HAS design and research's infinity ground architecture museum

Infinity Ground Architecture Museum opens in bangkok

HAS Design and Research has completed the Infinity Ground Architecture Museum for the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) in central Bangkok, Thailand. Surrounded by Siam Discovery, Apple Central World, Central Embassy, Rosewood Bangkok, and other massive commercial concrete buildings that counter the natural environment, the architects take inspiration from the opening of the BACC atrium, the highlight of the space, to create a ‘natural hole’ around which slanted roofs organize themselves. Not only does it connect to the external environment, but the BACC opening also provides visitors with interactions on different floors. To complete the immersive experience, natural light pours into the space and scatters on the ground, its shadow creating a floating effect; at night, as everything darkens, the opening transforms into a black hole, framing the starry sky.

all images © Ketsiree Wongwan

a walk through the eight-gallery exhibition space

HAS Design and Research (see more here) used nine slanted roofs to surround the atrium of the Bangkok Art and Culture Center in a manner of settlement. ‘At the Ground Hall, the wall’s letters create a floating effect like light and shadow shining on the earth. These letters also constitute a world map, symbolizing the drift and aggregation of the earth, which relates to Infinity Ground – Thailand and Taiwan Contemporary Architecture Exhibition,’ writes the studio. Speaking of the exhibition, its dedicated space unfolds as eight quadrilateral galleries of different dimensions, each presenting a theme: Togetherness, Ritual, Native, Porosity, Extra-Ordinary, Nostalgia, Vernacular and Boundaryless. The galleries faces a vertical opening, which frames and extends the view to the architectural model.

Infinity Ground Architecture Museum entrance

Patterns in the galleries also emphasize the architectural works. For example, the Togetherness Gallery uses pixelated motifs to display the human lifestyle in a tropical context; the Ritual Gallery features strip patterns to emphasize the axis of religious buildings; and the Vernacular Gallery’s stacking patterns allow for the display of materials and tectonics. ‘The circulation of the eight galleries eventually guides visitors to the Infinity Courtyard, which reflects the sky, the ground, and the building itself, presenting the Infinity Ground Architecture Exhibition’s story and space emotion,’ continues HAS.

the facade’s pipes dialogue with the wooden fins

has design and research leverages recyclable & local materials

The Infinity Ground Architecture Museum mainly uses recyclable materials. The building facade boasts reusable aluminum pipes, a new material developed by HAS Design and Research and Alufence. These are assembled snap-on without screws, which can be reused without creating construction waste. Coconut shells, meanwhile, fill the floor of the exhibition space. Locally sourced from farms in Bangkok, this material is commonly used for soil fertilizer and heat insulation; however, here, the shells cover the entire space and not only provides a stimulating visual impression but also allow visitors to feel the unevenness of the ground, its softness, and mulching senses while walking. ‘Coconut shells will eventually return to the local farm again. It also alludes to the infinite theme of the ground, not only in the urban area of Bangkok but also in farms all over Thailand, spreading the architect’s attention to the earth,’ concludes the studio.

entering the main exhibition hub