Park Ventures Ecoplex is a mixed-use 34 storey complex consisting of offices, retail and luxury hotel space. In one of the rare instances of commercial development in the capital city, the project provided and opportunity for landscape design to contribute towards a balanced development that let to a benchmark for sustainable design in the region. Comprehensive analysis of the overlapping social, economic and ecological factors, developed through a dialogue between designers and the community, helped in this urban redevelopment process to produce small-scale but socially catalytic intervention in the neighborhood. The project now serves as a serene ‘urban lung’ and open public space to one of the City’s most congested intersections.
The ’Urban Park” concept at Park Ventures was inspired by the idea of bringing nature back to the urban fabric of Bangkok city and this concept also serves as the core tenet of the Ecoplex which has achieved USGBC’s LEED (Core and Shell) Platinum status. The design, therefore focuses on communicating a message that urban sustainability can be achieved through small scale design considerations of well-planned open spaces that are accessible to the public and connected to commuter systems, alongside the balancing of aesthetics with budget and time constraints through the use of available resources and technology.
The inspiration for the Park Ventures Ecoplex building architecture is derived from the traditional Thai ‘wai’ or the greeting with folded hands representing the lotus bud. The inspiration is carried forward in the landscape design concept, as a contemporary interpretation that still carries a strong connection to the cultural context of the project. The use of the arching forms of the lotus bud is reflected through contemporary detailing and layout of access pathways and ramps built for integrating universal access.
The concept is further enhanced by the selection of tall tapering plaza trees, the Araucaria Pine. The Araucaria is an adapted species in the urban microclimate and has a pentagonal form reminiscent of the lotus bud. The architectural form of the tree also provides a visually appealing vertical feature that is used to create the ‘urban park’ feel at Park Venture Ecoplex and doubles up as a planting species known for its ability to absorb toxins from the air. The open configuration of the pine trees combined with a contemporary palette of regionally-sourced natural materials and understory planting bring a unique visual character to the project. Together, the composition of these elements marks the project’s prominence on this important street intersection and becomes a dialogue to encourage sustainable urban design in the public domain.
Park Ventures Ecoplex
Location | Bangkok, Thailand
Completion | 2011
Design firm | P landscape co.,ltd.
Design consultants | Palmer & Turner (Thailand) Ltd.
Client | Univentures Public Co.,Ltd.
Image credits | P landscape Co.,Ltd.
Text credits | P landscape Co.,Ltd.
