Central Embassy in Bangkok / AL_A

Central Embassy in Bangkok / AL_A - FacadeCentral Embassy in Bangkok / AL_A - FacadeCentral Embassy in Bangkok / AL_A - WindowsCentral Embassy in Bangkok / AL_A - Image 5 of 22Central Embassy in Bangkok / AL_A - More Images+ 17

  • Project Director (Concept To Stage D): Alice Dietsch
  • Project Director (Stage Dd To Completion): Diba Salam
  • Team: Ho-Yin Ng, Maximiliano Arrocet, Stefano Bertotti, Alex Bulygin, Filippo Previtali, Bruce Davison, Peter Feldman, David Flynn, Chris Geneste, Alvin Huang, Yoo Jin Kim, Naoki Kotaka, May Leung, Desislava Lyutakova, Cyril Manyara, Monica Noguero, Eoin O'Dwyer, Adam Peacock, Giulio Pellizzon, Fred Pittman, Jakob Pryzblo, Tanya Rainsley, Irene Shamma, Joy Natapa Sriyuksiri, Jurgen Strohmayer, Paula Vega, Michael Wetmore, Claudia White
  • Structural Engineer: Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick, Arun Chalseri
  • 3 D Printed Original Prototype: Ogle Models
  • Principal: Amanda Levete
  • Architect Of Record: Pi Design
  • City: Bangkok
  • Country: Thailand
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Central Embassy in Bangkok / AL_A - Cityscape, Windows
© Hufton+Crow

Text description provided by the architects. Central Embassy brings a distinguishing new silhouette in the city, one that opens out both to the street and the skyline, and extends an invitation to the people of Bangkok and the world beyond.

Central Embassy in Bangkok / AL_A - Facade
© Hufton+Crow

Located within the former gardens of the British Embassy, along Ploenchit Road, Bangkok’s primary commercial artery, the 1.5 million sq ft mixed use project merges a seven storey luxury retail podium and a 27 storey five star Park Hyatt hotel tower into a cohesive, architectural entity. The tower is the first to be completed by a British architect in Thailand.

Central Embassy in Bangkok / AL_A - Windows
© Hufton+Crow

The hotel and shopping mall are bound together using the notion of a continual looped form to give a more intuitive merging between plinth and tower and between the programmes. The continuity of the tower line appears to break down the volume of the mass of the plinth, creating a structure that is asymmetrical in all dimensions. 

Central Embassy in Bangkok / AL_A - Facade, Cityscape
© Hufton+Crow
Floor Plan Level 3
Central Embassy in Bangkok / AL_A - Cityscape
© Hufton+Crow

The openness of the form embraces the city and sets up reciprocal views, with a series of terraces outside and balconies within to see and be seen. The elevated form that rises from the podium wraps around two vertical light wells, opening up internal spaces to reveal stepped terraces, and dividing hotel functions: private guest-related programmes face the gardens of Nai Lert Park, while the hotel bar, reception lounge and sky terrace face the city centre. 

Central Embassy in Bangkok / AL_A - Image 5 of 22
© Hufton+Crow

Uniting traditional craftsmanship with digital design technologies, the design of the façade builds on Thailand’s tradition of intricate pattern making. The exterior is clad in 300,000 aluminium tiles, each with two surfaces to reflect both the chaos of the city and the sky itself. Creating a dynamic pattern in response to external conditions, the distribution of tiles creates a moiré-like effect, articulated by the play of light and reflection along the varying profiles. 

Central Embassy in Bangkok / AL_A - Image 15 of 22
© Hufton+Crow

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Project location

Address:Bangkok, Thailand

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Central Embassy in Bangkok / AL_A" 18 May 2017. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/871675/central-embassy-in-bangkok-al-a> ISSN 0719-8884

© Hufton+Crow

曼谷中心大使馆:打破曼谷原有城市刻板印象 / AL_A

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