Boonnumsup house
Boonnumsup House, Rangsan Torsuwan, 1979
I walked under three miles of overpasses to reach Bangkok’s Boonnumsup House from my hotel, unsure if it would be standing when I got there. I don’t know the ethics of photographing homes without permission, but I suspect arriving via taxi to take pictures of someone’s private residence is frowned upon, so I trudged on foot.
Why all of this effort to reach a house that may, or may not be standing? Something about it has captured me - the facade’s tulip-like petals, resting on thin pillars constitute one of the most elegant uses of concrete I’ve ever seen. There’s not a whole lot about this house online - the best, and most recent photos I could find online are from a blog called FOTO-MOMO, who unlike me, clearly got approval to actually enter the property. Google says the house was a museum at some point, now closed. Google Streetview hasn’t captured the street, possibly by request.
The street Boonnumsup House is found on is mostly residential, filled with a mix of architectural styles, nothing notable, which is why I nearly missed the house walking past. The property’s entrance has an overwrought iron gate that would look at home guarding an American-style Tuscan villa. An odd pairing, but I’m grateful that the house is visible through it. Boonnumsup House is magnificent, worth double the overpass trek and accompanying lungfuls of diesel fumes.
Little Island Park (left), Boonnumsup House (right)
If you’re wondering why Boonnumsup House looks familiar, you might be recalling New York City’s Little Island Park - which rests on nearly identical tulip-shaped columns over the Hudson River. Heatherwick Studio, who designed Little Island, says their design was inspired by “The structural remnants of previous piers.” While Heatherwick’s use of tulips differs from Torsuwan’s, it’s hard to believe Boonnumsup House—built 40 years earlier— didn’t influence their design.
Guest/Guard House, Boonnumsup House
I noted a guesthouse, or possibly guard house that I hadn’t seen photographed near the front of the property, a welcome bonus that I’m glad to have captured. I snapped a few photos under the glare of a cat guardian lounging out front, and moved on to my reward - an excellent orange coffee at Northboys Coffee, a short walk away.
Back to ethics - is it OK to take photos of someone’s home without their approval? I may have a tenuous right to advise here, but I’ll weigh in: If the house is, or should be considered a national treasure (more on this to follow), and it is visible from the street, then yes, it is OK to take photos of it, as long as you’re being considerate of the occupants.
Architect Rangsan Torsuwan’s body of work is significant, compelling, and often-critiqued. One of his most ambitious projects - Sathorn Unique Tower, a massive postmodern skyscraper, is derelict and more likely to be demolished than finished. It is now ungraciously used as a giant billboard, and is a haven for urban explorers. Torsuwan has been at the center of a long-running scandal involving accusations that he plotted to assassinate the president of Thailand's Supreme Court. He has since been acquitted of all charges, but reputational damage still looms.
Critics of Rangsan Torsuwan’s work abound, and they often seem to lobby the world “pastiche” in a derogatory way. Postmodern architecture has always been an easy target for derision by traditionalists. Unusual contrast in materials, elements and styles will always ruffle feathers. Some of these criticisms are justified, as in the case of Torsuwan’s Penang Showroom & House, which perplexingly combines organic tulip elements with a rose window lifted straight from Notre Dame Cathedral. But generally - I find Torsuwan’s work to be truly captivating, especially his early designs, which skew much more traditionally modern than postmodern.
In particular, Rangsan Torsuwan’s designs for Thai bank Kasikorn stand out to me as being excellent. Torsuwan took inspiration from agriculture, specifically Thai rice stalks in designing his graceful pillars and arches. The beauty in these buildings is undeniable.
Regarding Rangsan Torsuwan’s legacy, the future is unclear. Thailand is a country deeply concerned with public image - critique of its monarchy is punishable by imprisonment. Protecting the reputation of the monarchy and government is seen as essential, not only for maintaining national stability but also for preserving the country's public image as a united and harmonious nation. As such, it seems unlikely that Thailand will openly celebrate an architect whose career has been marked by prolonged involvement in government scandal, even though he was ultimately acquitted.
Boonnumsup house deserves to be known as a national treasure: This house shows Rangsan Torsuwan at his most engrossing - it is organic modernism at its finest. It seems certainly to have been well-designed enough to inspire Little Island, which is already considered something of a modern classic. It’s hard to tell whether Torsuwan’s work will slip into obscurity, or be protected for future generations. But for now - if you know where to find it and don’t mind a walk, Boonnumsup house is still standing.