Baan Kinaree
The Ideal Entertainment Villa for Family & Friends.
Sector: Villas
Country: Thailand
Client: Private
Services: Master Planning; Architecture; Interior Design
Year: 2011
“The idea for Baan Kinaree started in 2003 where a group of five friends working in different countries had an idea to build the ideal holiday venue to entertain friends, family and business contacts. With many of the friends working in property and development, it was easy to decide and agree on the location, Koh Samui, Thailand and the site – on the hills above the village of Bophut.
The vision was to design a large villa of several main pavilions which would provide spacious accommodation for 10 adults and their children set in generous landscaped grounds. The client wanted a picturesque aesthetic with a subtle Thai- style adapted to the needs of modern living.
An impressive entry was an important part of the brief. Boulders foraged from the site created a freestone wall through which one enters a small courtyard fringed by Koi ponds and revealing spectacular views of Bophut and Koh Phangan.
To left of the entry court is the main pavilion with the contiguous living dining and kitchen. The high vaulted roof and cross ventilation cools the space and a large shaded terrace commands the view.
Faced with the choice of either a cut and fill site formation or stilt structure, MAP elected for the former to retain a lower profile for the villa. Much of the lower level of the main pavilion is recessed into the resulting cut giving two identical bedroom suites that open out to a separate terrace and lawn area.
The western stair leads to the master bedroom pavilion where the master suite is on the upper level and suite two is directly below. The master suite enjoys a vaulted ceiling and an extensive bathroom facility comprising indoor and outdoor showers and a large terrazzo bath arranged so bathers can enjoy the abundant views.
The signature piece of the landscape is the 18m infinity edge pool which appears to sail out over the palm tree – filled valley below. The pool is finished in black metallic glazed tiles, ringed by a submerged seat and joins a roofed over Jacuzzi. A large day Sala is positioned poolside with a contained food preparation areas and table seating 12. In the evening a large screen can be rolled down to enjoy poolside movies.
One of the main unifying themes of Baan Kinaree is the extensive use of Thai sandstone flooring. This exceptional flesh coloured material is installed in a range of finishes – polished indoors, honed in bathrooms, saw cut finish for terraces and cleft for feature walls.”
