Z9, multi-award-winning resort, is a floating resort whichperched on Srinakarin Dam, Kanchanaburi. The resort is renowned for their appropriately use of materials and nature-oriented structure which offer private on-land accommodation and cozy raft accommodations. Each building utilizes natural ventilation, the shapes and color intimately blended in with the attractiveness of mountain and river view. The proportion is also in line with the environment. The lines obviously represent the natural lake-side context, and the lobby is designed based on lunar direction which mean resort’s guess can enjoy stunning “Sunrise and Sunset” scenic.
At Z9, sustainable architecture design approach based on “3R” concept (reduce, reuse and recycle) applied through construction techniques and material selections. The Light-weight structure such as steel structure was used to build this resort Steel structure promotes eco-friendly outcome in many ways for instance the wider span which means less on-ground touching and can be adjusted to suit with the existing footing, faster and cleaner construction in comparison with concrete structure. Although guess can see the concrete structure in some part of the resort for example concrete roof deck. However this concrete roof deck built by casting some concrete on the pre-cast concrete flooring. This means construction time can be reduced and less cement water wasted into the soil. The cement water is one of the main reason why the existing trees died in most construction sites.Meanwhile these ways of approach also creates as less environmental footprint as possible.
Material selections and construction details which based on the understanding of natural “on-water” condition has clearly shown in the private floating units. Light-weight and non-rigid materials such as local bamboo, old wood from the existing resort, OSB, shingle roof and vinyl flooring. Their non-rigid properties allow some self-adjustment due to the water current of the “on-water” condition. Local material usage also reduce CO2 from the long-distance transportation also promote the sense of place to resort’s guess.
Z9 Resort, from wherever guess look into it, both inside-out and outside-in, show architectural space that merged into the natural context and also define itself as one minority part of existing natural contexts. This relationship may refer to the relation of famous painting and its frame. Meanwhile, architecture should be a process to describe the real meaning of the sense of place to its users. This approach of architectural designing also demonstrate, “design + synchronization”, the core value of Dersyn Studio.
