A Brickwork Bolthole in Ayutthaya
Perched on a riverbank in temple-studded Ayutthaya, Baan Pomphet offers a fresh interpretation of the ancient capital’s crumbling stupas and fortresses
Overlooking the water hyacinth-covered confluence of the Chao Phraya and Pa Sak rivers in Ayutthaya, a 90-minute drive from Bangkok, eight-room boutique hotel Baan Pomphet is the latest addition to the city's already design-forward hotel landscape.
Bangkok-based architecture firm onion, which also designed the much-lauded Sala Ayutthaya hotel down the road, was tapped to lead the project. ‘Inspired by the ancient Pom Phet fortress next door, we chose to work with brick, a common construction material in old Ayutthaya, which we laid in six different patterns on the floors and walls,’ says Arisara Chaktranon, design director at onion. ‘These bricks are works of craft themselves. Each piece has been moulded by hand at a factory in the Ang Thong province. They were then baked in firewood ovens, resulting in unique shades of orange and no two bricks turning out exactly the same.’
Spread over two separate brick buildings connected by a scaffolding-like contraption made from reclaimed wood, the hotel houses eight compact rooms, a restaurant and a rooftop bar. A large terrace hugs the riverfront, while an elevated swimming pool offers prime river views and a welcome retreat after a day of temple-hopping in the soaring sun; a decades-old Bodhi tree at the heart of the hotel acts as a natural canopy.
From the colour palette to the handcrafted decorations dotted around the property, every element has been carefully considered to reflect a sense of place. Orange accents in the restaurant hint to Ayutthaya's signature dish: jumbo-sized freshwater prawns oozing deep-orange prawn fat (grilled under a wooden chimney at the front of the hotel). Light installations from traditional bamboo fishing traps offer another reference to the restaurant’s seafood-heavy menu. Contrasting the tactile exterior, straight-lined rooms come in shades of green reminiscent of the cha plu leaf (a common Thai herb) and jackfruit yellow, and are reached by wooden steps commonly found in Thai vernacular architecture.
The architects worked with artisans in Chiang Mai’s Baan Tawai community to create hand-carved lampshades from old teak columns, which now light up the wooden staircase after sunset. Award-winning designer Chunsiri Chai-ear created the signature doorknobs found throughout the property. Depicting Hanuman, son of the Hindu wind-god, they were first printed in 3D and then carefully hand carved out of teak by one of Ayutthaya’s most renowned carpenters. ‘Of course, we could’ve used 3D laser cutting, but the carver’s personal touch offers much more charm,’ Chaktranon explains.
The same could be said for the roughly 200,000 hand-moulded bricks, countless handmade ceramic wall tiles, and craftwork around the hotel. In a city pioneering Thai architecture since the 14th century, projects like these proudly keep the spirit of Thai craft alive.
Text / Chris Schalkx
Images / W Workspace
