Descărcați "Building a Traditional Thai House in the Isaan Rice Fields"

Using all natural building materials, abiding traditional ceremony and ritual, designing according to vastu-correct building principles, inspired by Maharishi Sthapatya Veda, including right direction, right placement of rooms, right proportion, natural & non-toxic building materials and auspicious timing, this traditional Thai house was built in Isaan Thailand over a period of 3 months. The building of the house was actually a 4-5 year process: finding land, designing the house according to ancient Vedic vastu building principles of right direction, right proportions, right placement of rooms, natural building material, etc., finding a builder, lumber sourcing… In the year previous to actually erecting the house, we created a ½ km. access road to the house plot, built up the plot 2 m. by excavating a nearby rice field (it settled to 1 m. after 1 year), didn’t have municipal water or electric (too far off the local grid) so we pulled our own 1 km of electric wire through dozens of concrete poles from the edge of the nearest village where we installed an electric meter. Ready to build, 3 trucks of lumber and 6 workers and a foreman arrived at the appointed time and building began immediately. Only 7 workers but each can do every job. The only specialization is that they only build traditional Thai wooden houses. But it's hard work. The house is 100% wood & clay tile. The wood is incredibly dense and heavy farmed Thai and Malaysian hardwood and it is finished on-sight (the wood is delivered rough). The workers heave long 16 foot pieces up to each level by hand and then notch all the joints for a solid fit. And tools are just basic--some string, a plumb, hammer, angle... Being traditional house builders, they observed traditional building ceremony and ritual. They were highly skilled and open to my questions and concerns while building. We worked closely with the foreman and made some design changes on the fly and never had a problem. A great pleasure to work with these skilled builders. The foreman seemed to appreciate that a Westerner was building a traditional house and we had long conversations around the night campfire about the spiritual aspects of traditional Thai houses and building them and the spiritual and cosmic elements of building in tune with nature. He referred to the houses he built as generators of spiritual energy their specific mathematical dimensions and proportions and the house’s connection to the cosmos being vital to the success, happiness, prosperity and health of the occupants. The house took 3 months to erect. Its components are wood, clay tile roof, nails and bolts, and tin at the roof joints for drainage. When finished structurally, it was totally sanded and stained 4 times. The foreman stated that this house would be still standing in 100 years. During the month after the structure was erected we installed water storage, filtration and plumbing into the house, brought electric into the house and installed light fixtures inside and out, and laid a concrete pad under the house. We did not spend a night in the house until it was structurally finished, stained and blessed by the local monks. The first night was an incredible experience. As a vastu-correct house (Google “Maharishi vastu architecture” to understand the value of living in a vastu structure.) Sleeping far out on the farm as creatures and wildlife settle down under the stars is incredible. Living spaces are 4 m. above the ground and across the open fields are refreshing cool night breezes. Although it does get hot during the day, fresh breezes though the open design and upward drafts keep the house cooler.