A reclaimed timber office on the sand in Khao Lak, Thailand, does not look like a typical workplace. Four separate timber buildings sit on raised floors, linked by decks and walkways. The Bangkok-based architect Boonserm Premthada designed the project for Matalay, a development in Phang Nga province.
Called Traces by the Sea, the 440.7 square metre office carries the name of its materials. Premthada is known for unusual building design. His Ayutthaya community restaurant won a Wallpaper* Design Award in 2022. His earlier work includes a tower built from elephant dung bricks and his own house, which follows his “50 per cent design” philosophy.
Timber with a history
The timber comes from two older buildings, making it a source of recycled materials for the project. Some pieces were salvaged from a rice cooperative building in Phatthalung. Others came from a wooden school building in Phang Nga. Premthada brought them together to build this office at Matalay.
Timber also meets the sea in Belgium, where a coastal project shows how well wood can hold up beside the water. Belgium’s House of Cards: A Timber Marvel offers a comparable seaside example.
The wood keeps its past. Paint, joints and worn surfaces remain visible. Differences in length, existing notches and traces of old paint guide how each piece is placed. Premthada changed only what the new use required, and he kept the dimensions of each element as intact as possible.
How the office goes together
Carpenters assemble the frames by hand on site. They check each piece, find its right position and adapt the connections to suit its existing features. Old and new joints sit side by side, so the building shows how each piece was worked before and how it now serves a new purpose.
Built around the climate
The layout draws on traditional Thai house clusters, a familiar part of the country’s timber architecture. Raised floors and open spaces keep buildings cool in a hot climate. Rows of columns lift the buildings above the sand, giving shelter while leaving the site open.
Openings and outdoor areas do much of the work in this building. Breezes move through the gaps between buildings. Sunlight enters for daytime light. Walkways give staff outdoor workspace when the weather allows. Decks bring people into contact with trees, sea air and changing light as they move between rooms.
The architect links this approach to everyday life in Thailand. “Thai domestic culture is carried forward through ways of living with the climate,” Premthada says. “This knowledge is developed for a contemporary office, its forms and details shaped by available materials, present-day use and the conditions of the site.”
Bamboo screens and a brick toilet block
Large woven bamboo trays, sourced from northeastern Thailand, shade the exterior. Farmers there traditionally use such trays to rear silkworms. At Matalay, the trays filter sunlight and cast patterns of light and shadow across the interior. They keep their original shapes and weave.
The wider Matalay site includes a public toilet block built from elephant dung bricks. Its long, low walls open at the top to admit light and air. Variations in brick colour give the facade texture. Visitors arriving at the site first pass Goya Tower, which uses the same bricks, before they reach the timber buildings by the sea.
Reuse can also shape a building’s life after its first use, and it is worth seeing how other projects adapt what already exists. Banyalbufar Townhouse and Its Material Reuse explores similar adaptations.
The office can also be taken apart. The timber buildings are designed to be dismantled and reassembled elsewhere, so the wood from this office may have another life after Matalay. For Premthada, continuity lies in method rather than appearance. “Cultural continuity emerges through understanding and adaptation rather than reproducing the appearance of the past,” he says. “Like the reclaimed timber, familiar spatial principles take on new roles while retaining traces of their origins.”
H/T wallpaper.com
Frequently asked questions
Who designed the Traces by the Sea office in Khao Lak?
The Bangkok-based architect Boonserm Premthada designed the project for Matalay, a development in Phang Nga province. The office is called Traces by the Sea and covers 440.7 square metres.
Where does the reclaimed timber for the Khao Lak office come from?
The timber comes from two older buildings. Some pieces were salvaged from a rice cooperative building in Phatthalung, and others came from a wooden school building in Phang Nga.
Can the timber buildings at Traces by the Sea be moved?
Yes, the timber buildings are designed to be dismantled and reassembled elsewhere. This means the wood from the office may have another life after Matalay.
What are the woven bamboo trays on the office used for?
Large woven bamboo trays, sourced from northeastern Thailand, shade the exterior of the office. They filter sunlight and cast patterns of light and shadow across the interior.
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