Elevated Floors
- The floors were raised on posts to prevent flooding during the rainy season, protect the occupants from hostile animals and contribute to the air circulation through the living area. Thailand has three recognizable seasons, though with only slight changes from the hot and humid norm. The hot summer months run from March to June. Then, the heat decreases some but the humidity rises from July to October, when the monsoons come. Finally, November to February make up the Thai winter, when temperatures and humidity are lowest.
Pitched Roof
- Rainwater could run off the steep roof quickly. The long overhangs provided shade and helped keep rain out of the open areas of the house. Most of the regional variations involve the roof design, such as the pointed, wing-like structures on central Thailand houses and V-shaped projections on the gables of northern roofs. According to legend, the "winged" roofs are the means through which the inhabitants reach heaven.
Open Terrace
- The open terrace took up approximately 40 percent of the floor space of a traditional Thai home, according to the Purdue University engineering department. Often used for outdoor activities, it was an important gathering place for the extended families of the typical Thai residents of the past. The natural ventilation was most evident here, and it offered relief from the hot, humid climate.
Prefabricated and Modular
- An unusual characteristic of traditional Thai houses was their modular construction, so that they could be disassembled and set up in a different location. When land was abundant in the past, the people moved often. Maybe a couple married and started life somewhere else or political circumstances made a move necessary. They simply packed up their belongings, house and all.
Read more: Traditional Thai House Design | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6532924_traditional-thai-house-design.html#ixzz1IfsVga4u
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