Country living

Luang Prabang (a UNESCO World Heritage Town), located in north central Laos, is defined by rusticity; a character which Thai architect Duangrit Bunnag decided to use and explore for his design on Alila Luang Prabang—the latest property from Alila Hotels & Resorts—located in a serene residential area of the town.

“The brief for us was to design a modern, comfortable hotel with local cultural influences,” says Bunnag, who runs Duangrit Bunnag Architect Limited and is best known for his work on the Bangkok’s contemporary Thailand Creative & Design Center. “The project is a walled compound, so the idea is to create, within the walls, a small village which is characteristic of the city.”

You’d notice Bunnag’s philosophy the moment you step into the luxury boutique resort’s one hectare, 23-suite compound: its central courtyard mirrors the local agriculture scene. “We used the simple latticed geometry of a farm or field as an inspiration for its design,” explains Bunnag. “Instead of using agricultural plants, we chose flowers, decorative bushes, brick, pebble and sand to depict the articulation of the landscape.”

Excerpt from the January issue of epicure.