Ugly house contest going on?

[Chas]

OK. Tell me the truth. Is there a contest going on for who can build the ugliest house in Palm Hills? There are a couple of VERY nice homes there, newly constructed, but some of the newest seem to have been designed by graduates of the Mr. Potato Head school of Architecture ( Hmmmm lets just stick this window THERE, and lets try a door HERE and how about a light just HERE. . . or maybe there?)

If you get a chance, check out these Palm Hill beauties:

First house on the right as you enter. Tiny windows, main entrance nestled in the corner like an afterthought and marked by an awkward pediment so you won’t miss it. The crowning glory is the driveway which is fenced off from the lawn on BOTH sides by a lovely waist high wall. (Yet there is no fence along the road.) Why would you build a wall between your own driveway and your own lawn?

The next house along was actually rather well designed and attractive ( if you discount that your first view of the house is the air conditioners and laundry yard) until the lighting designer came along. He decided to put spotlights all around the outside to light up the second story exterior wall of the house ( Is it Christmas already?)

Then way in back of this is a real gem featuring ugly cut-out roof corners, odd doors and doorways and the smallest windows you can buy. (Considering that these homes are not cheap to build, I can’t figure out why the owners can’t hire real architects.)

Along the road a little further is an entry in yet another contest: “How many houses can YOU cram onto YOUR one little lot?â€

[Jaime]

Considering that these homes are not cheap to build, I can’t figure out why the owners can’t hire real architects.

As an architect I can confirm that the answer is that everyone thinks they can do it themselves or hire someone who can 'draw plans' - its only a few lines on a piece of paper after all....isn't it?

[linktolinh]

(Considering that these homes are not cheap to build, I can’t figure out why the owners can’t hire real architects.)

Sound like this come from a confusing Falang.

The truth is many people who have money in hand to build an expensive building they don't need an architect to spoil their money. Why don't you use your money to build up your own idea, your own production, show your own taste of art and also your amount of money...

For an Asian like me, it’s quite easy to understand that fun fact. We can find this kind of houses every where. As long as the house hold feel happy with their cave, it's OK.

I found many nice houses in Thailand, if I ever have money to built my own house I will copy the style of my house in Thailand. zzzzz dream on ....

[Guess]

(Considering that these homes are not cheap to build, I can’t figure out why the owners can’t hire real architects.)

Sound like this come from a confusing Falang.


For an Asian like me, it’s quite easy to understand that fun fact.

I found many nice houses in Thailand, if I ever have money to built my own house I will copy the style of my house in Thailand. zzzzz dream on ....

Many a good point stated there Lin.

I same you am Asian. I think it very funny when farang spend big money build house. It happen very much here in Hua Hin.

Someone tell me that you not lady but big fat farang who live Hua Hin.

I not believe. Tell me true or I stop love you long time.

When you cum here????????????????????

[linktolinh]

I not believe. Tell me true or I stop love you long time.

Sound like you are really in luve, you can not speak a proper English now... he he

[Chas]

Sound like this come from a confusing Falang.

Not "confusing" at all. Just someone who knows ugly when he sees it.

Why don't you use your money to build up your own idea, your own production, show your own taste of art and also your amount of money...

Well if these houses showed any taste at all, we wouldn't be having this discussion. "Taste" and the "amount of money" do not go together! The more money you have the less taste you have.. .as evidenced by a couple of other houses at Palm Hills.. .where words like garish, vulgar monstrosity and tasteless immediately spring to mind.

For an Asian like me, it’s quite easy to understand that fun fact. We can find this kind of houses every where.

What kind of houses are you referring to? Have you ever seen the places I am talking about? There are many beautiful and tasteful homes around here including traditional homes which are quite lovely and I am not sure what being Asian has to do with anything. I have observed that most Thai people are sensitive to beauty in many areas. (Look at how nice the highway looks from Cha am to Hua hin for example.)

As long as the house hold feel happy with their cave, it's OK.

Sorry, but I dont agree. When you have to drive by these eyesores every day, you have to blame someone for ruining what was once a very beautiful meadow.

Also, I am not sure how this discussion of local architecture turned into a silly exchange of "love" posts. Moderator???

[buksida]

Also, I am not sure how this discussion of local architecture turned into a silly exchange of "love" posts. Moderator???

Good call.

Can you two keep your dribbling to the Foo section please.

[linktolinh]

I don't think you got my meaning Chas.

There are so many different kind of taste. Some people like mango and other like durian.

The one who have money is the one who can decide how will they use their money. There is no rule about how your house should look like in this area, there is no rule or system to judge this is nice and this is ugly.

Maybe a nice house for you is not nice for other, the worst thing is the owner feel uncomfortable in their own house, is that right? Next time you better stop your car, get out and ask the owner if they enjoy their place, if they do...and you still not sastisfy with that news, you can keep blaming them ruining the area to make yourself better.

And finnaly you ignored my last line about nice houses in Thailand. I lived in a very very and very beautiful house in Thailand and I enjoyed the place as much as possible.

Finnaly their is a truth that no matter where I post my stuffs, Guess will join in, a nice company huh. sorry to disturb you SERIOUS topic, can you explain to me what's the connection between SILLY and LOVE under the Foo?

[buksida]

sorry to disturb you SERIOUS topic, can you explain to me what's the connection between SILLY and LOVE under the Foo?

Chill, chill, no need to get upset, just noticed that you and guess have kind of introduced your own "flavour" to a lot of the other topics on the board and just suggesting that they're probably better suited in the Foo section which is for non-serious and off topic stuff!

[lomuamart]

I'll add my tuppence worth.
I remember about 8 years ago reading in the BKK Post about the widening of the road from Cha-Am to HH. This was whilst I was still back in England. There was a huge environmental outcry as many trees, hundreds of years old, were going to be chopped down - let alone the diaspora of folk who lived alongside. Still, it went ahead, despite the fact that the main north-south bypass from CA to Pranburi was already there. What's it all been replaced with? Shophouses. A welcome addition to any vista.
In England and I know this isn't, you must have express permission to fell a tree that may have a conservation order on it even if its on your property. Extensions to your existing property go through fairly rigourous planning enquiries etc etc.
The net result will never be perfect, but from my layman's view, it's an awful lot better than the slash and burn, I'll build whatever I want attitude that seem to be increasingly blighting HH now.
Architechs always get a bad press, but it seems that some of them are educated to improve our visual life.
As I said, just my baht's worth.

[Chas]

And finnaly you ignored my last line about nice houses in Thailand. I lived in a very very and very beautiful house in Thailand and I enjoyed the place as much as possible.

Not at all! I said in my first post that there are many lovely houses, even at Palm Hills! In fact, coming home I was thinking to add a post with mentioning a few examples of beautiful architecture ( and there ARE "rules and system" to decide if something is ugly or not, especially in architecture) (I still want someone to explain why you would put a wall between your house and your own front lawn)

The Palm Hills Sports club, for example, the Palm Hills golf club & course and Stamford University are all world class design!! Strikingly elegant, beautifully designed and perfectly suited in both form and function to the location. The two just completed white two story houses along the main drive into Palm Hills are very attractive( and I have been in and talked to the owners.)

Traditional Thai style houses are lovely and there two beautiful seaside homes near me which are lovely to look and must be a joy to live in.

I didn't start this to be a "serious" topic really, but I did think that all the posts here might somehow relate to posts on houses and architecture.

PS. to ugliness: on one of the small lots I previously described, the owner hs decided to construct yet another house. This will make THREE on a lot meant for one. The first two are totally different architectural styles. Any bets on the third? ( Just wish I could show you pictures here.)

[Chas]

Exactly what I mean Imouamart!
Where is the concern here for beauty and the environment? I just see a lot of big money being thrown around to impress other people with how rich you are.. .and ugliness being created in a country that is so blessed and beautiful to begin with. A shame really.

[Randy Cornhole]

I regulary travel up soi 112 and around that general area and am saddened beyond belief at what i am seeing. Lots and lots of small pockets of land with shi**y houses crammed on them roofs touching. Every time i travel around the area there is more land being filled and more ticky tacky boxes going up. Now there is a growing dog presence in the area. Small now i'd admit but give it time.
Soon all these small bits of land with there featureless houses on, will meet up and you will have one big hot crappy dog ridden housing estate!
Thats certainly the last place on earth i'd want to live. Dont say I diddnt warn you.....

[STEVE G]

If you want to see how other peoples views of house design can differ, drive 50km south to Dolphin Bay resort, just round the corner is this mind blowing thing that looks like an upside down wedding cake, covered in gaudy, ornamental green and white plaster work!
I had to stop driving, and just stare, to convince myself it was real,I am not passing judgement on other peoples tastes, the thing is just shocking,
and in an area just outside a national park!

[Chas]

Steve, since I started this topic, I have seen such ugliness that I couldnt begin to describe the monstrosities I am now passing every day at Palm Hills. I swear I will take my camera and take pictures for you guys as words fail me. The only regulation at Palm Hills is that you erect a green fence around your construction site so that nobody can see what you are doing. (We have a brown fence that just wouldnt do now covered with tacky green plastic.) A quick tour of them as I have named them. First, man with an ugly fence around his lawn. Then the house with the spotlighted upper story, then the Jumble Sale. . .three ugly houses on a single lot, all VERY different). . . then the house with the leaky fountain ( nice unicorn . ..large permanent puddle in the driveway) Then the Pyramids of Cheops. Then a couple of rather nice houses.

But lots of construction underway for the title of "Biggest House in Hua Hin", now held by a company which built a huge house on the other side of Palm Hills and is bragging about having done so. (Bigger is better!)

Then, past the Golf Club, a rather nice Roman Temple to Apollo which I rather like.. .despite its being so out of place. Anyway, I know I will get a ton of replies that people can build ugliness if they want to, their money, blah blah blah. . but this IS an opinion forum and this IS my opinion. And there ARE rules for architectural beauty and form which are universal.

Anyway, hold your fire until I get a bit of time to take some pictures. You will be amused.