BACC's infinity ground exhibition explores contemporary architecture in thailand & taiwan

BACC presents Infinity Ground Exhibition

The Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC) is set to host Infinity Ground — Thailand and Taiwan Contemporary Architecture Exhibition. The exhibition will gather eight architectural firms from Thailand and Taiwan, presenting their works that reflect the characteristics of the ground and the diverse cultural and social contexts they are located in. Scheduled to open on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, Infinity Ground marks the first architectural showcase of the year at BACC and will run until August 6, 2023.

Featuring a diverse range of architectural projects, Infinity Ground is curated by Jenchieh Hung, the exhibition chairman of The Association of Siamese Architects Under Royal Patronage, and Kulthida Songkittipakdee, co-founder and principal architect of HAS Design and Research. The show will present the works of renowned architectural firms, including Architects 49 Limited (A49), Arsomsilp Community and Environment Architect, Duangrit Bunnag Architect Limited (DBALP), Department of ARCHITECTURE, Ambi Studio, MAYU architects, Behet Bondzio Lin Architekten, and Atelier Or.

The exhibited architectural works are spread across various cities in Thailand — including Bangkok, Pattaya, Pathum Thani, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and in Taiwan — including Hsinchu, Nantou, Yunlin, Kaohsiung, Pingtung, and Yilan. These diverse settings, with their unique cultural backgrounds, climatic conditions, and social developments, are reflected in how the buildings respond to and interact with the characteristics of the ground.

The Commons Thonglor, Bangkok, Thailand ©W Workspace

exploring the connection between contemporary architecture & the earth

Divided into two chapters, Ground Exchanges and Feeling Grounds, Infinity Ground at BACC (see more here) delves into the connection between contemporary architecture and the earth. In the first chapter, Ground Exchanges, the architects employ modern construction techniques to frame the unique site landscapes, emphasizing the characteristics of the ground. Examples include elevated buildings like Velaa Sindhorn Village Langsuan (2019) and Singha D’luck Cinematic Theater (2017) by Architects 49 Limited, which provide spaces for public communication and are influenced by natural elements such as light and monsoons. Behet Bondzio Lin Architekten’s Eternal Hill Columbarium (2022) and House of Roofs (2016) respond to Taiwan’s tropical climate, creating designs that convey a sense of sacredness.

Duangrit Bunnag Architect Limited’s The Glass Temple (2020) and Residence Prachachuen (2020) feature ceremonial and eternal architectural elements that blend with the surrounding environment. MAYU architects’ Pingtung Public Library (2020) and Kaohsiung American School Athletic Complex (2016) present clean geometric structures that serve as interfaces between humans and the environment. These projects in the first chapter emphasize diversity in architecture and land while also indicating future living directions centered around togetherness, ritual, native identity, and porosity.

Eternal Hill Columbarium, Hsinchu, Taiwan ©YuChen Chao Photography

The second chapter, Feeling Grounds, focuses on the environment as a design solution, integrating materials, craftsmanship, and tectonics to create a multi-dimensional sense of space. Examples include Puey Ungphakorn Centenary Hall (2019) and Tha Chalom Sky Boat Library (2022) by Arsomsilp Community and Environment Architect, which form harmonious micro-ecological systems that activate the original environmental interface. Ambi Studio’s Hushan Reservoir Archaeological Exhibition Hall (2023) and Yuhsiu Museum of Art (2015) follow the topography, providing visitors with unique viewing experiences through carefully crafted spaces.

The Department of ARCHITECTURE’s The Commons Thonglor (2016) and Sala Bang Pa-In (2021) combine meticulous craftsmanship with floating and elevated forms, creating fluid indoor-outdoor interfaces inspired by traditional Thai houses. Atelier Or’s Sparkling Market (2021) and Pavilion for Hsinchu Bus Station Plaza (2018) integrate small and light structural elements to break visual constraints and foster integration between internal and external spaces. The second chapter reflects an empathetic approach to nature, presenting architecture as a bridge between humans and the land. It evokes notions of the extraordinary, nostalgia, vernacular identity, and boundlessness.

Overall, the exhibition celebrates the architectural diversity and creativity of Thailand and Taiwan, showcasing how these architects respond to their respective cultural, climatic, and social contexts, while exploring the connection between architecture and the ground.

Velaa Sindhorn Village Langsuan, Bangkok, Thailand ©W Workspace

Sparkling Market, Hsinchu, Taiwan ©YuChen Chao Photography

Jiaoxi Presbyterian Church, Yilan, Taiwan ©Kuomin Lee

Ground Exchanges

Singha D’luck Cinematic Theatre, Pattaya, Thailand ©Chaovarith Poonphol

Velaa Sindhorn Village Langsuan, Bangkok, Thailand ©W Workspace

Hushan Reservoir Archaeological Exhibition Hall, Yunlin, Taiwan ©Kuomin Lee

1/12

Yuhsiu Museum of Art, Nantou, Taiwan ©Ambi Studio

Hushan Reservoir Archaeological Exhibition Hall, Yunlin, Taiwan ©Kuomin Lee

Puey Ungphakorn Centenary Hall, Pathum Thani, Thailand ©Pat Phuchamni

Residence Prachachuen, Bangkok, Thailand ©W Workspace

Kaohsiung American School Athletic Complex, Kaohsiung, Taiwan ©YuChen Chao Photography

Pingtung Public Library, Pingtung, Taiwan ©YuChen Chao Photography

Pavilion for Hsinchu Bus Station Plaza, Hsinchu, Taiwan ©YuChen Chao Photography

House of Roofs, Pingtung, Taiwan ©YuChen Chao Photography

Eternal Hill Columbarium, Hsinchu, Taiwan ©YuChen Chao Photography

Pingtung Public Library, ©MAYU architects

©Panoramic Studio/Landprocess

 

project info:

name: Infinity Ground – Thailand and Taiwan Contemporary Architecture Exhibition

venue: Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC) | @baccbangkok

dates: July 18, 2023 – August 6, 2023 

hosts: The Association of Siamese Architects Under Royal Patronage; Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand; Chulalongkorn University – Faculty of Architecture; King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang – School of Architecture, Art, and Design; King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi – School of Architecture and Design; Silpakorn University – Faculty of Architecture
co-organizers: HAS design and research, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, art4d, Alliance for Architectural Modernity Taiwan
principal curators: Jenchieh Hung, Kulthida Songkittipakdee
participants: Architects 49 Limited, Behet Bondzio Lin Architekten, Duangrit Bunnag Architect Limited, MAYU architects, Arsomsilp Community and Environment Architect, Ambi Studio, Department of ARCHITECTURE,      Atelier Or
space design: HAS design and research
supporters: Alufence, Canon Thailand, Jorakay, Saint-Gobain, RichCons, FloraScape