Located in the heart of Bangkok, Thailand, this 40-year old double shophouse has been transformed into a boutique hotel and restaurant concept. The project is inspired by the lifestyle of ‘goose living,’ a concept the hotel owner describes as living a simple life with freedom in the midst of nature.
A total usable area of 900 square meters was transformed by SIM Studio into a restaurant area on the ground floor, with 20 boutique hotel rooms and rooftop bar above.
The distinctive new building envelope consists of layers of box-steel structures, derived from an abstraction of mountain lines into geometric lines. The metal facade is designed to disguise the building’s exterior as if the building is surrounded by forest within a city context.
The accommodation is divided into two sides, according to the nature of the original shophouse. This includes city view rooms and inward-facing rooms. To bring light into the inward-facing rooms, the architects added a skylight channel from the roof to the 5th floor. Floors were drilled away to create a small court area thus allowing every room in this area exposure to natural light.
At ground level, the orthogonal reception and restaurant areas are softened by curving furniture while a mirrored ceiling evokes a feeling of expanded interior space, with different angles and sightlines. The dining room features modular chairs designed to fit perfectly into a round table, thus saving space and optimizing traffic area in the restaurant.
According to the architects, the interior design materials and elements are inspired by extracting the identity and composition of the habitat of a flock of geese, with an emphasis on simple lines, interesting material details and optimal flexibility.
