billowing rattan columns by enter projects occupy bangkok's spice & barley

enter projects presents its newly completed interior installation for spice & barley at riverside in bangkok. the sculptural rattan work is designed for client minor international who seeks to introduce innovation and eco-awareness, while embracing the heritage of the local context. the initial concept of the restaurant lounge centers around the historic local tale of adventures of three sisters, may, zaza & fei who were born in sichuan decades ago. as the design team explored the story in depth, a design narrative was formed, connecting the past and present in a complex web of free flowing, statuesque rattan structures, as intoxicating as the characters themselves.

images by william barrington-binns

enter projects’ rattan installation for spice & barley marks a continuation of their signature style, a hybridization of 3D digital technology with traditional craft. natural, renewable rattan is incorporated into the 30-meter-high space with digitally generated forms. recalling spice & barley’s anchorage as a craft belgian beer destination, the team sculpts the free-flowing liquid geometries to mimic beer as it’s poured into a glass. the sweeping rattan columns flawlessly frame the backdrop of the three sisters, another nod to the sichuan cuisine. whilst the form itself is visually awe-inspiring, the gold painted rattan functionally serves to hide the beer pipes, air-conditioning and other related services, paying homage to the belief that ‘form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union.’

while spice & barley overlooks the chao priya river, enter projects’ rattan structures offer a visual link to the high rise towers beyond. the vast geometries flood the ceiling in an uninterrupted balustrade of twists and turns which bounce the light and become a beacon from far away. in keeping with the original brief, the design sensibilities at spice & barley intrinsically suggest an asian fusion, a marriage of ideas, creating a space in which the viewer innately senses the understanding between the client, minor international, and architect.