Cliff-Hanging Home with Cantilevered Infinity Pool
Ultramodern by design, this fantastic cliff-side residence in Thailand thrusts its occupants into the natural surroundings – forests on two sides, chiseled stone on the third and a sensational ocean view on the fourth.
A light, white, contemporary cliff-side cousin to FLW’s falling water, this structure by Original Vision (images by Marc Gerritsen) is composed of a series of linear levels that zig-zig horizontally across the landscape.
On approach, floor-to-ceiling and side-to-side panel doors can be opened to make the ground-floor living room feel like a covered outdoor patio.
The private core residence is lifted off the ground like a bridge, creating a clear view out across the infinity pool, between the trees and to the water beyond.
From the architects:
“Nestled in a cascading, west facing ravine with a dramatic slab of rock defining the northern edge and a stunning outlook over the azure blue of the Andaman Sea to the south, our commission; to do this demanding but ultimately spectacular site justice, was both daunting and exciting.”
“The defining elements are the rock and the view. They dominate at every juncture. They resonate on first approach, through the migration from public to private space, in the living and in the family areas, in the gardens, in the bedrooms; and they continue to command respect down the tropical jungle steps that arrive at a secluded rock platform, flanked by the same seam that welcomed you 60m above.”
“Constant reference to these elements instills a feeling of solidity that contrasts with the openness of the house, reinforcing the dynamism and vibrancy that pays homage to the magic of the location. The home grows out from the rock; the bedroom element rests between it and the wing that strikes the perpendicular, rising vertically from the slope. This composition defines the open living and dining space that is simply a transition between two garden areas. It is intimate but open and the uninterrupted clear span creates a bridge under which the conventions defining indoor space disappear.”
