By Ar. Vinita Wagh
Photography: Spaceshift Studio; courtesy the architect
Read Time: 2 min
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| The Commons Saladaeng (inset) Architects Amata Luphaiboon & Twitee Vajrabhaya |
Nestled in Bangkok’s vibrant ‘Saladaeng’ neighbourhood is The Commons Saladaeng, an urban lifestyle project by Department of Architecture Co., standing true to the city’s context, climate and roots.
‘Saladaeng’ – translating to ‘red pavilion’, takes its name after a small historic train station that featured a red gabled roof. The 3000 sq. m. project serves the community and honours this past through its architectural expression.
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The dynamic roof, characterised by eight small gables set in an M-shaped framework, negotiates between the sentimental scale of the past and the functional scale of the present. Featuring crimson coloured corrugated sheets of varying transparencies, the roof adds a layer of visual complexity onto the structure’s simple form. Hinting to not just the roofing material of the past, the canopy caters to acoustics as well.
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A large, 15m high Ficus tree takes centre-stage at the entrance, coercing the building façade to curve around it. The tree visually screens the public space – the ‘Common Ground’, that lies beyond, offering privacy. Culled out from the volume, the open-air space orients itself towards the tree. Occupying 30% of the building footprint, the ‘Common Ground’ connects the street to the floors and activities above by way of large steps, platforms, seating, and planting. Made of a special pallet unit system, the space is a modifiable groundscape, the system allowing transformation of the cascading steps into different configurations. Small flat areas, staggered steps, platforms or even a large stage – the space adapts to and organises into infinite combinations for markets, performances, workshops, movie screenings, exercises and much more!
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Embracing a shared economy approach as a driving force of space planning and innovation, ‘The Platform’ divides the time of a single space rather than the space itself. Large industrial fans generate laminar flow, offering a comfortable microclimate in the otherwise high-density CBD.
Acknowledging the limitations of space, this commercial F&B venue adapts itself to the life of the community, establishing a strong bond between the people and the place.
Fact File:
Project: The Commons Saladaeng
Typology: Commercial Building
Client: The Commons Saladaeng Co.,Ltd.
Architectural Design: Department of Architcture Co.
Principal Architect: Amata Luphaiboon, Twitee Vajrabhaya
Project Architect: Chanlika Boonpha
Design Team: Tanadetch Mahapolsirikun, Monthon Patcharapunyapong, Supavit Junsompitsiri
Hardscape Designer: Department of Architcture Co.
Softscape Designer: Patom and Suan Sampran
Lighting Designer: ACCENT Studio by Nopporn Sakulwigitsinthu
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
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