The Lineage Houses

A Hidden Dimension in Spatial Design

Rooted in the Chinese-Thai space arrangement philosophy (Feng Sui), a layout of a house needs to respond to not only physical aspects of the site, but also fit with the owner’s date and time of birth. Such information thoroughly calculated in relation to the site forms a design basis that focuses on locating each component at a strategic location in order to bring prosperity and longevity to the house owner. It is a hidden dimension in spatial design which will reveal itself in many aspects of a house, in the site plan, in the building mass, in the interior space, and in even the height of a wall. It is one of the many tools architects use in order to come up with designs that will provide ultimate comfort and enhance propitious future of the owners.

Design Basis: Site plan

This residence is built on a plot of land with one existing house. It consists of two living quarters; the first one for the mother, and the second for the son’s family. The mother’s living quarter is renovated from an existing two-story building, whereas the son’s is a completely new construction. According to the design basis previously mentioned, the site plan is to maintain both pedestrian and vehicular existing circulations. And the location of the new construction is to be towards the east of the existing house which is considered the most auspicious location.

Design Basis: Building Mass

The design basis dictates that no courtyard is to be separating the two living quarters. They are to appear as one seamless structure sharing the same entry. By having a new construction abutting an existing one, the details at transition points are extremely crucial to avoid any structural damages.
The new house sits at a higher elevation and set slightly behind the existing house. Symbolically this reflects the philosophy that parents laid out a foundation for younger generations, and in return the younger generation will prosper and support their ancestors in the future. This same idea could be seen in other design elements such as the shape and angle of the roofs; and the height of the new house that is higher than that of the mother’s.

Design Basis: Interior Space

The interior space arrangement aims to foster opportunities for two different generations to spend time together. Shared living space is easily accessible from both the new and the renovated houses.
The high open well inside provides a play and flow of interior space to open up visual connections within. This flow of space not only enhances physical and visual connectivity but also enables stack ventilation, good air movement which is related to good orientation of the site plan.
The interior decoration style is a combination between Modern Chinese and Asian Modern Minimalist. It is about a new life style that maintains a strong connection to its cultural roots.