AIA East Gateway is a new office building model located in the Bangna area. This building emphasizes the well-being of office employees by integrating nature and green spaces into the building.
The surrounding landscape on the ground, on podiums, and sky balcony not only offer a relaxing atmosphere for people, but also provides areas to promote physical and mental well-being; such as an outdoor exercise area featuring a vibrant red running track contrasted with greenery along 400 meters, an outdoor fitness area, table tennis, indoor fitness, and even a saltwater swimming pool.
During the day, employees can change their atmosphere at work. The space was designed to allow the user to step outside and discuss in the outdoor Co-Working Area, which is surrounded by nature. It can help increase concentration, reduce fatigue, and enhance work efficiency and creativity by approximately 15-20%.
There are areas to promote Social and Community well-being for employees, with meeting pavilions, resting pavilions and dining tables. Another highlight is the urban farming corner, with an abundance of edible plant species for people working here to harvest and enjoy. Gathering plants and caring for the farm can be bonding social moments. Studies have found that having an edible garden can improve people’s health by up to 15%.
The AIA East Gateway building not only emphasizes well-being but is also dedicated to addressing the issue of flood-prone areas with nature-based solutions. The design ensures that the property can serve as a water retention area during heavy rainfall for 4 months and store up to 1,161.25 cubic meters of water. The significant key of the design is the natural retention pond and the bioswale, which not only enhance the ambiance of the surrounding area but also function as water retention areas for the project.
The natural retention ponds also serve as rainwater-harvesting areas and help recycle the water. All of the green spaces within the project are designed as Rain Gardens that capture and slow water flow. These gardens can also filter dust and contaminants before allowing the water to flow into natural ponds. This is achieved through long bioswales, designed to resemble streams amid green vegetation. Those parts help trap pollutants and initially slow the water, which is then stored in rain harvesting tanks and undergoes a nature-based purification process. The purified water is reused for various activities within the project, such as irrigating the plants.
With this environmentally conscious design that prioritises the well-being of its users, the AIA East Gateway building has achieved the WELL Building Standard, which assesses buildings across seven core concepts: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Fitness, Comfort, and Mind. It also received the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Building Certification, which is beneficial not only to the building’s users but also to the people in the neighborhood and the surrounding area.
AIA East Gateway
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Landscape Architect: Shma Company Limited
Collaborators Architect: Creative Crews Ltd.
M&E: Meinhard (Thailand) Ltd.
C&S: Meinhard (Thailand) Ltd.
Client: AIA Group
Conceptual Image Credits Shma Company Limited
Photography: W Workspace