Amanda Levete Architects, AL_A, has just shared the news that their Central Embassy building is set to start on site this February. Situated along Ploenchit Road, Bangkok’s primary commercial artery, the 1.5 million sq ft project merges a 7 storey luxury retail podium and a 30 storey 5 star hotel tower into a twisting shape. The form marks a grand gesture for the city, as the curved mass climbs high into the sky creating an identifying mark for the area. The interiors are flooded with natural light as the form wraps around two vertical light wells, revealing stepped terraces and vertical gardens.
More about the project after the break.
The form splits the programmatic activities, as the private hotel functions face the tranquil gardens of Lai Nert Park, while the hotel bar, reception lounge and sky terrace face the bright lights of the city center.
The tower’s iridescent skin draws upon traditional Thai motifs and patterns that are then manifested in extruded aluminium tiles that create a dynamic layering effect. ”The distribution of tiles creates a moiré-like pattern, articulated by the play of light and reflection along the surfaces of these varying profiles. This rich and stimulating pattern visually emphasizes the wrapping form of the building as well as providing scale and texture to the extensive opaque frontage at podium level. All glazed areas are designed to merge seamlessly with the aluminium skin,” explained AL_A.
CENTRAL EMBASSY BANGKOK
PROGRAM: Retail, entertainment and hotel complex
CLIENT: Central Retail Corporation
ARCHITECT: Architect AL_A
Director Amanda Levete
Project Director Alvin Huang
Project Associate Alice Dietsch,
Project Team Alex Bulygin, Peter Feldmann, Chris Geneste, Naoki Kotaka, Cyril Manyara, Jakob Pryzblo, Tanya Rainsley, Irene Shamma, Joy Natapa Sriyuksiri, Claudia White
CONSULTANTS: Architect of Record Pi Design
Service Engineers MITR
Building Physics Scott Wilson
Quantity Surveyor Davis Langdon Seah
Lighting Isometrix
AREA 145,000 m2 TOTAL
35,000 m2 Hotel
70,000 m2 Retail & Entertainment
40,000 m2 Parking
Start on site February 2011
