ASA JOURNAL 11/2023

theme / review
SIGNATURE BLOCKS
98 99
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
1 M
1. PARKING
2. ENTRY
3. FOYER
4. DINNING
5. LIVING
6. FITNESS
7. HOME THEATRE
8. BEDROOM 1
9. BEDROOM 2
10. BUDDHA ROOM
11. LAUNDRY
12. STORANGE
13. KITCHEN
14. PATIO
7
06
ผังบ้านสองชั้นและ
ผังหลังคาที่ใช้สอยได้
07
เส้นปาดเฉียงให้เกิดความ
เคลื่อนไหวของอาคาร
6
2ND FLOOR PLAN
1 M
1. FOYER
2. HOMEWORK ROOM
3. MASTER BEDROOM
4. WALK-IN CLOSET
5. BATHROOM
6. TERRACE
7. BEDROOM 3
8. BALCONY
9. BEDROOM 4
10. BEDROOM 5
ROOF FLOOR PLAN
1 M
1. TERRACE
An architect can express character or personality
in their architectural design in a variety of ways,
each of which is dependent on the subject matter
they choose to be the primary factor in their architectural
creations. Visually stunning lines and an
efficient and distinctive use of concrete are two
of Vaslab’s most visible and distinct identities.
Such elements can be found in their early works,
from when the studio was first established until
now. In Vaslab’s book, a good architectural design
needs to hold a sense of timelessness, both in the
functional and aesthetic aspects, considering the
longevity that a work will have in the long run. In
Vaslab’s realm of architectural creation lies the
belief that, while creating the design, materials
need to fulfill functional purposes while delivering
the expected durability and maintenance convenience.
Growing up seeing the works of architectural
masters such as Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn, and
Daniel Libeskind, as well as modern starchitects
such as Zaha Hadid and Tadao Ando and their
diverse uses of concrete to profess unique architectural
identities through architectural creations,
Vasu Virajsilp has always had a personal love and
passion for concrete architecture owing to the
material’s intrinsically unique and timeless beauty.
The experimentation with the kind of architecture
that Vasu found intriguing began with projects
that Vaslab was assigned to execute during its
initial years. These projects span from the Vaslab
office to various other works, many of which were
inspired by the architect and project owners’
mutual love of this particular style of architecture.
House in the Dust, a home in Thailand’s Petchaboon
province, is among them. The project was
inspired by the owner’s personal affection for
Overlapping House, another residential project
designed by Vaslab. The owner’s intention behind
House in the Dust was to create a unique-looking
home which resulted in the creative freedom that
allowed Vaslab to fully develop and express the
architectural style they have learned to master.
The on-site concrete casting that was employed
during the early stages of the project was the
product of an extensive process of experiments
and developments. Each step was carried out to
find a construction method that best suited the
builders’ skills as well as the available materials
and budget. Through a series of trial and error,
Vaslab began applying and adopting the use of
plywood in the casting process alongside deve
loping the skills of their team of builders’ for the
studio’s own projects. The attempt led Vaslab
to develop its own method of building concrete
architecture. It shies away from the use of steel
molds, which are commonly employed for most
renowned oversea projects that often come at a
higher cost and require a specific skill set on the
builders’ part.