In this Chiang Mai hotel’s tranquil courtyard gardens, dotted with cloud-pruned trees and clipped bushes, layouts that follow the golden ratio create a pleasing symmetry.
The tradition of the courtyard garden that began some 5000 years ago with the ancient Egyptians has been embraced by nearly every major civilisation across the globe with the Persians, Chinese, Japanese and Romans all contributing their own distinguishing features. Down the centuries, courtyards have offered refuge from the world as places of peace, shade and sanctuary.
In modern times courtyard spaces continue as an extension to the home for outdoor living or to enhance the aesthetics of the architecture – often providing an urban oasis in a crowded city. In the northern Thailand temple city of Chiang Mai this is very much the case. The garden at Rachamankha, an exclusive 25-room boutique hotel, carries on the legacy of classic courtyard garden design, revealing influences of both East and West cultures, yet proudly displaying a distinctive contemporary Thai tropical theme.
Here at Rachamankha, a carefully orchestrated sequence of interrelated courtyards creates a studied composition of light and dark using open and closed outdoor spaces to achieve order and beauty – a true sense of place that expresses serenity and spirituality. Their scale and repetition reflect classic order while the perfectly executed geometry sits comfortably on the eye.
This story is from the April 2019 edition of Belle Magazine Australia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2019 edition of Belle Magazine Australia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The wow factory
The sisters steering Zuster furniture brand put a creative spin on their own industrial zone.
OPEN INVITE
This handsome home in the NSW Southern Highlands welcomes within its walls both generous rural views and a steady flow of guests.
DUAL ACCENTS
American heritage style meets Spanish mission design in this harbourside Sydney home.
Grand vision
It can be easy being green or it is for this house -that cleverly combines lavish spaces and timeless style, while also being kind to the planet.
POWER AND GLORY
An angular concrete structure packs a punch in a new build on an elevated site in Sydney while its interior design offers a softly layered and textured counterpoint.
COLOUR BURST
A joyful exuberance permeates this heritage home reinvented by interior designer Andrew Parr with zesty hues, lively contemporary art and iconic furniture.
LA VIE EN ROSE
Poised above Pittwater in Sydney's north, this weekender is alluringly relaxed - and offers holiday fun for family and friends.
COOL, CALM COLLECTIVE
An ever-changing array of covetable antiques, objets d'art and unique pieces ensure the interiors of this beautiful store has a collected feel and sense of permanence.
BOLD CHOICE
Architect and trailblazer Piero Gesualdi's Melbourne emporium, Mondopiero, is a celebration of timeless design and craftmanship, with a sprinkling of decorative flair.
HIGHER CALLING
In a world that is typically more about me, me, me, quietly luxurious day spa Venustus keeps thriving three decades on with a true commitment to inspired client service.