The client wished for a contemporary and simple interior, in contrast with the exterior, which has been left untouched to preserve the symmetrical layout of the three buildings (a central body with two wings).
Thanks to the wall painted in a shade of ocher, the classical European style and Laos landscape are harmonically integrated. For the main entrance on the first floor, the architects, inspired by the classical facade, designed a “waterfall” made of Swarovski crystal glass.
White marble was chosen for the floor along the outer walls, inspired by the stately facade with decorative arched windows. Meanwhile, the floor and walls nearer the center of the room were finished with golden teak from Laos.
Moreover, the stone wall is made of granite, suggestive of the rugged rocks found along the rivers running through the deep forest, or around waterfalls. It is flanked with large stainless steel panels with a mirror finish or glass panels ‒ materials never used in the traditional, rustic wooden buildings of the local area.
House in Pakse, Laos
Program: single-family house
Architects: Makoto Yamaguchi Design
Completion: 2015