Cloud & Shadow House comprises two private residences for two related families, situated on a pair of adjacent square plots in Lat Phrao, Bangkok. The core challenge of the project was to create a living environment where the families could share a meaningful communal space, yet still preserve their individual privacy. Rather than treating the boundary between the two plots as a mere dividing line, the design team reinterpreted it as an architectural element—one capable of shaping relationships instead of severing them. The boundary wall was reimagined as a sweeping 16-meter-radius curve that stretches from one plot to the other. This curved line carves out a concave void that draws the two houses inward, transforming what would typically be unused side setbacks into a generous open-plan shared courtyard. This gesture allows the living rooms of both houses to open toward a broad external landscape—an uncommon experience in dense urban housing, where views are often blocked by blank walls only a few meters away.
The curved wall not only creates a shared space but simultaneously acts as a buffer that defines privacy. The zones behind the curve were designated as private areas—bathrooms, kitchens, workspaces, and service rooms—interwoven with courtyards that function as shafts of wind and indirect daylight. These courtyards breathe air and light into the core of the homes, allowing residents to experience a sense of openness, as if flanked by gardens on both sides.The rear side of both houses borders a canal, requiring a minimum setback of six meters. This setback zone is therefore designed as an occupiable landscape area. One house incorporates a swimming pool, while the other features an infinity-edge stepping pond that evokes a natural waterfall. Both elements help generate cooling breezes from the south, where the buildings are directly exposed to heat.
The households of the two houses each consist of a father, a mother, and two children. The fathers of both households are siblings, which results in frequent visits and family interactions. During times when the children engage in joint activities, shared spaces such as the swimming pool or the grassy play area between the houses are utilized. At the same time, separate private areas are provided for moments when each family requires privacy. “Outside the semicircle is Private; inside the semicircle is Common.” The Cloud house functions primarily as a permanent residence, while the Shadow house serves as a vacation home, occasionally occupied overnight. This distinction in usage contributes to a balanced and sustainable coexistence between the two households.
