The Building Higher of Thailand

Alfredo picked up the phone, he couldn’t believe the luck that had, with his sharp tone of voice said: «Thailand» and to the second, the mobile made a call, perhaps, the most important of his life. On the other side of the line, a female voice responded, his sister Barbara, who listened with freshness the explanations of her next of kin (for something are twins), and she was prepared to express what thought, knew that her brother wanted to her honest opinion. 

Barbara was proud of her brother, despite their enormous differences the affection that distilled the one to the other was something unique. Almost without thinking, compared her family with a building: «You’ve seen on the news that it has inaugurated this past August 29 the MahaNakhon, the tallest building of Thailand, located in its capital, Bangkok, as well, you’re like this construction, an emerging able to delight the thousands of souls that pass by the urban landscape of the city’s business district. 

The promoters of the building, Pace Development, leaders in the sector of the luxury real estate in Thailand, bet strongly for a new concept residential, more luxurious and able to redefine the urban living standards. You can realize how ambitious of this project not only by the height which reaches the main tower of the complex, 314 meters, also you will see it in its own name, MahaNakhon, which means «Great Metropolis». 

Like you, Alfredo, the complex went through a phase of training, in which the team led by the architect Ole Scheeren, began the project while he was working in the Studio of the famous Rem Koolhaas (OMA), but ended it in his own study of architecture, Büro Ole Scheeren. Its (Spectacular) design was unveiled in the year 2009, and construction began in 2011 for completion in 2016. 

The complex has cost 570 million euros (a bargain, like you) and is composed of the main building, which houses 209 residences of the luxury hotels Ritz-Carlton brand, a boutique hotel that I will speak later, an Observatory at the top of the Tower, an adjacent building for commercial use called the Cube, automatic parking and a garden square for public use. 

Already you know that, commemorating the official birth of the complex, the promoters organized a competition to reward with 2.588 euros (100,000 baht, local currency) to who did the best photo of the opening, in which beams of light lit up the night from the building. But everything is not joy, and on its way they will find obstacles, as the designer of the Tower, Ole Scheeren (German), he had to become a shareholder of the firm, given that, according to the laws of the country, a foreign architect cannot design in Thailand. 

Still, this beautiful building, whose silhouette changes in the four sides of the façade, it seems as if someone had placed a tape coiled up to the top, after it pulled the tape of irregularly, removing the outer layer of the building, leaving outgoing irregulars, all an architectural experiment of first level. The tower looks like a hybrid between traditional skyscrapers and computer pixels. 

According to the CTBUH (Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat) the surface useful of the tower is of 121.782 meters square and is distributed in 77 plants of height, the total surface is to 131.017 meters square (almost ten thousand of retail). The building has a good head, like you, that will serve as an Observatory when it opens to the public in 2.017 and will feature a Sky Bar open 24 hours and a cantilever sticking out of the building… with transparent glass floor!! Imagine… Walking on air to 314 meters above the ground… 

Part of the building is designed by the fine hand of the international David Collins, that all the Cube visitors will discover its good do if they come into Vogue salon (515 square metres with lounge, bar and restaurant) or those who are lucky enough to inhabit the residences of two bedrooms (140 square meters), three bedrooms (220 square meters) or the Sky residence (a marvel of 430 square meters). 

Like you, the building had the support of top professionals for its implementation, such as the company specialized in piloting and foundations, Seafco, the recognized Arup provided structural, mechanical and electrical engineering in the stage of design or the engineering firm Aurecon, who commissioned review and improve the response of the building facing the actions of the wind and the possible seismic loads. 

As always, the construction company was which carried the main burden, the company Bouygues Construction (French) became in the hands and feet of the project, making possible the successful completion of the same. The building have numerous balconies pixelated, needed the use of metal beams and prestressed with steel ropes, downloading to building enough weight, even if it means a higher maintenance (cables in tension can fatigue).

MahaNakhon, like you, is linked to the time it is born, in which one of the fundamental requirements is the commitment to the Environment, thus, boasts a system of treatment of sewage, low emissivity with triple-glazed windows, many green areas, efficient systems of energy consumption and air conditioning systems VRV (intelligent air-conditioning system for heating system ventilation, cooling and hot water centrally controlled).

The Hotel, which is distributed among the plants 8 and 21 of the Tower, will open next year (2.017) and contains 155 rooms, its name: Editions Hotels Bangkok, and will be the fifth to open its doors. Of the union of Marriott International brand and the talented of Ian Schrager born a new concept of luxury hotel, with a service pleasant, modern, personalized and exceptional, unique in its kind of food, beverages and entertainment. Is the future hotel for the luxury millennials? We will see…»

So far, Barbara had spoken with some joy in her tone of voice, now, more seriously and with leisurely accent, told him her brother: «the complex has everything, residential and commercial spaces, green areas and areas for social activities such as exhibitions of art, concerts or cultural events, in addition, have a huge screen in its base of luminaires led´s (always led´s) where to advertise and inform its actions. Brother, you do not think that, perhaps, you cannot be at the height of the new offer of work that have done you, conquest your space with your numerous virtues, as the MahaNakhon has done».

Alfredo thanked with great praise (and excited) the exposure of his sister, hung up the phone, blocked the screen and turned to one side, in front of him, the website of Viajes El Corte Inglés waited patiently to decide the date and time of the trip to Thailand (of there was the job offer). He reserved the flight and proceeded to write an e-mail warning of his return to the country, this time as an apprentice of cuisine in one of the most luxurious restaurants of the capital (Bangkok). He had not told his sister what had already accepted the proposal before he call her for advice. Nobody says NO to the country of the smiles.

Disclosure: The characters that appear in this article, their different personalities and their relationships with each other and with the environment are part of a fiction. The Luxonomist is not responsible for the views expressed in the article and has no business relationship with any of the companies listed on it.