Amata City: Treasure by the sea

Ban Noi is not only a well-preserved beach house in Hua Hin, but also a place where beautiful memories are embedded for an important family

Published: 13/06/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Brunch

Under the shade of some trees, a white, airy beach house named Ban Noi is nestled on more than 10 rai of land along a stretch of the sandy Hua Hin beach in Prachuap Khiri Khan. The warm relaxing atmosphere there is a perfect combination of beautiful ocean views, cool sea breezes and the soothing sounds of waves lapping at the beach.

HRH Prince Bovoradej

This century-old house recently won the Architectural Conservation ASA Award 2010 from the Association of Siamese Architects Under Royal Patronage for its architectural and historical value, well-preserved state and long and continued use.

"Ban Noi was one of the first bungalows to be built in Hua Hin," said Yuwarat Hemasilpin, an architect of W.H. Associates who was responsible for the restoration of Ban Noi. "It belonged to His Royal Highness Prince Nares, one of Hua Hin's founders. That's why it is historically important."

Ms Yuwarat said that of the more than 200 traditional Hua Hin bungalows, only 47 remain. Only a few, including Ban Noi and the nearby Ban Bayan, are in their original style. The others have either been moved or changed.

"Ban Noi maintains the beauty and unique qualities of traditional Hua Hin bungalows. It has a hipped [panya] roof, balconies overlooking the sea and transitional spaces. In the old days, the beach was the main route for people to travel. The road was built later.

"Transitional spaces, such as verandahs and walkways, allow sea breezes to pass through and also help screen sunlight," the architect added.

HSH Princess Pajongchitr Kridakorn

According to Ms Yuwarat, three major characteristics of the Southeast Asian timber-frame architecture - bungalows, verandahs and stilts - were introduced to Siam by European missionaries in the Third Reign during the 19th century. Bungalows were derived from the Indian language Hindi bangla - a single-storey wooden house with a tall pyramid-shaped roof and large verandahs on all sides. They were built on raised foundations to avoid termites and seasonal flooding and allow the breeze to circulate underneath. The verandahs helped combat the heat and humidity of the tropics and provide shady seating areas.

Hua Hin-style bungalows, which were built from 1911 to 1945, were unique with their sporting hipped roofs, large verandahs overlooking the sea to the east, and transitional spaces between verandahs and inner rooms. They were decorated the same way as the houses of the Sixth and Seventh reigns. Light and ventilation passages were made of finely carved and geometrically shaped wood. Windows were large and reached the floors, allowing dwellers to enjoy cool sea breezes and pleasant views outside.

"Ban Noi is the former Ban Dol Suk Ploen, one of several houses built in a large plot of land, Sukkhaves, which belonged to His Royal Highness Prince Nares," said Asaya Kongsiri, one of Ban Noi's owners.

A dressing table designed by HRH Prince Bovoradej

HRH Prince Nares, she explained, was a son of King Chulalongkorn, and the Minister of Public Works who supervised the construction of the southern railway. In 1911, he occupied a plot of land in Hua Hin and built a summer palace named Saen Samran for his future descendants - the Kridakorn family.

"Ban Dol Suk Ploen later became a permanent home of my grandparents, HRH Prince Bovoradej and HSH Princess Pajongchitr Kridakorn, after World War II. The house, which had only two bedrooms and a living room, was extended and renamed as Ban Noi," Ms Asaya added.

On the prince's order, two verandahs were added to Ban Dol Suk Ploen, on the front and beach sides. A pantry and servants' rooms were built at the rear. Every afternoon, the prince and his family would sip tea on the verandah overlooking the sea. The prince designed and built some of the furniture for Ban Noi, such as chairs and a book cabinet in the living room and closets and dressing tables in the bedrooms. These pieces remain in use today.

"The verandah facing the sea is where the family gathers to sip tea and chat in the evening and where children play together after a long, hot day. There is no modern furniture. In the living room lie several pieces of furniture designed and used by my grandfather," Ms Asaya added.

a cupboard designed by the prince

According to his memos later found in Ban Noi, Prince Bovoradej paid 6 baht to hire a samlor (tricycle taxi) each day to take him from Ban Noi to Chatchai market to buy medicine and other items. He spent most of his time running his Khomapastr textile printing factory opposite Ban Noi. He had developed a keen interest in textiles while in exile in Saigon during the 1930s.

"After my grandfather [Prince Bovoradej] passed away in 1953, my grandmother carried on the Khomapastr textile business. My mother [MR Achariya Kongsiri] told me that my grandmother opened a small kiosk near Ban Noi to sell printed textiles to passers-by who strolled along the beach." Ms Asaya said.

In the past, alms-giving regularly took place on Hua Hin beach. Monks would walk southwards to receive alms from waiting Buddhists and enter the compound of Ban Noi as a shortcut on their way back to the temples.At present, Ban Noi belongs to Mr Aswin and MR Achariya Kongsiri, MR Poranee Ross, MR Vipasiri Vuthinantha and their children.

Ban Noi was restored in 2007 because it was too small for the owners' larger families and was also deteriorating and under threat from termites.

items in the shade of a big tree.

"We followed no strict concept when restoring the house. The key was to maintain the original atmosphere. We just wanted to preserve memories, so we didn't want it to look too modern yet remain cosy. We had two more bedrooms built and the transitional spaces enlarged while keeping the verandahs," Ms Asaya said.

According to architect Ms Yuwarat, the hipped roof was maintained, but certain parts above the transitional spaces were lifted to create more room. Kite roof tiles were temporarily removed, cleaned and reinstalled. The verandahs were enlarged under the multi-tier technique and connected to a new rock-lined swimming pool.

Some bedroom walls were demolished in order to enlarge the living space and make it a multi-purpose area to serve as both a pantry and a leisure area. The old kitchen and servants' rooms were turned into two new bedrooms.

"We turned the master bedroom overlooking the sea into the living room where family members can enjoy themselves together. There is an old table for them to play cards on and eat snacks from," she said.

Painted in white, Ban Noi was refurbished and decorated in a retro fashion with Khomapastr fabrics. Its original furniture was well preserved and beautified with Khomapastr accessories. Old pictures were put in new frames and placed upon the walls again.

Ban Noi after restoration

However, Ms Asaya, one of the house owners, smilingly admitted that the extension brought a slightly bizarre look to Ban Noi. For example, certain rooms have two doors or there are windows inside the house. "But, we don't mind because these things contribute to the old quaint look of this house."

Since the restoration, life at Ban Noi has become more comfortable. The residents can take a shower instead of using water from big jars to take a bath. They can use air-conditioners without worrying about blackouts.

"We feel good about family reunions here. During Songkran, we enjoy our holiday together. The house is frequently used now. When in Hua Hin, I stay here and ride a bike to work. In summer, we spend one or two weeks here," she said.

Her entire family is so proud of the award-winning restoration of the house. They always take special care of Ban Noi and try to keep a record of its historical details.

"A key to restoring old houses is to reflect on their history, such as who built them and how they have served dwellers. Constructors may focus on restoration while owners must emphasise how to maintain the soul, atmosphere and human element of their houses," Ms Asaya said.