Beachfront Destination

The development is a tropical high-rise 3-in-1 beachfront destination comprising of a diverse mix of retail, residences and hotels topped with sky gardens, recreational amenities, demonstrating that high density can be high amenity.

Flanked by a popular beach to the west and the bustling city to the east, the contoured podium is sculpted to form a porous, fully public and pedestrianised retail plaza to seamlessly connect the beach to the city. The tropical beach experience is brought into and up the building – from the breezy event plaza to the stunning infinity pools set in tropical sky gardens.

The project adopts robust passive design strategies such as naturally lit and ventilated lobbies, pre-function areas and access corridors such that these public areas become functional, comfortable, tropical spaces with greenery, natural light and fresh air instead of enclosed, internalised air-conditioned spaces.

The configuration and orientation of the hotel and residential towers are designed to maximize the panoramic sea views for all units with balconies inspired by the organic shapes and colours of corals, alluding to a thriving ecosystem of variegated corals.

Resort in Rawai

The 270-room resort is located on a seafront site, and encompasses a small hill with 270-degree views to the sea, nearby islands, coconut groves, the Phuket Town bay, and the mountains.

It is comprised of simple, elegant buildings that evoke Thai architecture in a very contemporary way. The design uses clusters of simple rectangular forms, lightened by elegant screens in timber, and embellished with intricate pavilions with screens that emulate Thai silk out of layers of metallic coloured anodised aluminium.

The resort is organized around a series of public spaces that are placed along an axis that connects the sea to the hilltop. Each public space has their own character, which defines a neighbourhood of rooms and facilties. The floral axis turns the hillside into a living textile, changing with the seasons, and providing a stunning foreground to the azure sea and islands behind.

The Pano

This was the winning entry in a limited competition to masterplan 4-hectares for a mixed-use development. The site, which lies along the Chao Phraya, is to be developed in 3 phases, beginning with a luxury condominium. This comprises a 53-storey tower and low-rise apartments gathered around a lotus pond which amplifies the sense of living by the water.

 

The architecture explores the issue of tropicality in high-rise buildings, using devices such as sun-screens, overhangs, and ample plantings on sky gardens. Additionally, this project tackles the problematic multi-storey car-park podium—common in Bangkok where underground parking is avoided due to high construction costs—by treating it as a rocky outcropping, using it to create topography on an otherwise flat site.

 

The Met

Most tropical high-rise housing in developing countries replicate cold-climate models with sealed facades, reliant on air-conditioning. However, in the tropics, light winds, year-round balmy weather, constant temperatures and high humidity make outdoor living desirable. This high density (Plot Ratio 10.1) provides a model of a naturally ventilated, perforated, indooroutdoor, green tower, which is a necessary alternative to the sealed, glazed curtain wall buildings being erected across the tropical regions.

The apartments are houses in the sky with breezeways, full exposure to light and views, outdoor living areas, planters and high-rise gardens, and open-air communal terraces with barbeques, libraries, spas and other facilities.

Sky terraces, both private and public, link the blocks every 5 storeys, creating dramatic yet human-scaled external spaces. The building is planted on every horizontal surface, including private balconies. Vertical faces are shaded by creeper screens. All apartments are cross ventilated, and all face north and south. The staggered block arrangement gives apartments light and air on all four sides. The design makes possible living without airconditioning.

Thai elements– ceramic tiles, textiles and timber paneling – are abstracted to organize forms. The cladding reinterprets Thai temple tiles, the staggered balconies recalls traditional timber paneling. The walls incorporate random mirrored stainless steel panels, a contemporary interpretation of the sparkling mirrors of Thai temples.

2013

  • Aga Khan Award for Architecture - Shortlisted

    Awarded by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

2011

  • RIBA Lubetkin Prize - Winner

    Awarded by Royal Institute of British Architects.

  • International Architecture Award - Winner

    Awarded by The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies

  • Green Good Design Award - Winner

    Awarded by The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies

  • Green Good Design Award - Winner

    Awarded by The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies

2010

  • The International Highrise Award 2010 - Winner

    Awarded by City of Frankfurt, Deutsches Architekturmuseum and DekaBank

  • The Jorn Utzon Award for International Architecture - Winner

    Awarded by Australian Institute of Architects.

  • RIBA International Awards - Winner

    Awarded by Royal Institute of British Architects

  • BCI Green Design Award - Green Leadership Award Winner

    Multiple Houses category, awarded by BCI Asia Construction Information Pte. Ltd.

2009

  • President's Design Award 2009 - Design of the Year

    Awarded by the DesignSingapore Council and Urban Redevelopment Authority

  • World Architecture Festival - Finalist

    Housing category, awarded by World Architecture Festival

  • CTBUH 2009 Best Tall Building Award - Finalist

    Awarded by Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat

2008

  • 2007 Emporis Skyscraper Awards - Silver Award Winner

    Silver Award Winner, awarded by Emporis

2006

  • Asian Habitat Award for Planning and Designing - Winner

    Awarded by Asian Habitat Society

2005

  • MIPIM Architectural Review Future Project Awards 2006 - Winner

    Tall Buildings Category, awarded by The Architectural Review