Thompson's "House on the Klong" Jim Thompson (designer)

main building, jim thompson house, bangkok, thailand (c. 2013).

thompson unlike other figure in southeast asia. american, ex-architect, retired army officer, one-time spy, silk merchant , renowned collector of antiques. of treasures, if not all, amassed after came thailand.

in 1958, began pinnacle of architectural achievement – construction of new home showcase objets d art.

jim thompson house: service building , gift shop.

using parts of old up-country houses – old hundred years – succeeded in constructing masterpiece involved reassembling of 6 thai dwellings on estate. of units dismantled , brought on river ayutthaya, largest – weaver s house (now living room) – came bangkrua. on arrival, woodwork offloaded , pieced together.

jim thompson house: pond reflection of retail store.

in quest authenticity, saw of structures elevated full floor above ground. during construction stage, added own touches buildings positioning, instance, central staircase indoors rather having outside. along way, reversed wall panels of quarters faced inside instead of having external orientation.

after through creation, filled home items had collected in past. decorating rooms chinese blue-and-white ming pieces, belgian glass, cambodian carvings, victorian chandeliers, benjarong earthenware, thai stone images, burmese statues, , dining table once used king rama v of thailand.

it took thompson year complete mansion. museum, jim thompson house can reached public or private transport.