MahaNakhon Tower

If I have to choose the most unusual skyscraper in Southeast Asia, I've no doubt that it has to be MahaNakhon Tower in Bangkok, Thailand. Designed by star architect Ole Scheeren, this building almost looks like it belongs to the fantasy world of Anime or Gaming. The facade of the tower looks like it has been scratched by a giant monster like Godzilla when it wrecked havoc in the busy streets of Bangkok while stepping on a few Tuk Tuk along the way.

This building defies all our knowledge of a tall buildings by deliberately 'scars' its face as if it is still left standing after a meteor hit the face of the earth. Truly imaginative in the fantasy way to design such an outrageous building for a city like Bangkok which is not known for iconic modern architecture.

Bangkok's Super Tower

Higher than a bird, almost as high as some planes. It's Super Tower. And it's coming to Bangkok.

A Thai property developer has announced plans to build a skyscraper in the Thai capital that will be among the 10 tallest buildings in the world when it is completed in 2019.

The 125-storey tower will rise 615 metres and include a luxury six-star hotel with 260 rooms, offices and an observation deck with panoramic views of the Thai capital and rooftop garden, developer Grand Canal Land Public Company said.

According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, which maintains a database of the tallest skyscrapers, the Bangkok "Super Tower" will be the world's ninth tallest if it is built on schedule. It would be the second tallest if built today.

The tower will dwarf the tallest building currently in Thailand, the Baiyoke II tower, which tops out at 328 metres on its 85th storeys.

The tallest building in the world is currently Dubai's Burj Khalifa, which has 163 floors and is 828 metres high. The Petronas twin towers in Kuala Lumpur, the tallest building in Southeast Asia, stand at 452 metres. The tallest building in Hong Kong, the International Commerce Centre, is 484 metres tall.

The Thai developer intends the tower as the centre of a new business, shopping and residential district in Bangkok costing 100 billion baht (HK$24 billion). It will be built on almost 12 hectares of land in the city. A competition will be held to decide the name.

"This skyscraper is going to be the new landmark of Thailand, a world-class attraction that everyone must visit at least once in his or her lifetime," Grand Canal Land chairman Yotin Boondicharern said.

The ambitious plans are a vote of confidence in the Thai economy, which has struggled to grow during several years of political strife.

The military seized power from the elected government on May 22, the 12th coup in Thailand since the end of its absolute monarchy in 1932. Martial law remains in place but business and daily life continues as normal.

Source: South China Morning Post

Amazing Bangkok

One of the best skyline in Asia!

 

 

MahaNakhon Bangkok

Designed by the celebrity architect Ole Scheeren who used to be partner in OMA and former boyfriend of Hong Kong actress Maggie Cheung, MahaNakhon will be the tallest building in Bangkok once completed. Ole Scheeren is also the man behind the renowned Beijing's CCTV Tower that challenges people conventional perception of tall buildings and revolutionize the way we design skyscraper from then on.

The strategic location of the building makes it a transportation hub with direct linkage to Chognonsi BTS Skytrain station between Silom and Sathom Roads. Some of the other facilities in MahaNakhon includes an urban oasis, public gardens, luxury retails, high rise residences and a five star hotel created by New York's Ian Schrager.

The most unique feature of this building has to be its extraordinary form. The massing of the form is carved into with the excavated portion of the glass curtain wall revealing inner life of the building. Whenever solid is carved out to create void, protrusions are created at the same time. These protrusions become balconies and extra green areas that offer panoramic views of Bangkok city.

 

 

 

The Met

Designed by the Singaporean architect WOHA and located in Bangkok, Thailand. 

Bangkok is a typical Asian city where chaos reigns supreme above all else. At first glance, one will find everything to be in total disorder without any conceivable master planning. Ironically it is this chaotic phenomenon that differentiates Asian cities from the West. Modernism is the creation of the West and was imposed upon Asian cities regardless of the local culture and climate. As a result we see substantial amount of modern skyscrapers that were designed in the comfort of the studio without full understanding of the context of the site. 

The Met however takes into consideration the tropical climate to design a high rise residential building that not only will add to the architectural asset of the city but also provide comfort to the inhabitants. The rectilinear block is punched with multiple openings to provide ventilation and lighting at intervals in order for the communal sky courts to work better. This insertion of voids in the solid box has made the single tower looks as if it is consists of 3 separate towers link together with bridges at several intervals along its height.