We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Nontawat Charoenchasri about their original and creative Residential design work. Nontawat Charoenchasri is an award-winning architectural designer, that makes our world a better place with their original residential works.
Nontawat Charoenchasri ("NC") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work OB House Residential. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
NC : OB House expresses a distinct architectural language through a cubic form that’s been carved to create rhythmic variations of solid and void across each elevation. While each façade reveals a different spatial character, the overall massing remains cohesive—anchored in a minimal and timeless concept. Beyond form, the house is designed to reflect the lifestyle and identity of its owners, with a spatial flow that balances privacy, natural light, comfort, and openness. The house belongs to a creative couple—one a fashion designer, the other in advertising. The brief was clear: a minimalist home with raw yet refined materials. In response, we crafted a structure that feels introverted from the outside but unfolds into interconnected, light-filled spaces within. The massing articulates function: front elevations appear solid and grounded, while the internal voids and glass cuts bring light, transparency, and spatial dialogue across all levels. A central courtyard punctuates the mass, connecting floors vertically through double and even triple-height spaces. From kitchen and pantry on the ground floor, to an open-plan living and guest suite on the second floor, to the master bedroom above—each level is linked visually and physically. A spiral staircase, requested by the clients, becomes both a sculptural centerpiece and vertical connector. Green pockets and full-height glazing ensure the interior feels open, breezy, and energized—without sacrificing privacy. One of the challenges was ensuring spatial continuity while remaining faithful to the core concept of minimalism and timelessness. Each elevation serves both aesthetic and functional purposes, with solids protecting the house from harsh western sunlight, and voids strategically cut for ventilation and daylighting. The design also supports sustainable living by reducing reliance on artificial cooling and lighting.
NC : To create an architectural reflection of the owners’ lifestyle—where minimalism meets personality, and form supports function.
NC : We aim to evolve the ideas developed here, applying them to new projects with different constraints—while staying true to our design DNA: clarity, honesty, and spatial rhythm.
NC : Approximately 1–2 years.
NC : It was a commissioned project. The owners wanted to tear down their old house and rebuild a new one on the same site—within a defined budget. For us, it was also an opportunity to craft something unique that reflects both the clients and the values of THE OTHERS.
NC : No. It’s a one-off, custom home.
NC : We wanted to challenge ourselves by taking on a residential project unlike anything we had done before.
NC : Yes—Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, David Chipperfield, Peter Eisenman, Louis Kahn, Sou Fujimoto, and more.
NC : The homeowners themselves—one is a fashion designer, the other a creative in advertising.
NC : We push minimalism beyond aesthetics—it’s about reduction with depth. The rhythm of solid and void creates both form and feeling.
NC : OB House comes from the initials of the couple who own the house.
NC : SketchUp, physical model making, Adobe Suite, and of course, sketching by hand.
NC : The choreography of solid and void—how mass and emptiness interact across elevations.
NC : Our contractor played a key role—they understood both the materiality we envisioned and the clients’ expectations.
NC : From natural ventilation strategies to home automation systems, tech was used to improve everyday comfort and energy efficiency.
NC : Our design draws from modernist and minimalist principles—reduction, honesty, and the direct expression of function. But behind the simplicity lies a complex study of spatial relationships, especially between mass and void in elevation and section.
NC : Construction took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, and rising material costs added pressure on the budget.
NC : We wanted to see how our work measures up on the global stage—and to share our architectural perspective internationally.
NC : Good architecture takes time. It demands patience, dedication, and the courage to stay true to your concept. Looking back—we’re proud of what we’ve built.
NC : We’d like to thank the A’ Design Award 2025 for honoring OB HOUSE with a Bronze award. It means a lot to us and gives our team the motivation to keep designing with heart and purpose.
