This website uses cookies as well as similar tools and technologies to understand visitors' experiences. By continuing to use this website, you consent to Columbia University's usage of cookies and similar technologies, in accordance with the Columbia University Website Cookie Notice
During our exploratory trip, we observed a fascinating blend of structural columns in village houses and surrounding trees, highlighting a natural integration of architecture with the environment. This led to our design project at the Jim Thompson Farm, focusing on “Framing / Farming: Natural and Artificial.” We explore the relationship between man-made architectural elements and their natural counterparts, inspired by the Thai concept that building a house is similar to growing one. Our project challenges the traditional separation between nature and architecture, proposing a symbiotic relationship where structures evolve organically within their landscape. The Jim Thompson House, known for its gardens that intertwine with architectural structures, illustrates this potential harmony. Our design for the artist residences at the farm extends these ideas into architectural forms that grow in sync with the local ecological and cultural context. We aim to explore materiality, tectonics, and spatial organization in ways that merge the natural with the artificial, embracing principles of growth, decay, and renewal. This approach seeks to create adaptable, resilient architecture that is deeply connected to its surroundings.