Reclaimed wood fashioned into panels covers this small cafe designed by CUP Scale Studio in the centre of Nakhon Sawan, Thailand.
Called Boobun Pocket Cafe, the compact building comprises a coffee bar on the ground floor and seating areas on its upper storeys that are formed from interlocking wooden platforms.
CUP Scale Studio designed the building to slot into a 10-metre-by-10-metre plot, which is nestled behind two private properties fronting a busy road in the Pak Nam Pho district.
The cafe is raised above the ground on a small plinth and open at its base. This creates an open public space and entrance to the building that helps reduce internal temperatures.
“The raised space under the building is a public space to connect activities,” the studio told Dezeen.
“Elevating the floor creates a separation of usable areas for maximum use in a small space.”
Boobun Pocket Cafe’s facades are made from panels of recycled tropical hardwood collected by the owner. These are of the Teng and Mai Daeng hardwood varieties, which have a distinctive reddish hue.
The facade is gridded, with distinctive curved corners and clerestory windows to bring light into the upper seating areas.
Red-steel I-beams support the floors and the facade. The four primary columns are inset from the elevation and rise up through the building.
On entering Boobun Pocket Cafe, a coffee counter and bakery shelves line the back wall of the open ground floor. Landscaped borders define the perimeter.
Wooden stairs lead to staggered half-landings and niches in the seating areas, described by the studio as a “living room”, for visitors to the cafe.
A focal point of the interior is a lightwell that helps to illuminate the seating areas.
The raised form of the cafe is informed by Thai vernacular architectural techniques, in which wind passes under the building to help reduce internal temperatures.
Raising the building also helps to minimise the moisture that would cause the wood to shrink and prevents termites from damaging the facades.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.