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Architects: MUN Architects
- Area: 420 m²
- Year: 2021
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Photographs:Soopakorn Srisakul
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Lead Architects: Podjanarit Nimitkul, Krissada Tansunsathien
Text description provided by the architects. MUN Architects transforms a 4 story shophouse into a computer vision technology support business office. Located in the middle of the hectic city of Bangkok, Thailand. The typical low ceiling shophouse building has been reprogrammed and refurbished for Baksters. Started by emptying the building, removing some unwanted floor slabs, and keeping the original reinforced concrete post and beam structure. The timber walls are introduced as a buffer from the brick walls being used in the whole alley to create a sense of being enclosed by natural material.
The sequence of going into the building has been reorganized. The first floor is the main dining area for staff. It can also be used for parties or events. at the mezzanine floor, a meeting room and desks are lightened up by natural light from a small enclosed opening space.
When reaching the second floor, the first impression is to experience a tall space to the roof slab with a strip of a skylight casting shadows of the galvanized steel gratings on a vast timber wall. This is the only area that carpet tiles are used. This common space will turn into a workshop for children during the weekend. The corporate colors are shown on the floor. Gradient blue, green, and red circles are interpreted as water, forest, and the sun. The third floor is mainly for workstations with a connecting bridge as a transition space to the floating meeting room sitting on the existing concrete structure.
All trees planted in the project are intended to be seen from every functional space within the building. When walking up through the curved staircase to the fourth floor, the staff will be welcomed by a small rectangle skylight giving a sense of intimacy to the narrow space. This floor is for a meeting room and a bedroom for staff who want to stay overnight.
Natural lights play the main role in interior spaces. The staff can experience how lights react when filtered by leaves, galvanized gratings, fabric, or when they come and move in different angles creating patterns of shadows throughout the day. With the hope to create "consciousness" in oneself.
