All under one roof

Roof House, a dream home for a family of four and their dog in Bangkok, was designed by Thai multidisciplinary studio IF Integrated Field to reflect the owner’s identity while bringing the family’s shared aspirations to life. Right from the start, the architects focused on understanding the client’s wishes to create a space where each family member could feel truly at home, while at the same time cultivating a unique atmosphere.

“Straight away, the owner gave us a detailed list of requirements, from style to materials, which simplified our task,” the designers recall. “But we also wanted to suggest new ideas that would broaden their vision.” To achieve this, the studio invited the whole family to take part in designing their ideal home and organised a workshop to find out more about their lifestyle. “We presented sketches of floor plans and encouraged them to modify the spaces as they wished. The children’s input was especially valuable: they designed their own dream bedrooms, which we then carefully integrated into the project,” notes IF. This collaborative process ensured that the needs and ideas of every family member were reflected in the project, resulting in a shared vision that marked the first step towards the final design.

“The initial brief for Roof House was clear: the owner wanted a fully functional but compact home, with an exterior that was neither overly imposing nor too showy,” the team continues. Privacy was a priority, but so was comfort. The family wanted generous yet intimate spaces, easy accessibility and a warm and welcoming kitchen and shared areas to host guests.

The house is arranged on three levels beneath a distinctive single-pitched roof. From the outside the home appears to be just one storey high, the sloping roof concealing its true scale. To achieve this effect, the studio explored multiple forms and experimented with different roof angles before settling on the final design. Inside, the layout encourages interaction between family members while preserving privacy. A central courtyard connects the living room, kitchen, dining area and guest rooms, creating a comfortable, inviting atmosphere. The same sense of warmth can be found in the interiors, which were also designed by IF and feature surfaces clad with porcelain stoneware tiles from COEM. The stone-effect Cardoso collection in the colour Corda was chosen for the large kitchen floor, while Flow, inspired by the elegance of Silk Georgette marble in White, was used on the floors and walls in the large bathroom – an intimate and elegant space complete with wardrobe and make-up area. On the second and third floors, the bedrooms are located at the rear of the house to ensure privacy while maintaining views of the living spaces through the central courtyard. “Roof House is all about hidden charm,” says IF. “From the outside you would never expect to find such an open, interconnected and carefully designed family home.”