BBG selected to design luxury Bangkok tower

Real Estate Weekly, March 30, 2005

TCC Capital Land Limited, a joint venture between global real estate leaders TCC Land Company Limited and CapitaLand, has selected Brennan Beer Gorman Architects (BBG) to design the facade of its new luxury residential building in the heart of Bangkok--Athenee Residente.

Located at 10 Wireless Road next to the famed Plaza Athenee Hotel and near the US Embassy, the new 41-story tower will include 219 apartments, including seven penthouses. Construction has already begun and is scheduled for completion in 2007. A second tower, adjacent to the Athenee Residence, will be designed and constructed in a later phase scheduled to begin in late 2005.

BBG is working closely with building architect A49 and interior designer Leo Design Group. Unlike on most projects, each member of the design team has been working on their respective part of the building simultaneously, ensuring close collaboration and integration of all design elements. Approximately 70% of the condominiums were pre-sold in the first week of their offering, attesting to the success of this atypical design process.

"We specifically sought out BBG's international expertise for the facade design of the Athenee Residence," said Mr. Lian Pang Chen, CEO & Managing Director of the new joint venture. "With the firm's depth and breadth of experience, we knew that they could translate our desire for a contemporary yet timeless statement into a built project that harmonizes with the adjacent Plaza Athenee Hotel while making its own distinctive statement in the Bangkok skyline."

BBG's design incorporates glass, metal, stone and masonry to create a sleek and modern image for the prestigious new tower. "Strong vertical elements emphasize the structure's elegant proportions," said Yann LeRoy, BBG's Design Partner. "The tower's signature swooping roofline is inspired by hand gestures used in traditional Thai dance. The hand not only evokes a sense of protection for residents, but the gentle curve also offers a soft counterpoint to the tower's linear and vertical dynamism."

BBG's design wraps much of the tower in glass from slab to slab. One of the greatest design challenges in designing the facade was to conceal service balconies and air conditioning vents. BBG resolved this visual screening issue by designing a series of ornamental metal grills that create texture and depth on the facade.