Furnish Studio in Thailand is festooned with battened slits that welcome nature in

Havens set aside for artistic endeavours demand openness. They require spaces to be configured in a manner that permits free movement and free arrangement of indoor paraphernalia, enables unhindered views of the outdoors, unfettered flow of the abutting air, and symbolises the freeness and inventiveness associated with creative endeavours. The brief shared by the client—an artist from a family of agriculturists—for the art space Furnish Studio, likewise, hinted towards the desire for a similar space. Furnish Studio is the first built project by Bangkok-based architectural firm 11.29 Studio. Built-in Rayong, Thailand, the project—comprising an art space, a gallery area, a living room, and a storage room for holding art supplies and books—was led by Kantinan Na Nakorn, Chanon Pannayang and Thewaphon Phoonkamlang.

The uniquely named Thai architecture firm stands for November 29, the birth date of the first member of 11.29 Studio, Kantinan Na Nakorn. “The first thing that came to his mind was to find a name that is easy to remember, not too long and not too short. Since most architecture firms make use of words and phrases instead of numbers, for their names, 11.29 seemed like a perfect fit for the name of the studio. Later, 11.29 became a team of four architecture friends working together,” the studio shares with STIR.

While the architecture of Furnish Studio was inspired by the Tri-Bhumi cosmology map or the Thai temple-style universe layout, its design was further influenced by the requirements shared by the client, Bo Puntita, as well as by the features of the site on which it is placed. “The architecture tried to introduce people to Thainess through the ‘Tri-Bhumi cosmology map’ which is a way of planning and design that appears in Buddhist literature. According to the map, square plans are encouraged. What we see in Furnish Studio is a square layout with cross axes,” the studio shares with STIR. The rectilinear plan is punctured by the vertical walls of the entrance hall, placed on only one side of the studio, hence decentralising or deconstructing the otherwise rectangular plan of the structure—imprinted in the visage of the universe layout in Thai cosmology. The idea of decentralising the plan with the prominently placed entrance stems from the context of the art studio, which holds both industrial estates and agricultural lands. Hence, the architects wanted the concrete and bamboo construction to follow a modified design theory, as well. Additionally, the roof of the art studio is jilted, too. It is sloped at angles that were realised as a reaction to their contexts and allow the proper influx of light channels into the structure.

Built using concrete as the main structural element, along with the incorporation of bamboo battens in place of solid walls, the art studio welcomes its surroundings inside. The structure, placed on an industrial estate, comprises a sculptural entrance built from concrete spacers—some of which are etched with dates of their origin—that are commonly found in the area. The usage of local materials instead of industrially produced variants also reduced the transportation cost and energy consumption that would otherwise have come out as an offshoot of the project. This decision of using materials and discards from the nearby areas appears all the more pertinent when viewed against Rayong’s status as an industrial estate—also known as Thailand’s highest Gross Provincial Product (GPP) province—where mass construction is otherwise a common occurrence.

Pondering this factor, the studio shares, “A large amount of concrete is used in construction that happens in this area. Generally, every 20 cubic metres of concrete requires a strength test, which is done by using three balls of cement concrete. After the test, the cement balls end up as waste. This inspired the idea of creating usefulness from the unuseful.” The usage of materials that were already discarded as waste helped minimise the waste produced as well as the construction cost incurred. The usage of locally acquired bamboo to build the adjustable battens means that the influx of both light and air can be regulated by the artist, hence lowering future electrical costs, too.

In using vertical battens that leave out apertures for light and air to enter, the studio has managed to create a concrete and bamboo architecture with snippets of visibility to the orchard, the nearby agricultural space, the pond located on the northeast and open spaces in the adjacent areas. “The building criteria was very obvious, to provide an adequate ventilated oil painting space. The plan of the art studio facilitates easy ventilation and the influx of adequate and flexible amount of sunlight,” the studio shares, describing the sustainable construction that invites cool breeze in and offers enviable sights of the vicinal land and scenery.

Since Furnish Studio was the architectural firm’s first built project, they faced several new challenges while building the structure. The usage of salvaged materials from the vicinity required the architects to develop new and more viable installation techniques. Fitting the roof and the battens also required delicate modes of construction.

In lieu of the brief shared by the client, the indoor space of the studio, too, flows free, unhindered by walls. When asked what the artist desired for Furnish Studio, 11.29 Studio shares, “The client wanted a space that would not limit her working and creativity. Her ideas in painting have no boundaries. Since she only works during the daytime, the space must welcome ample sunlight into the painting space, and hence the various openings. Additionally, abundant ventilation is provided for the artist’s oil paintings to dry easily. Due to the constant evaporation of oil paint’s medium, it requires adequate ventilation, otherwise, it could affect the artist's health in the long term. According to the condition, bamboo batten walls were used as a design element.”

Since the Furnish Studio is designed for regular usage by the artist, it was important for the indoor environment to be peaceful. “The interior design comprises the use of rustic concrete flooring contrasted with bright coloured furniture, as per the client's preference,” the architects mention. The entrance to the studio, huge in size, too, is built to let in the artist’s large canvases with ease. The studio, raised above the ground—in an attempt to avoid the entry of insects from the nearby agricultural land into the studio—appears to levitate mid-air. The artist can enjoy outdoor views—visible through varying frames from in between the apertures—from within a structure that acknowledges both its agricultural and industrial context, with the usage of materials used to build the studio, namely bamboo and concrete.

Project Details

Name of the project: Furnish Studio
Location: Rayong, Thailand
Area: 144 sq.m
Year of completion: 2023
Architect: 11.29 Studio
Design team: Kantinan Na Nakorn, Chanon Pannayang, Thewaphon Phoonkamlang
Manufacturers:  COTTO, Ikea, Philips, Progidy
Contractor: PP Dolos Company
Structural Engineers: PP Dolos Company