Balustrading in Thai Architecture

Balustrading is a key component of more traditional style Thai architecture. A Thai wooden house is often very open plan with much of the total floor area taken up with outdoor areas. These areas are often elevated from the ground because of the preference in Thai design to build a house on stilts. This means the edges of the outdoor areas often have considerable drops. This is a safety issue that is best rectified with balustrading.

The same is true for balconies. It is dangerous to not enclose a balcony with some type of balustrading to stop people accidently falling from the second floor. Furthermore, in villa design both traditional and modern it is often the case that the balcony looks out over a sweeping view of a bay with a precipitous drop.

 There are a variety of styles and materials that are used in Thailand for balustrading. Wood can be placed flush to the building or in slats.

The wooden balustrading can be simple with nice clean lines or it can be carved and intricate. Often decorative features such as lanterns are incorporated successfully into a balustrade.

Cheap balustrading can be made from concrete which is then 'beautified' with tiles. Tiles gives the option of playing with colour and design.

A modern and sometimes far from appealing effect can be achieved with welded iron and light aluminium balustrading. The advantage of aluminium is that it doesn't rust or corrode in wet weather. In contrast wood and timber balustrades need constant treatment to maintain.

Sometimes a mixture of materials is used on balustrading in Thailand often with mixed results. Below is an example of marble and carved wood. Expensive materials that just don't work together.

Balustrading can be used to define paths and for handrails over bridges. Here is an example of reclaimed hardwoodbeing used in a path through the grounds of a hotel in Thailand. In these eco-conscious times that we live in using reclaimed wood is an excellent idea.

Finally, balustrading in Thai architecture is sometimes used to define a lower floor open plan space. Rather than walls that restrict air flow, balustrades can be incorporated which provide a degree of privacy while maintaining the delightful sense of openness that is one of the trade marks of good Thai design.

Windows in Thai Architecture Part Two

In Part One of Windows in Thai Architecture I looked at the aesthetic impact windows can have on a building. In this part I will discuss some of the more technical aspects of windows.

The primary concerns with windows in Thailand are two fold: the first is light, the second is solar gain. In a way the two factors work against each other. The smaller the window the less the solar gain, but also the less light that will be let into a building.

In Thailand where the weather is really hot solar gain is a key issue. It is very expensive to run an air-con unit 24 hours a day. A fan or natural ventilation is much cheaper and more eco-friendly. It is not an option to not have windows only have tiny slit windows because then you rely on artificial light. Artificial light does not contain the full spectrum of light and can cause psychological problems such as S.A.D (seasonal adjustment disorder).

In this post I will look at the various methods there are to have windows but to reduce solar gain.

The first and easiest method is to use roller shades, vertical blinds or venetian blinds. The downside of this is that fabric quickly fades with exposure to the sun and having the curtains drawn all the time creates an unfriendly atmosphere to a house as viewed from outside. An outsider will subconsciously think that the resident is always sleeping or sick or just reclusive.

Another method to reduce solar gain is to use the house or villa construction. Especially for east and west facing windows that get a lot of light, building an awning above the window can reduce solar gain by up to 50%. Another method is to place a window under the over-hang of a roof.

 

  

A key consideration when planning windows for your villa is the frame material. The lower the conductivity of the frame material the less solar gain. The least conductive material is wood. The problem with wood is that it rots, especially in tropical weather  where there is a lot of humidity and rain. To combat the wetness make sure drainage is used and treat the wood. Unfortunately, the chemicals used to treat the wood are not environmentally friendly. To maximize the effectiveness of the treatment and minimize the impact on the environment get the wooden window frames chemically treated in the factory and not on-site. For more on the treatment of wood and its environmental impact check out NGS GreenSpec.

is becoming a popular frame material. It is low in conductivity (not as low as wood) and is durable. The downside is that it is a type of plastic and can ruin the aesthetic of a window in a Thai villa which might be aspiring to a traditional Thai feel. Finally, there are metal frames - they are the highest in conductivity but are very durable. Metal has a very modern feel and only suits modernist architecture in Thailand. Also it is the most expensive frame material.

The final way to combat solar gain is through using something other than just plain glass. Glass is tinted by changing the chemical properties of glass. Tinted glass absorbs light and heat considerably better than normal glass. In some cases tinted glass can absorb as much as 50% of the heat coming from the sun. Unfortunately, a lot of that heat later seeps into the room via convection and radiation. And the other downside with tinted glass is that it dramatically reduces the amount of light let into a room.

 

  

The latest method to reduce solar gain through windows is to put a low-e coating on the glass. A low-e coating is a layer of metal only a few molecules in thickness. Most window manufacturers now put low-e coatings on all their windows. A low-e coating is very effective against solar gain. One coating is the equivalent of adding another pane of glass between a room and the sunlight. Low-e coatings are also better than tinted glass because they don't reduce the lighting in a room very dramatically.

Windows are a integral part of what makes a villa feel 'luxurious'. The psychology is obvious - windows promote a feeling of light, space and airiness, they provide panoramas of sea, mountain and jungle, they promise the immediacy of decking and pool, they bring the outside into the house and connect the two. A room with a view is a good room. A room without a view or even without a window is a prison cell. No windows equals claustrophobia and depression. The question is how to have windows and light without overheating your living space.