Verdure House, a 450m² family home in Bangkok designed by architecture and interior design practice Vessu Collaboration, has won the 2026 BIP Global Architecture Award in the Residential – Single Homes category.
The project won for reconciling urban privacy with daylight, greenery and outdoor living through a garden-oriented plan on a constrained urban plot.
Completed in 2025, the two-storey private residence was also recognised for organising circulation around family interaction, anticipating future accessibility needs and reinterpreting Thai residential traditions for a contemporary Bangkok home.
The BIP Global Architecture Awards recognise outstanding architectural projects globally and honour the visionary architects and companies behind them. Part of the Best International Project platform, the awards celebrate excellence in architecture across diverse typologies, scales and geographic contexts.
Garden organises the layout of Verdure House
Vessu Collaboration oriented the house to the north to receive softer daylight and benefit from prevailing breezes. The living spaces and bedrooms face the inner garden, giving the family views of greenery while reducing exposure to surrounding urban activity.
Seen from the principal rooms, the garden gives the interior a sense of calm that contrasts with the density beyond the site. It also provides outdoor space for daily use and establishes a quieter side to the property away from the street.
The architects placed a garden pavilion, or sala, among the greenery. Conceived as an outdoor room, it can accommodate dining, reading, rest and small gatherings beneath a sheltered roof.
The pavilion makes the garden a place to occupy throughout the day, extending domestic life beyond the enclosed rooms.
Street-facing parking protects the living areas
The parking is positioned at the front of the plot to separate the main living areas from street noise and surrounding density. This creates a gradual transition between the city and the more private garden-facing parts of the house.
The kitchen is placed beside the parking area, providing a short route for groceries and other daily arrivals. From there, the layout leads into the open-plan living and dining room.
Service functions remain conveniently close to the entrance, leaving the quieter part of the plot for communal life. The arrangement also establishes a clear progression from arrival to the garden without introducing unnecessary formality.
Shared living space brings the family together
The ground-floor living and dining room forms the main point of connection within Verdure House. Circulation passes through this shared space, bringing family members into regular contact as they move between rooms.
The open plan supports communal activity, while the distribution of accommodation across two floors provides quieter areas elsewhere. Three bedrooms and a second living room occupy the upper level, allowing family members to withdraw from the main ground-floor space when they want greater privacy.
Passing through the shared room makes everyday movement part of communal life. The upper-floor arrangement still gives individual occupants space for their own routines.
Ground-floor bedroom prepares for future family needs
A flexible ground-floor bedroom can be adapted for an elderly family member as the household’s needs change. Its position on the same level as the entrance and principal living spaces reduces dependence on the staircase.
The other three bedrooms are located upstairs in more private areas facing the garden. This separation allows the house to accommodate occupants of different ages and routines.
Its ground-floor position also allows the flexible room to change function as the family’s needs evolve.
Thai residential traditions inform the design
Vessu Collaboration drew on Thai domestic architecture through the pitched roof, round timber posts and shaded connections between indoor and outdoor areas. The practice integrated these elements into a contemporary brick-and-concrete structure.
The long-pitched roof gives the main volume a simple, recognisable profile. Timber brings warmth to the floors, columns, windows and doors, while the garden pavilion provides a sheltered setting for outdoor living.
These familiar elements retain practical roles within the house. Their contemporary detailing keeps the references clear without reproducing an earlier architectural style.
Reclaimed school doors add material character
The house incorporates vintage timber doors reclaimed from an old school. Their retained age and wear bring a trace of the earlier building into the new residence.
Timber floors, round columns, antique furniture, handcrafted objects and artworks continue this material approach through the interiors. The combination gives individual rooms their own character while maintaining continuity across the home.
Reclaimed elements and workmanship bring detail and warmth to the restrained composition. The simplicity of the building form allows the materials and their handling to establish the house’s architectural character.
The jury recognised Verdure House for achieving urban privacy with a sense of openness and calm. Garden, shade and craft root Vessu Collaboration’s family retreat in Bangkok’s climate and Thai residential culture.
About Vessu Collaboration
Vessu Collaboration is a multi-disciplinary architecture and interior design practice founded in 2019 and based in Bangkok, Thailand. The studio works across private residential, commercial, hospitality, healthcare and interior design projects.
The practice combines architecture and interior design within a craft-based approach that considers materials, space, detailing and lighting as parts of a unified scheme. Its work also draws on research, data and financial feasibility, reflecting an interest in designs that can be built and operated effectively rather than assessed only on appearance.
Vessu Collaboration traces its early development to winning the national design competition for Ramathibodi Sri Ayutthaya Medical Center. The commission established healthcare as an important part of its portfolio, which has since grown to more than 65 projects. Sustainability, energy efficiency and occupant wellbeing remain continuing considerations across its work.
Photography: THANAWATCHU
