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Architects: Integrated Design Office
- Area: 350 m²
- Year: 2015
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Photographs:Boonchai Tienwang
Text description provided by the architects. Situated in a close proximity to Chatuchak weekend market in the Northern part of Bangkok, Adventure Hostel resides in a 4-storey typical shop house built during 1960s. The structural framing is at 3.60*3.60 meter. It forms 7.20 meter wide and 14.40 meter deep building. The typical layout is; the shop occupies ground floor, directly connect to the street where all the trades could easily happen. Storage is on the second, and the family units stay above.
However, after Bangkok Sky train (BTS), has launched in 1999, it becomes the main transportation mode in Bangkok. The colossus structure creeps in all over the main street in CBDs to deliver 250,000++ passengers a day. This condition changes the way people live in the shophouse. While the living conditions become worsen because of the noise and privacy factor, its potential for the commercial used is enhanced. Because of these reasons, many residents move out and rent the space for commercial use.
The client who rent the space for hostel, ask INTEGRATED DESIGN OFFICE (INDEO) a Bangkok-based design studio led by Boonchai Tienwang. The brief is easy with only 3 simple requirements; cheapest, fastest and Thai contemporary culture accent.
The building was used as a low-income apartment with 14 of 12 sq.m. rooms. After the interior demolition, INDEO finds a lot of windows, doors and wood studs. With economical approach, the reuse of demolished materials has become the core design idea. The door and wall wood studs find their new life for the outdoor furniture and wood deck. All the windows are cleaned and repainted. Each of them is meticulously laid out at the front façade. The window facade protects the inhabitants from street noise, direct sunlight, and also creates a certain degree of privacy.
Famous for its vibrant atmosphere, iNDEO introduces Bangkok every-day street components for the interior design, such as the traffic light, traffic cone and the wood palette etc. It is meant to blur the boundary between indoor and outdoor feeling. To give a sense of Thai accent, colorful traditional sarong is used for the roof fabric and other furniture upholstery.
The design of this hostel does not only offer the budget overnight stay but also need to represent Bangkok chaotic and yet vibrant atmosphere. The heterogeneous built environment is enhanced throughout the hostel space from main entrance to the roof terrace.
