Triangular Shaped Properties

[T_Dog]

I just learned that triangular shaped properties are considered unlucky by most Thai's, and I am curious as to where the origins of this superstition might come from. Anybody out there living on a triangular-shaped lot?

[trogers]

Such a shape is out of balance and have sharp corners. Occupants will find no peace and feel disorientated.

The proof - try designing a roof over a 3-sided house. You will probably end up with an odd shaped pyramid on top of it.

Edited July 30, 2009 by trogers

[quiksilva]

Well its based on Feng Shui the principals are as Trogers described above, but as with most Feng Shui concepts there is a practical element to it too.

Triangles make terribly inefficient foot prints, you will never be able to make full use of the floor space, plus its not only the roof (triangular shaped buildings usually have flat roofs ) but its also the structural design will usually require internal columns which make an already inefficient floor plate even worse.

If you are talking about land parcel, then the same inefficiencies apply. Most plots have a set back requirement, with that setback the actual usable area will be very small.

If there are only triangular plots available, and you must buy there, opt for 2 neighbouring equilaterals adjoined along their hypotenuses

[trogers]

(triangular shaped buildings usually have flat roofs )

And cracks and leaks will develop at the acute-angled corners due to excessive differential thermal movement of flat roof and vertical walls.

One point not mentioned yet - triangles have the smallest floor area enclosed by a perimeter, if you exclude a star like configuration. Thus, highest cost of construction per unit area of floor.

Edited July 31, 2009 by trogers

[katabeachbum]

Feng Shui goes further triangle. I used to have one rai with one of the propertylines to a 3 way crossing. Very unlucky according to BKK thai-chinese interested parties. Sold it to farang.

[trogers]

Feng Shui goes further triangle. I used to have one rai with one of the propertylines to a 3 way crossing. Very unlucky according to BKK thai-chinese interested parties. Sold it to farang.

Shhhh...I am trying to sell it to another farang....

[beechstreet]

Don't listen to any of that nonsense...

Triangular shaped lots are the best! They allow people who couldn't normally afford real estate the opportunity to get creative. There are at least 4 examples in San Diego of great architecture sitting on "unbuildable" triangular lots. Here's one http://www.lloyd-russell.com/projects/inde...pID=r3_triangle

Edited August 3, 2009 by beechstreet

[trogers]

Don't listen to any of that nonsense...

Triangular shaped lots are the best! They allow people who couldn't normally afford real estate the opportunity to get creative. There are at least 4 examples in San Diego of great architecture sitting on "unbuildable" triangular lots. Here's one http://www.lloyd-russell.com/projects/inde...pID=r3_triangle

Impressive, but shows the points that have been raised.

It is self-occupied because the ordinary man cannot adjust to living in trapezoid rooms without disorientation.

[quiksilva]

Certainly irregular shapes can make for great architecture, but that does not guarantee best / most efficient use of capital, or indeed use of space.

The example cited above is an impressive looking building, that has made the best out of a bad site.

[moo9]

Trangular plots are bad as those which are in a road curve or a T crossing.

Just take a look how many house build in those locations are empty.

[trogers]

Trangular plots are bad as those which are in a road curve or a T crossing.

Just take a look how many house build in those locations are empty.

There is a logic to the above - drunk driving and/or speeding!

You do not what to be staying at the top of the T and risk head on crashes, nor along a curve where vehicles may skid and crash into your home.

[T_Dog]

Trangular plots are bad as those which are in a road curve or a T crossing.

Just take a look how many house build in those locations are empty.

There is a logic to the above - drunk driving and/or speeding!

You do not what to be staying at the top of the T and risk head on crashes, nor along a curve where vehicles may skid and crash into your home.

I don't think the OP said anything about a road.

[trogers]

Trangular plots are bad as those which are in a road curve or a T crossing.

Just take a look how many house build in those locations are empty.

There is a logic to the above - drunk driving and/or speeding!

You do not what to be staying at the top of the T and risk head on crashes, nor along a curve where vehicles may skid and crash into your home.

I don't think the OP said anything about a road.

are bad as those which are in a road curve or a T crossing.

[quiksilva]

Buildings located facing an oncoming road say at vthe head of a T junction are also considered unlucky in Feng Shui.

For a real life example go to the Shangri la Hotel's retail plaza (on the Krungthep Wing) the doors to this plaza have been closed and are protected by two large golden lions, who stand guard either side of the doorway to fend off nefarious spirits.

[trogers]

Buildings located facing an oncoming road say at vthe head of a T junction are also considered unlucky in Feng Shui.

For a real life example go to the Shangri la Hotel's retail plaza (on the Krungthep Wing) the doors to this plaza have been closed and are protected by two large golden lions, who stand guard either side of the doorway to fend off nefarious spirits.

Hopefully those lions are placed close and heavy enough to stop a speeding pickup truck...

[T_Dog]

Feng Shui goes further triangle. I used to have one rai with one of the propertylines to a 3 way crossing. Very unlucky according to BKK thai-chinese interested parties. Sold it to farang.

KataBeachBum, Thanks for addressing the original post which is about a triangular shaped piece of property. The property we were looking at has three 60 degree corners with a soi down one and a nice large canal on the other. When the owner said she was having trouble selling it, I was surprised as it is quite nice, and at 600 talang wa, you could not even tell it was a triangle unless you looked at the chanote.

But getting back to my original post and question, I guess there are no real answers to the root of this belief, and it goes in the same territory as black cats in the USA, walking under ladders, and leaving food for the deceased. How is the buyer of your property doing? Did the property bring him bad luck?

[steveromagnino]

But getting back to my original post and question, I guess there are no real answers to the root of this belief, and it goes in the same territory as black cats in the USA, walking under ladders, and leaving food for the deceased. How is the buyer of your property doing? Did the property bring him bad luck?

NOt entirely. From a land usage perspective, you have already been told that assuming that there is a setback from each boundary, that a triangle site will be theoretically the least efficient. In addition, you will end up with corners that serve not much purpose; you can't park in them, put a decent room etc in them.....

A land developer in ANY country would expect discounts for a site that is less than optimum, and be willing to pay for a site that is more than optimum; in Thailand for instance, one of the best shapes might be something like a square with a tail on it linking to a nice wide big road. The square is where you build your skyscraper, and the tail gives you the best setback from the main road, meaning you can go higher and higher and thus use the full GFA allocation as well as build a nice wide building in both directions if you wish.

If you intend to use yourself, then a non issue; go for it.

If you intend to develop, then now you know why the developers are less interested in the site, and that's why it is worth less.

Feng Shui,being that it is based on many different princiciples; some easy to understand, some verging on the black cat type stuff; includes both the practical (stupid inefficient corners as per that design earlier in the thread) as well as the aesthetic - something which might be dismissed as mumbo jumbo (just as meditation, accupuncture, chinese medicine etc were dismissed as stupid Chinese c&*p a few years ago, but now are recognised scientifically as having genuine proven benefits) but which may have elements of truth.