Designed by Studio Krubka for NOVOLIFE, a Thai manufacturer of herbal and natural health products, the NOVOLIFE HQ Office brings climate, landscape and workplace functions together through a gently curved roof, a central courtyard and a restrained material palette. The design responds to Thailand’s tropical climate through passive environmental strategies while reducing material use during construction.
The building uses approximately 3,367 square meters of exposed concrete walls as finished surfaces, eliminating additional plastering and painting. Its construction also replaces conventional plywood formwork with reusable steel panels, while solar-control window film and external concrete fins help reduce solar heat gain.
Rather than expressing the client's identity through symbolic forms, the building integrates natural systems into daily occupation, creating a workplace where architecture and nature function as one.
Curved roof directs rainwater and organizes circulation
Responding to Thailand's tropical climate, the gently curved roof serves as the project's defining architectural element. It rises to accommodate larger workspaces, lowers at the center to create a more intimate human scale, and lifts again at the entrance to form a welcoming threshold.
Its changing profile also directs rainwater to a central collection line, beneath which the building's primary circulation spine connects every major function. By aligning the movement of water with the movement of people, environmental infrastructure becomes part of the everyday architectural experience.
At the center of the building, a circular open courtyard introduces daylight, natural ventilation, rainfall, and seasonal change into the workplace. Drawing from the spatial principles of traditional Chinese courtyard houses rather than their formal expression, the office is organized around this open void, allowing every department to maintain a visual connection with nature while encouraging informal interaction throughout the day.
Reusable steel formwork reduces construction material use
Fair-faced reinforced concrete is used throughout the project for both structural and architectural purposes. The concrete remains visible as the finished surface rather than being covered by separate finishing systems. The approach also gives the concrete a role in the building’s environmental performance through its thermal mass and durability.
Large glazed openings with dark-grey aluminium frames connect the interior with the surrounding landscape. On the western façade, exposed concrete fins provide shading and reduce direct solar exposure. Material efficiency was also considered during construction.
The panels were repeatedly repositioned throughout construction. Their larger size and weight allowed them to be lifted and moved by crane, reducing the repetitive manual assembly and dismantling associated with smaller formwork components. The repeated use of the steel panels reduces the amount of temporary construction material required across successive concrete pours.
A reflecting pond at the entrance contributes modestly to localized evaporative cooling while extending the landscape into the arrival area. Its environmental contribution is supplementary rather than a primary cooling system.
