the observation deck of MahaNakhon by ole scheeren opens in bangkok

the opening of the observation deck marks the completion of ole scheeren’s skyscraper in bangkok. designed as thailand‘s tallest building and a new architectural landmark for the city, MahaNakhon has transformed bangkok’s skyline. at 314 meters (1,030 feet) high, the observation deck offers spectacular 360 degree views of the bustling urban landscape and chao phraya river below and is now open to the public and the city’s annual 20 million tourists.

image by srirath somsawat © büro OS (also main image)

‘the idea behind MahaNakhon was to take the life of the city and bring it up the tower in a dramatic, spiralling movement,’ comments ole scheeren, principal of büro ole scheeren. ‘even the very top of the tower is surrendered to the public. it is a project that is strongly embedded in the city and the public realm.’ the observation deck is formed by a vast sheet of glass extruded from the building’s top and 300 meters above the city below. dubbed the ‘skytray’, this 4.5 x 17.5 meter (15 x 57 ft) large, walkable glass platform evokes one of the most thrilling and immersive experiences of vertigo worldwide and is set to become bangkok’s most exhilarating tourist destination.

image by srirath somsawat © büro OS

characterized by its distinctive sculptural profile and the three-dimensional pixelated ribbon that coils around its full height, the 77-storey complex embodies a radical manifestation of the potential of the skyscraper to invigorate its urban context. the 150,000 sqm building comprises MahaNakhon square, a landscaped outdoor public plaza, as well as retail space, cafes, and restaurants with lush gardens and terraces spread over multiple levels, 200 bespoke homes and service apartments, as well as a boutique hotel with 150 rooms.

image by srirath somsawat © büro OS

‘the building is an exploration of bringing the inside and the outside closer together and to create living spaces that float high above the city,’ ole scheeren says. the building’s detailed carved profile opens and connects to the surrounding urban fabric rather than overpowering it. what from a distance evokes a sense of being unfinished – a tower still under construction – reveals itself to be not a formal gesture, but a geometric ‘erosion’ that generates actual living spaces: terraces, balconies, floating living rooms and apartments with sweeping views that merge the tropical outdoors with the indoors.

image by srirath somsawat © büro OS

commissioned in 2008 by PACE development, mahanakhon is the vision of ole scheeren, at that time partner-in-charge at OMA. the project has been developed over the last decade by büro ole scheeren and its team of architects at büro ole scheeren thailand and subsidiary HLS.

image by srirath somsawat © büro OS

image by wison tungthunya © büro OS

UPDATE: this project has been shortlisted in the ‘completed buildings – mixed use’ category and for the ‘engineering prize’ at the 2019 world architecture festival.