Space: Circulation of the House

Central Thailand's Traditional House

    The circulation of the house creates a flow of activity, which divides and connects the non-restricted and restricted areas of the house. At the traditional house in Luang Prabang, Laos, the circulation of the house allows people to walk freely on the open planned ground floor, but once one enters the house, the circulation of the house firmly directs everyone to the living room. From then on, only family members would be allowed to the family room and only selected family members are allowed to enter each bedroom. The connected kitchen has a lower platform compared to the family room, which reminds the members who direct themselves from the family room that they are currently outside of the restricted space. The kitchen is additionally accessible from the secondary staircase, which is for the ease of meal preparation and wood gathering. Similarly, the traditional houses in Central Thailand also have a secondary staircase for practicality and circulation. At a Central Thailand’s traditional house, people would be immediately directed to the first floor terrace since it is the non-restricted space of activities. Upon entering the terrace, the kitchen area will be exposed naturally with a secondary staircase tucked to the side of the house. It is only when one looks around the house to be able to see the raised platform of the separated bedrooms that are connected by the open terrace. Each of the bedrooms has its own extended roof that allows it to have an individualized enclosed terrace before actually entering the walled bedrooms. Another example is from Thailand’s Northern traditional house, which has a more unique circulation. This stilt house also does not have a functional ground floor, so everyone will be directed to the first floor hall. At this hall, there is a water dispenser at the hall at the landing of the stairway for the people entering the house to clean themselves. The bedroom doors face the front of the house, but that is not a hindrance to the privacy of the restricted space because people will be directed to the central corridor on the sides of the bedroom instead. Through the corridor, people will find the kitchen and the opened main terrace at the rear of the house. As for the family members of the house, once they arrive at the front hall of the house, they can rest under their personalized enclosed terrace before entering the bedroom. In brief, the circulation of the house acts as a filter that directs people toward the non-restricted areas before the restricted areas that only selected members are allowed for the balance of socialization, individualization and privacy.

The Circulation of a Central Thailand's Traditional House