TERRATEX Terracotta Wall Panel: An Exterior Wall Cladding Material that Connects an Old Wooden House with Contemporary Architecture
TERRATEX by FAMELINE is a terracotta wall panel for exterior cladding applications, designed to bring together the warmth of natural materials, long-term durability, and contemporary architectural expression. In Baan Trok Chan, TERRATEX plays an important role in connecting the memory of an old wooden house with the language of a newly designed building.
Redesigning an old wooden house to connect with a new architectural extension
“How can the memory of the original house continue to live together with a new design?”
This question became the key design challenge for Baan Trok Chan, a private residence for a large family designed by SPACE | STORY | STUDIO. The project began with an existing old wooden house on the site, which was still in good condition and worth preserving. The owner had purchased the land together with the old wooden house and its later extensions. After the architects carefully surveyed the site, they found that some parts of the original structure could be preserved, while other areas needed to be redesigned.
For the original wooden structure, the designers approached the renovation with care. This included replacing the roofing material section by section to avoid the rainy season, adjusting the walls to accommodate air-conditioning, and adding openings in areas that were previously used as wooden ventilation panels. Meanwhile, the old concrete extension was in poor condition and no longer met current structural standards. As a result, this part of the house needed to be redesigned while still maintaining a visual and architectural connection with the original building. The new extension was also set back to allow the old wooden house to remain visually prominent, creating an appropriate distance and a familiar atmosphere between the old and new structures.
This approach eventually developed into the concept of “Baan Mai Kao Lao Mai”, or “an old wooden house retold.” The original wooden house retains its form, while the arrangement of openings is adjusted to suit a new way of living. The second-floor bedroom area becomes more private, while the ground floor is opened up as a shared family space. To address heat from the west, an extended canopy was added and connected to the new building. The new structure then uses glass elements and terracotta wall panels to create a sense of continuity, allowing both buildings to be perceived as part of the same home.
Terracotta Wall Panels: Connecting Old and New Architecture
One of the most challenging aspects of this project was making two buildings from different periods feel as if they belonged under the same roof. The use of terracotta wall panels as the facade material for the new building became an appropriate solution, as terracotta is a natural material with a long history, much like wood. Its warm tones, distinctive surface texture, and material character created through earth and fire reflect a sense of time, authenticity, and nature.
The horizontal rhythm of the terracotta panels also plays a powerful role in the design. In an old wooden house, horizontal lines often appear through overlapping wooden siding. These familiar lines create a calm and comfortable visual rhythm. When the new building reinterprets this same horizontal language through the arrangement of terracotta wall panels, a deliberate continuity in architectural expression is created.
As a result, visitors can naturally perceive the relationship between the old and new buildings. At the same time, the terracotta facade gives the new structure a distinctive character that is difficult to achieve with many other materials. Its subtle surface texture responds beautifully to natural light throughout the day, creating depth on the wall without relying on additional decoration. The building appears simple, calm, and contemporary, while still preserving the warmth and emotional quality of a home.
TERRATEX: Terracotta Wall Panels for Modern Exterior Cladding
For the new building, the designer selected TERRATEX by FAMELINE as the terracotta wall panel for the exterior wall cladding. TERRATEX is made from 100% natural clay and manufactured through a high-temperature firing process using ball-milled technology. This results in a dense, strong, and durable material that resists cracking and breaking, with a long service life of over 50–100 years. Its color and surface texture are created by the natural minerals in the clay and the firing process, giving each panel a unique natural tone. The color is long-lasting, resistant to fading, and does not peel, making it suitable for exterior applications in hot and humid climates.
In addition to its aesthetic and durability performance, TERRATEX has also been certified as a Green Label Material. This reflects its consideration for environmental impact, user safety, and long-term performance. TERRATEX is produced under manufacturing standards including ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018. Its production process also supports reduced energy consumption and does not release harmful volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, making it a material choice that supports both environmental responsibility and the well-being of building users.
Another key feature of TERRATEX is its natural thermal insulation performance. As a clay-based material, terracotta has low thermal conductivity and internal air cavities that help reduce heat transfer into the wall structure. When combined with a Dry-wall Construction installation system using a substructure and clip-lock mechanism, the system enables fast and precise installation while creating a ventilated cavity between the panel and the building wall. This cavity allows heat and moisture accumulated around the building envelope to be naturally released, helping reduce heat transfer into the building and enhancing facade performance for contemporary architecture.
When natural materials become part of an architectural story
In Baan Trok Chan, the exterior wall cladding of the new building does more than serve as a decorative surface. It becomes an important architectural element that strengthens the concept of “Baan Mai Kao Lao Mai”, or an old wooden house retold. Through the distinctive beauty of natural terracotta, its warm tones, textured surface, and horizontal panel rhythm, TERRATEX creates a gentle dialogue between the old wooden house and the newly designed building.
The material helps express the idea that both structures, despite being from different periods, can coexist as part of the same home. Its natural texture reflects a process rooted in earth and fire, while its contemporary panel system supports the clean architectural language of the new building. This allows the project to preserve the emotional value of the old house while introducing a modern living environment for different generations within the same family.
This design approach also aligns with FAMELINE’s position in developing innovative exterior cladding materials that support not only architectural beauty, but also performance, durability, environmental responsibility, and long-term usability in tropical climates. TERRATEX represents a material solution that helps elevate building material standards while preserving architectural value through time.
Project Reference: Baan Trok Chan
Product Name: TERRATEX (Terracotta Panel)
Product Color: Natural Smooth (Linen)
Designed by: SPACE | STORY | STUDIO
TERRATEX: Key Product Information
- Terracotta wall panel for exterior walls and building facade applications
- Made from 100% natural clay, offering authentic natural tones and textures
- Long-lasting color that resists fading and peeling
- Natural thermal insulation performance that helps reduce heat transfer into buildings
- Installed with a Dry-wall Construction system using substructure and clip-lock components
- Creates a ventilated cavity behind the panels to help release heat and moisture
- Low maintenance and suitable for long-term exterior applications
- Suitable for private residences, commercial buildings, hotels, and contemporary facade design
Technical Information of TERRATEX
| Item | Information |
|---|---|
| Material Type | Terracotta Wall Panel / Exterior Cladding |
| Main Material | 100% Natural Clay |
| Panel Size | 300 mm height / 600 and 1,200 mm length |
| Thickness | 22 mm |
| Weight | Approximately 31–32 kg/sq.m. |
| Installation System | Dry-wall Construction / Aluminium Substructure & Clip Lock |
| Substructure Type | Vertical / Horizontal Substructure |
| Thermal Property | Thermal Conductivity 0.34 W/(m.K) |
| Fire Performance | Class A1 / Non-Flammable |
| Application | Exterior Walls / Building Facades / Contemporary Architecture |
| Key Features | Long-lasting color, fade resistance, low maintenance, and long service life |
| Testing Standards | EN ISO 10545 Series |
FAQ about TERRATEX
Related TERRATEX Articles
- How to Reduce Building Heat? Choosing the Right Wall Materials and Facade for Cooler, Energy-Efficient Buildings
- ‘FAMELINE TERRATEX’: From Green-Label Material to a Sustainable Living Experience
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