untold hidden story . The cotton stripes weaving in a way also allow direct sunlight to enter due to it translucent form of object . 

          

 The next mentioned building is the Multi-Place house . This house was built for the user to use it as a place for multi-purpose , where you can live and work at the same place , increasing the conveniency of two siblings ( owner of the building ) , as a vet and a pharmacist . The space area are very limited but Mr Duangkaew is able to put the spaces to full potential . The Multi-place house consist of veterinary clinic , pharmacy , and also residential spaces for two families .

               According to the requirement of the client , they request that the residential spaces are to be separated from one another . The spaces between two residential spaces are adjacent to each other but what he did was quite spectacular . He created a small garden in between spaces , which brings in most of the sunlight into the building due to its direct exposure to the ground and also it a linkage between this two residential spaces , a connection between two private spaces . 

          Other than that , he use most material of concrete screen block , which serves few purposes to its building . Firstly , it reduce the noise from the outer spaces into buildings without disrupt the ventilation flow of wind . Second , it accumulate dust which will prevent the nasty air entering the building , instead , gave a better flow of air exchange .

Q&A

James : How does Chiang Mai influence for your design?

Ekaphap : The Different country will be having a different condition of the site and the most influential part is that the context of the site.

Random Girl : How do you organize your work with your partner, with EKAR? Is there are some people doing this work and other people working for different things?

Ekaphap : There are 9 of us in EKAR, and not to say organized the work, but all people of EKAR have to do all the works.