Sukhumvit 39 or Soi Phrom Phong is one of the most popular areas for foreigner especially Japanese to live in Bangkok. Most of these are used for residences. It is also known as the center of Japanese community, with the prime location being close to Japanese restaurants, Japanese kindergartens, Japanese supermarkets, malls, parks, and more. The site is a corner land crossing between Soi Phrom Phong and Soi Phrom Mit, making it easy to access by car from both directions. Moreover, it is only 400 m. from Phrom Phong BTS Station. With the site area of 2,836 sq.m. make a max potential of 22,688 sq.m. building.
The real challenge of this site is the size and the irregular shape along with the regulations, make it difficult to design the building on ordinary terms. Therefore, the possibilities study was made to find the best solution to the site by comparing view, height, number of floors, units, circulation, and saleable area based on residential floor plan and parking floor plan. Scheme C has the most potential for both view and saleable area.
The development has been made to Scheme C by adding underground auto parking to gain more residential units. The East and North West is clear from high rise building, making an astonishing view of the cityscape. However the building is facing the Sun directly along with the leftover space on the West. Therefore, an addition of trees to the balconies are designed to diffuse the light and add more area for residential units. By shifting the balcony, every rooms get balcony with tree and it gives the building movement just like Bangkok that never stop moving. A façade is added and shifted randomly to provide more shade and movement making the exterior looks more interesting.
The entrance is connected to Soi Phrom Phong due to the traffic and regulations. Drop off area is located on the South. Serviced Zone and conventional parking is at the back which is the East of the building. Lastly, the auto parking is located on the North. Convenient Store is placed in the front of the building so non residents around the area can access to it easily. Lobby is in the center of the building connecting people from both drop off area and auto parking.
Entrance
The entrance leads to the Lobby with the Japanese gardens on both sides, giving a relaxing ambiance before entering the residence. A Convenience store can be easily accessed in the front left side of the building.
Lobby from Drop Off
Lobby from Auto Parking
Lobby is located in the center of the building, connecting people from the drop off area on the South side and people from auto parking on the North. The interior materials used are wood, stone, and concrete, which provide a simple yet luxurious look.
Stone Garden
Living Area
Living Area is on the 6th floor, connecting all the recreation area together including the Lounge, Fitness, Swimming Pool, Stone Garden, and Kids Room. It is a semi-outdoor area that provides spaces like Japanese balcony (Engawa). This area is also an open plan so it is flexible to organize events for the residents.
1-Bedroom
Balcony
Shifted balcony with tree is the key feature that makes this serviced apartment unique. The balcony and tree defuse direct sunlight from the West and also add more living space to the residence. Removing the overused picture of narrow and lacked of light room, this residence will give Japanese expats a feeling of home with stone garden. The bedroom will get a tree view from the unit below and the living space will get a tree with double space balcony. Not only does the shifting balcony provide more spaces, but it also gives movement to the building which represents Bangkok, the city that never sleeps.
