This was a prime site in the centre of Bangkok. Formerly the Cambodian Embassy, it was bordered on two sides by parks, one being Lumpini Park and the other The Royal Bangkok Sports Club. It took a long time to arrive at the eventual design. Given its prime location, the client was keen to explore a wide range of design approaches.

The final design consists of what seem to be two 145 metre high towers which are actually joined at the pivot point, the central lift core. It was an exercise in breaking down the mass, resulting in an overall skyline that belied the building’s bulk, but also ensured that all the apartments have a park view. This process involved ‘cutting out’ those parts of the building which did not enjoy a view, resulting in all units becoming ‘prime’ units.

All the 256 units were large, ranging from 140 square metre 2-bedroom units to 300 square metre penthouses and duplexes, within the matrix of a flexible floorplate which allowed a range of different unit types. While the building presents itself as a glass box, in fact only 35% of the façade has actual windows. The remaining curtain wall is solid, with a colour back-pan detail that provides effective insulation without any loss of aesthetic appeal.

The site was small and the building only ever six metres away from the property line. This demanded a compact design. So, for example, the parking podium on the prime city-facing elevation has been given an innovative façade treatment of expanded metal screens, horizontal louvres and light-boxes to camouflage it. All the facilities are located under the footprint of the towers. Pool decks and support facil ities have been integrated to provide top-class amenities, while the building has a 4-storey entrance lobby.

This development has been awarded multiple recognitions.