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<\/p>\nAcclaimed Thai practice Department of Architecture Co. conceptualises a compelling blend of history and modernity with the second edition of a hip Bangkok community mall<\/p>\n
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Bangkok brims with malls. From colossal riverside complexes like IconSiam to stalwarts such as Siam Paragon and Centralworld, the Thai capital is full of air-conditioned temples of consumerism. Less brash, and perhaps more compelling \u2014 at least to the city\u2019s legion of hipsters \u2014 are more than 100 community malls: small shopping destinations characterised by open-air layouts, local eateries and bars, and lots of foliage\u2014a loose play on the American community centre.<\/p>\n
Bullish on the Thai capital\u2019s thriving retail sector, brother-and-sister tandem Varatt and Vicharee Vichit-Vadakan established one such mall upon their return to Bangkok from America. The Commons, a 5,000-sqm loft-like retail development, opened early 2016 in the city\u2019s tony Thonglor neighbourhood, purveying casual and conceptual F&B outlets including the siblings\u2019 own Roast, a casual all-day bistro, and its coffee-driven sister, Roots Coffee Roaster.<\/p>\n
On February 27, the duo launched the community mall\u2019s second branch in Saladaeng, a pocket of the Thai capital hemmed in by the bustling Sathorn and Silom districts. While decidedly smaller than its Thonglor predecessor at 3,000 sqm, The Commons Saladaeng is well-located and has already established itself as a hub for both dining and events ranging from workshops to live jazz performances.<\/p>\n Department of Architecture Co., the design firm behind the original Commons, was tapped not only to shape the project but to scout for land plots. The studio, led by Ivy League alumni Amata Luphaiboon and Twitee Vajrabhaya Teparkum, pointed the developer to the mall\u2019s current site at Saladaeng Soi 1\u2014a leafy alley behind their headquarters.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were on board without a formal assignment,\u201d relates Amata, principal and co-founder of the design studio. \u201cWe already understood the essence of The Commons quite well. We are also very familiar with the neighbourhood as we actually are \u2018Saladaeng people.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Saladaeng is a crossroads of sorts for the mall\u2019s target audience, according to Amata. \u201cHere, there are more workers [than Thonglor] since there are a lot of large office buildings within walking distance. I can\u2019t think of any other location that has such a unique mix of Thais and expats,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n The Commons Saladaeng is a natural progression from its big brother in Thonglor. It follows the same signature step-and-ramp space that forms the backbone of The Commons Thonglor, albeit with a twist.<\/p>\n \u201cWe concentrated on designing an architectural ground that can adapt itself to different activities. We designed a \u2018wood pallet\u2019 system that can manipulate the steps into many configurations suitable for various functions,\u201d says Amata.<\/p>\n In drawing up a unique identity for The Commons Saladaeng, Department of Architecture paid tribute to the area\u2019s mythos. Cresting and falling atop the structure are eight red gables, alluding to the name of the neighbourhood\u2014Sala is \u201cpavilion\u201d in Thai parlance; daeng is \u201cred\u201d\u2014and the interesting history behind it. Saladaeng, the design team discovered, was a depot serviced by Paknam, Thailand\u2019s first railway line which once ran through the area.<\/p>\n Saladaeng Station, as well as its surrounding residences, sported red gable roofs that the architects sought to replicate over the mall.<\/p>\n \u201cWe wanted the gable roof to be small and reminiscent of the old days. However, we also required a large span of building structure to accommodate the contemporary use of commercial space,\u201d Amata says.<\/p>\n With the help of a structural engineer, the team reconciled such duelling challenges by imagining the roof as a sequence of \u2018M\u2019 shapes, steeply deviating from the typical pitch of gable roofs.<\/p>\n \u201cThe contractor manufactured these steel, M-shaped roof structural members in a factory and raised them up with a crane on-site. Precision was key,\u201d recalls Amata.<\/p>\n In their search for the perfect roofing material, the architects discovered Onduline, a brand of corrugated roof sheets known for its excellent colour retention properties.<\/p>\n \u201cIts \u2018red\u2019 is a good crimson shade that is not too saturated. It has a corrugated scale similar to the traditional asbestos cement roof used widely in the old days, and they convey a homey and domestic feel for such a large structure,\u201d says Amata.<\/p>\n The Onduline sheets, made from rubber, cancels out the noise of heavy downpours. They also clad the interior walls and ceilings, the muted colours offering an unobtrusive background for the booths at The Market\u2014the double-height food court on the second floor.<\/p>\n The Onduline sheets, made from rubber, cancels out the noise of heavy downpours. They also clad the interior walls and ceilings, the muted colours offering an unobtrusive background for the booths at The Market\u2014the double-height food court on the second floor.<\/p>\n With the second Commons, Department of Architecture managed to recreate history and preserve decades\u2019 worth of reclamation by nature. An enormous sai or pointed leaf ficus tree towers 16 metres over the plot, informing the project\u2019s setback specifications.<\/p>\n “Existing large trees are important to any inner-city development. We knew instantly that it would be a focal point of our planning, so the fa\u00e7ade is deliberately curved out from its beautiful canopy shape,\u201d says Amata.<\/p>\n Department of Architecture commissioned a horticulturist, who checked the tree\u2019s root sizes and their locations, the size of its canopy, etc., and from there determined how far the studio needed to set back the building, and how to protect the tree during construction.<\/p>\n After two and a half years of development, The Commons Saladaeng initially launched in January. Now open for business from 7am through 1am, the mall\u2019s tenants include notables such as fried-chicken specialist Fowlmouth, artisanal burger joint Bun Meat and Cheese and, on the ground floor, a branch of Roast.<\/p>\n Customers can opt to eat anywhere. Upon ordering food at The Market, they can eat and drink at the available tables, downstairs at the Roots coffee counter or on the daybeds facing the street sidewalk. Amata himself enjoys a cup of coffee and croissant on the front step before coming to work.<\/p>\n More: Meet the man behind Thailand\u2019s co-working empire<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The Platform, on the third and final level of the building, is another option with its lawn area offering plenty of communal seating and lush softscapes. There\u2019s an elevator to the third storey, but customers \u201calways enjoy walking up,\u201d observes Amata. \u201cOn Saturday evenings, I watch jazz sessions performed by experienced and passionate Thai musicians.\u201d<\/p>\n Operations at both Commons trade in sustainability, mainly because the open-air spaces\u2014supplemented by big industrial fans\u2014ensure free flow of ventilation and reduce clamour for conditioned air. Excess food from mall vendors are collected in a community fridge and later donated to the hungry.<\/p>\n We needed this little brother to be different, while also carrying the soul of its big brother. We needed to find the right balance between continuing the brand and progressive thinking<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Universal design features, such as wheelchair access and handicap restrooms, are integrated into the built space, as are valet and bicycle parking areas. Customers may opt to leave their pets while browsing the shops, their leashes secured to special hooks on ground level.<\/p>\n Picturing the second Commons understandably gave Amata the sophomore jitters; its predecessor was truly a tough act to follow. The original Commons was laurelled Best Community Retail Development at the 2016 PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards.<\/p>\n \u201cFrankly speaking, I was quite concerned when we were starting the design phase, because The Commons Thonglor was regarded really well by local and international design communities and the general public. We needed this little brother to be different, while also carrying the soul of its big brother. We needed to find the right balance between continuing the brand and progressive thinking,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n But filling a groove in Saladaeng\u2019s history is a form of validation in itself. Says Amata: \u201cOne-hundred thirty years ago, a red pavilion was a landmark of the area. One-hundred thirty years later, I hope that this small red pavilion will become another landmark of the area, too.\u201d<\/p>\n This article originally appeared in\u00a0Issue No. 159<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0PropertyGuru Property Report Magazine<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Acclaimed Thai practice formulates an impressive blend of influences in the second edition of a popular community mall<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":20653,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[87,97],"tags":[134,887,133],"class_list":["post-8746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-architecture-interiors","category-magazine","tag-bangkok","tag-community-mall","tag-thailand","news_country-thailand","news_author-al-gerard-de-la-cruz"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.asiapropertyawards.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/The-Commons.jpg\")
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