Crowne Plaza Bangkok Lumpini Park

The renovation of the landscape at the Crowne Plaza hotel near Silom, one of Bangkok's busiest central business districts, was designed by TK Studio on a 5,000-square-metre site between the main entrance of the Ramaland building and the always-busy Rama IV Road. The plot is small because it belongs to the Mass Rapid Transit Authority and was handed to the hotel as an open-space buffer, so the design had to provide privacy from the crowded street while remaining visually welcoming to guests. After studying several options, the architects chose a semi-transparent green wall between the public sidewalk and the outdoor court, balancing the dense planting tradition of Thai gardens with the light timber joinery of Japanese architecture, while keeping function as the priority. At first glance the wall appears solid, but closer inspection reveals many small openings that give guests and passers-by the right balance of privacy and glimpse. Inside the garden, moving water is used to produce a soothing sound, accompanied by flowering frangipani trees that offer shade and a distinctive fragrance, composing a welcoming atmosphere. A tensile canopy structure stretches overhead to provide extra shade during the day. After dark, the canopy, trees, water feature and privacy wall are all illuminated, creating a pleasant, intimate outdoor room in one of Bangkok's most congested districts where people can relax.