27-Storey Condominium and 15-Storey Office Building
Program : High-rise Residential, Offices, Mixed use
Area : 29,000 sq.m.
Location : Paholyothin Road, Bangkok, Thailand
Status : Completed
Client : Siamese Asset Co., Ltd
Project Director : Puiphai Khunawat
Project Team : Ayutt Mahasom, Ekkalak Surachat, Thirawit Sinutok, Nathaya Tantipidok, Prachaya Vanagul, Rapeepun Thongprywong, Tanongsak Kaewkallaya, Thirawit Sinutok
Interior Design Team : Jadesupa Pipatsuporn, Kritin Sangdee
Collaborator : Creative Crews
Award :
• Tall Building Award Asia & Australasia region 2015 - Finalist, awarded by Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
• WAN Asia Awards, Residential 2015 - Shortlisted, awared by World Architecture News.com
Siamese Ratchakru is a project comprising of a pair of residential towers born of an abandoned project in a newly developing district of Bangkok. Consequently, the position of the columns was prescribed, restricting the width of the internal spaces. Previously designed with a flat façade, the design is improved by increasing the outer skin of the building, and maximising the usable space of each apartment by careful planning.
Closest to the public interface – the main road and the BTS Skytrain – is the shorter, 15 storey live/work tower. This tower consists of 1 bedroom apartments with attached work spaces of varying sizes, responding to the introduction of new, small businesses in the area. The surface area of the outer skin of the building is increased by the pushing and pulling of a pixelated façade design, allowing for maximised natural light, extra ventilation and planter boxes.
Tucked behind the live/work tower, sits the high-density 28 storey residential tower, consisting of a range of units, from 1, to 3 bedrooms units to duplexes on the top floor. Relatively narrow, careful planning was essential to create the best possible internal environment. This was done by the folding of the shared walls to build-in kitchen units and cabinets. Sliding, glass doors demarcate the bedrooms, allowing flexibility of privacy or openness. These units see their balconies project at an angle, allowing optimised views toward the city, and increase the surface area of the external façade.
Planted walls run down both edges of the residential tower, concealing both fire escapes and providing some greenery for pedestrians, and internal planting is employed as much as possible in shared areas such as lobbies and outdoor areas.
Siamese Ratchakru is an example of how abandoned projects can be reimagined and improved upon with more current inspirations and ideas.