Siamese Ratchakru

SIAMESE RATCHAKRU

Creative Crews

Siamese Ratchakru
© Spaceshift Studio

ARCHITECTS
Creative Crews

MAIN  CONTRACTOR
Ritta Co.ltd

MANUFACTURERS
Agc, Rodena, Ratchada Marble 

MEP ENGINEER
Siamese Assets Co.ltd

CLIENT
Siamese Assets Co.ltd

CONSTRUCTION MANAGER
Siamese Assets Co.ltd

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Sanitas Studio

ARCHITECT IN CHARGE
Puiphai Khunawat

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Siamese Assets Co.ltd

COLLABORATOR
Somdoon Architects Ltd.

CONSTRUCTION BUDGET
650 Million Thb

AREA
29000 m²

YEAR
2014

LOCATION
Bangkok, Thailand

CATEGORY
Mixed Use Architecture, Apartments, Office Buildings

Siamese Ratchakru
© Spaceshift Studio

Text description provided by architect.

Siamese Ratchakru is a mixed development project comprising of two towers; an office and a condominium. During the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the real estate market crashed.

More than 10 years later, there were still evidence of abandoned construction sites around Bangkok, Siamese Ratchakru was one of them.

Siamese Ratchakru
© Spaceshift Studio
Siamese Ratchakru
© Spaceshift Studio
Siamese Ratchakru
© Spaceshift Studio

In 2011, the government released an act to waive impeding regulations to allow these projects to be completed without compromising people safety.

The architect had to work with existing structural foundations and within the approved building footprint and height. With the office tower, existing footing prescribed its position close to the site boundary, thus disallowed opportunities for openings.

Siamese Ratchakru
© Spaceshift Studio
Siamese Ratchakru
© Spaceshift Studio

As a response the architect carved into the block allowing multiple openings for natural light and ventilation. The arrangement afforded the opportunity for planter boxes and balconies leading to more appealing workspaces.

In order to compensate for missing area carved from the block, parking is re-planned to be more efficient resulting in a parking floor reduction, thus replaced with a condominium floor.

Siamese Ratchakru
© Spaceshift Studio
Siamese Ratchakru
© Spaceshift Studio
Siamese Ratchakru
© Spaceshift Studio

For the condominium tower, the architect proposed cantilevered balconies, as the majority of units are small.

The balconies are angled to direct views towards the city and away from the office tower in front. Restrictions of the prescribed column positions made for a relatively narrow configuration, and so careful planning was essential to create the best possible internal environment.

This was done by folding the shared wall and aligning the service functions. Planted walls run down both edges of the residential tower, concealing fire escapes and internal planting is integrated as much as possible in common areas; shared facilities deck and lobbies.

Siamese Ratchakru
© Spaceshift Studio
Siamese Ratchakru
© Spaceshift Studio
Siamese Ratchakru
© Spaceshift Studio

Siamese Ratchakru is an example of how abandoned structures could be revived to become desirable development and architecture relevant to current times.


Siamese Ratchakru
BASEMENT FLOOR PLAN
Siamese Ratchakru
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
Siamese Ratchakru
Mezzanine Flor Plan
Siamese Ratchakru
7th Floor Plan
Siamese Ratchakru
8th Floor Plan
Siamese Ratchakru
18,21,25th Floor Plan
Siamese Ratchakru
26th Floor Plan
Siamese Ratchakru
27th Floor Plan
Siamese Ratchakru
28th Floor Plan
Siamese Ratchakru
Section


Siamese Ratchakru
Elevation
Siamese Ratchakru
Elevation