Phuket Island is truly a tourist paradise, combining the tranquility of beautiful high-end resorts with the hustle and bustle of sleepless nightlife. Among them, Keemala is a resort that impresses with its extremely unique design style. Keemala's architecture is inspired by tropical gardens, and the villas are like bird cages suspended in trees. Overall, Keemala is like a mythical garden.
There are 4 types of rooms for visitors to choose from, but at Keemala, the "tree house" and "bird nest house" are more famous thanks to their unique and interesting design.
When Space Architect and interior designer Pisit Aongskultong were commissioned to design a resort nestled in the jungle overlooking the Andaman Sea in Phuket, Thailand, they uncovered an ancient story about four indigenous clans that may have once inhabited the island.
Emulating the building techniques and spiritual philosophies of these indigenous people, the design team researched and came up with four types of villas: 16 earth houses based on the Pa-ta-Pea clan, with a strong spiritual connection to the land; 7 tent houses based on the Khon-Jorn clan, modeled after the temporary homes of merchants; 7 tree houses based on the We-Ha clan – eccentric artists who lived in two-story tree houses; and 8 bird nest houses for the wealthy Rung-Nok clan, who lived in houses high in the treetops with views of the sea.
The 414m2 “earth house” area includes trapezoidal and pyramidal blocks, covered with imitation clay cement and roofed with synthetic bamboo. The swimming pool is made of blue stone.
The bathroom has walls in a dark clay color and marble floors.
Textured cement walls, terrazzo floors, leather and brass furniture recall the aesthetic of the Pa-ta-Pea – a family with a tradition in metallurgy and farming.
The 460-square-meter “tent” is built with a double-skin material: an opaque layer that keeps out rain, and a second transparent layer that allows wind to blow through easily.
The “treehouses” are built with steel frames and curved synthetic rattan. They are then covered with a heavy-duty canvas tent attached to a steel roof to keep out the rain.
The second floor bedroom floor uses earthy and wood tones as the main theme. The room has a view of Keemala forest.
The houses, inspired by the We-Ha clan, feature hanging chairs and steep staircases.
The large bird's nest villa is roofed with rubber material, reinforced with steel and covered with environmentally friendly wood skin and woven fabric.
Bathroom floor is tiled with handmade mosaic tiles. Sinks and bathtub are carved from stone.
The interior is inspired by local fishing gear with neutral tones, materials made of bamboo, carved wood, copper and steel.
Keemala also has a location advantage, just 3 km from the famous beautiful Kamala beach in Phuket, 14 km from Kathu waterfall and about 30 - 45 minutes from the airport.
