all(zone) designs an 'urban backyard' populated with greenery in bangkok

for its most recent project all(zone) has designed a retail space for POWWOWWOW, an eco-conscious lifestyle community in bangkok‘s sukhumvit area. the new building combines indoor and outdoor space and it aims to bring people together away from the hustle and bustle of the thai capital.

images courtesy of all(zone)

to design POWWOWWOW bangkok, all(zone) considered the lack of green public spaces in bangkok and how small pockets of greenery could be more beneficial to communities than big, inaccessible parks. a new tax system introduced in 2020 encourages empty sites to be utilized commercially. with this in mind, the project takes a vacant lot and turns it into a model for sustainable urban living. the building is host to daily local food stalls, cafès, weekend markets and urban farming. 

to fit the tropical context, the building is conceived as a pavilion in the garden; a big roof without walls that provides shade and fresh air. all(zone) shaped the roof around the existing trees on site. functions that require a controlled environment are kept to a minimum and divided into five small boxes under the large roof. meanwhile, the semi-outdoor spaces house all the circulation and flexible activities.

the design team sought to maintain the amount of vegetation that was originally on the site. opaque walls and fences are designed as surfaces to be covered by vines and new plants have been introduced, which, following local tradition, are edible herbs, vegetables or fruits. the edible plants fuse a contemporary approach to urban farming with local traditions and visitors to POWWOWWOW are even encouraged to take some herbs home, reinforcing the sense of community that the complex hopes to encourage.

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project info:

name: POWWOWWOW urban backyard

location: bangkok, thailand

client: POWWOWWOW bangkok

architect: all(zone)

area (interior): 300 sqm (3229.17 sqft)

area (semi outdoor): 250 sqm (2690.98 sqft)

budget: $330,000 USD