PROJECT FACT SHEET
- Project Name: The Storybook Cottage Estate (Fantasia Villa 3)
- Design Firm: MEPITREE Studio
- Location: Sukhumvit Road (Fantasia Villa 3), Bangkok, Thailand
- Typology: Private Super-Luxury Residence (Exterior Architecture & Master Planning)
- Gross Floor Area (GFA): Approx. 1,800 sq.m. Total Built-Up & Landscape Area
- Execution Timeline: 7 Months (Exterior Structural Renovation & Envelope)
- Exterior Budget: Approx. 45 Million THB (Total Project Value ~115 Million THB including Interior & Furniture)
- Architectural Highlights: 2-Story Central Atrium Glasshouse, Timber Weatherboard Envelope, Octagonal Fairy-tale Turret Towers, Tropical Monsoon Drainage System
- Design Keywords: British Cottage Aesthetics, Storybook Architecture, Timber Siding Envelope, Double-Height Atrium Glasshouse, Tropical Monsoon Adaptation, Tactile Craftsmanship
The Storybook Cottage Estate คฤหาสน์ขนาด 1,800 ตารางเมตร ในโครงการ แฟนตาเซียวิลล่า 3 ถนนสุขุมวิท หลังนี้ เกิดจากการทุบรื้อและรีโนเวทโครงสร้างอาคารเดิม 2 หลังที่ตั้งหันหน้าเข้าหากัน เพื่อรังสรรค์ให้กลายเป็นบ้านพักอาศัยที่เปลี่ยนผ่านจากความหรูหราทรงอำนาจสไตล์นีโอคลาสสิก สู่ความอบอุ่น อ่อนโยน และเปี่ยมด้วยเสน่ห์แบบ British Country Cottage
เจ้าของบ้านต้องการบ้านที่ให้ความรู้สึกผ่อนคลาย น่ารัก ละเอียดอ่อน และมีสัมผัสของ “บ้านอยู่อาศัย” มากกว่าอาคารขนาดใหญ่ที่ดูแข็งเกร็ง MEPITREE จึงเลือกลดทอนความกระด้างของผนังปูนด้วยงานไม้แกะสลัก รายละเอียดจั่ว roofline และรูปทรงอาคารสไตล์เทพนิยายในอุดมคติ
1. THE ORIGIN & THE BRIEF: DECONSTRUCTING GRANDEUR INTO TACTILE WARMTH
Located within the Fantasia Villa 3 estate on Sukhumvit Road, this 1,800-square-meter residential domain represents a shift in luxury residential architecture. Rebuilt from two facing structural shells, the project moves away from the intimidating, formal scale of Neo-Classical architecture toward the romantic, intimate warmth of a British Country Cottage.
The client requested a home that felt approachable, warm, and deeply personal. Rather than expressing status through monolithic stone facades or imposing columns, the building envelope relies on tactile human scale, intricate woodwork, and storybook silhouettes reminiscent of traditional English countryside estates.
2. ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT & EXTERIOR SOLUTIONS
The Double-Height Glasshouse Connector
To unite the two independent structural masses without creating a heavy masonry wall, MEPITREE introduced a two-story glasshouse atrium at the central axis:
- Daylight Harvesting: The sweeping arch-window conservatory acts as an illuminated central lungs of the home, drawing natural daylight deep into the interior while visually connecting the front motor court to the private rear gardens.
- Vertical Cohesion: The transparent glass envelope exposes the interior circulation, creating a dramatic visual bridge between the left and right wings.
Storybook Silhouettes: Turrets, Gables & Timber Weatherboards
The exterior aesthetic balances residential warmth with fairytale fantasy:
- Timber Weatherboard Envelope: The facade is wrapped in white-painted horizontal timber siding (weatherboard), breaking down the 1,800-square-meter volume into approachable, tactile horizontal lines.
- Octagonal Turret Towers: Highlighting the corners of the residence are octagonal turret towers featuring steeply pitched dark slate roofs and decorative bracketed cornices—anchoring the “fairytale castle” aesthetic requested by the client.
- Fretwork & Carved Wood Details: Balconies, porch eaves, and window surrounds are embellished with custom-carved gingerbread fretwork and white timber railings, introducing artisanal human touch to the facade.
Technical Adaptations for the Thai Monsoon Climate
To translate British Cottage architecture into Thailand’s tropical, rain-heavy climate, MEPITREE re-engineered key structural details:
- High-Volume Drainage Systems: The steep multi-gabled slate-textured rooflines incorporate deep, concealed gutter channels and high-capacity downspouts hidden within architectural pilasters to handle monsoon downpours.
- Deep Eaves & Porch Overhangs: Extended roof overhangs protect the timber-clad facade from intense tropical sun exposure and driving rain, preserving the exterior finishes over time.
- Rusticated Stone Plinth: The ground level is anchored by a heavy, grey rusticated stone base, lifting the wooden facade above splash zones and ground moisture.
3. SUMMARY
The Storybook Cottage Estate by MEPITREE proves that ultra-luxury residences can exude intimacy and charm. By uniting two detached structures behind a 1,800-square-meter British Cottage envelope, MEPITREE transformed a complex renovation into a warm, light-filled haven that blends European romanticism with tropical engineering.
