Project: Other Projects
Posted By Alec on April 25, 2011
We recently completed the design of a low cost 2 bedroom house in a 1.5 storey configuration for a customer who has his own construction team ready to build for him. He came with a basic idea of the style of home he wanted and we developed this into a floor plan and exterior in keeping with this style.
Project: Other Projects
Posted By Alec on February 3, 2011
I have just completed an initial concept design for a 300 sq.m. two storey four bedroom home.
Project: Other Projects
Posted By Alec on January 24, 2011
The owner of a travel agent in Nong Khai asked us to help them with a problem they were having with their office. The problem was that the office was becoming unbearably hot as it had a glass curtain wall frontage and also large windows at the side. Sun streamed in all through the day. Adding blinds inside had not helped as although it blocked out the glare of the sun, it did not stop the office temperature increasing, cause by the sun heating up the air in the gap between the inside of the window and the blind. Whilst they had air conditioning fitted that should have been the correct power for the size of the office, it did not account for the excessive heat that can build up in such a glass box! The problem had become so bad that they had resorted to leaving the security shutters down for most of the time. The problem with this was that passers by then thought that the office was not open!
My solution was to provide a physical barrier to protect the office from the sun. First we applied a sheet of adhesive material to the window that allows you to see out of from the inside, but blocks much of the light coming in. I also designed and printed some sections of this material to promote some of the world destinations that the travel agent offers packages to. I then designed a series of solid facia board constructed from a combination of wood, stainless steel and plastic that incorporated the company logo to be mounted outside the window as another physical barrier to the heat of the sun. These facia boards are all removable from the frame to which they are mounted to allow for cleaning of the windows behind them. The large white board actually has a hinged glass front in a stainless steel frame and can be opened up to allow posters to be displayed detailing the latest promotions on offer by the travel agent. Everything that was installed fits between the window and the existing security shutters so that it is protected when the office is closed at night.
We completed all work with this small project a little over a week ago and are happy to report that it has solved the problem…. the office is now cool and airy, and passers by never miss the office because not only are the security shutters open all day, but the company also has a greatly increased street presence as a result of the new signage.
Here is the office as it was, the CAD concept that was presented, and the final result.
Project: Other Projects
Posted By Alec on January 12, 2011
We were recently asked to design the frontage for a new build electronic goods showroom which is soon to open in Vientiane, Laos. The main structure of the building had already been erected and work was ongoing. Whilst some exterior detailing in place, it was not to the owners taste. My brief was to provide a bold, modern and colourful frontage design to add to the existing structure.
Here is the structure of the building that I had to design around.
The design that I provided was largely inspired by the work of the Dutch artist Piet Mondrian, which seemed to fit perfectly with the clean lines, modern and colourful design that I had been asked to provide. The large area of white space at the top of the building and above the ground floor is intended for signage.
Project: Other Projects
Posted By Alec on December 31, 2010
Although this project began back in June 2010, I realised that it is not one that I have ever mentioned before on the blog. The client, a friend and fellow designer, had an idea for a home that consisted of a complex of small buildings set amongst the trees in a mature tamarind orchard. There was to be a master bedroom suite building, a living room / lounge building and a larger building housing the kitchen, dining room, laundry and guest bedroom. These buildings were all to be set around an ornamental lotus pond. There were also to be two further buildings to act as self contained guest accommodation complete with kitchen, living room and bedroom suite. The property was also to have a swimming pool. Although I have headed this blog post “Bali Style Home”, it is really a fusion of Bali style with a number of other different asian styles of architecture and design.
Our friend came to us with a clear picture of exactly what he was going to build and asked if we could develop the concept into a full set of architectural and engineering drawings and submit them to the Nong Khai planning department for approval. We produced the drawings and after jumping a few hurdles with the local planning department, permission to build was granted and construction is now well underway and, in fact, nearing completion. Our friend is managing the build himself and I am excited to see the finished property because it is sure to be stunning and something quite unique for Nong Khai. Certainly, from my last visit, the site is really beginning to take shape and his eye for detail is clearly evident in the concept and in the build so far.
With his permission, I shall try to add some photos of the finished home once complete. In the mean time, here are a few of the engineering drawings that we produced for the project.
Project: Other Projects
Posted By Alec on November 27, 2010
Automatic gates were once an expensive luxury, however, these days they have become very affordable and low maintenance. If you are currently in the process of building a house and would like to enhance you property with an automatic gate, please contact us to get a quotation. We can also retrofit existing gates, be they slide open or swing open.
We recently took a small job to supply and fit an automatic motorised gate for a client in Laos. We were asked to construct the gate frame, fit the motor and gear equipment and complete all of the necessary wiring. Wooden planks will be added to complete the gate by the owner at the same time as his boundary wall is completed by his current builder in Laos.
We have also installed automatic gates to our two projects in Thip Thani.
Project: Other Projects
Posted By Alec on November 14, 2010
It has been a while since I lost posted to the blog, primarily because we have been so busy with our latest projects. One of which is the design of this large 5 bedroom family home which is soon to be built just outside Nong Khai town centre.
The client came to us with pictures of a number of houses that they liked and we designed the home taking design cues from those initial ideas, whilst designing a custom floor plan specific to their requirements. The house has 315 sq.m of internal area and features two large bedroom suites on the second floor, plus two on the ground floor. There is also guest accommodation with lounge, bedroom and bathroom, located above the car parking area complete with it’s own stairs access from the main house.
Project: Other Projects
Posted By Alec on August 8, 2010
Another project that we carried out the design for was a pool villa situated right on the Mekong river between Nong Khai and Tha Bo. This two ensuite bathroom home consisted of large open plan living area set around a decked pool area enjoying views across the mekong river. For a better view of the river, the home also featured a shaded roof top terrance.
Project: Other Projects
Posted By Alec on August 8, 2010
We were recently approached by a client who had a plot of land in Laos on which he wanted to build a relatively low cost 2 bedroom bungalow. He had already arranged a local builder, but wanted us to carry out the design and engineering of the home and produce a set of plans. The home consists of two bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, large living spaces and both an indoor and outdoor kitchen with two balconies. We have completed all of the plans the client is due to begin construction with his own builder soon.
Project: Other Projects
Posted By Alec on August 8, 2010
At Nong Khai Design, we offer a complete design and build service and can take your dream home, develop the design, carry out necessary structural engineering, submit plans for planning approval and build your home. We can also help you find the land on which to build. Once built we offer interior design and garden landscaping services. However, we can also help you with any particular phase of the design and build process, whether you already have plans and just need a builder, or maybe you have a builder and need a set of plans.
I tend to blog here specifically about our own projects, but I shall start to add more of the projects in which we are involved shortly under the category of ‘Other Projects’.
