silp architects' 'the bright' project in thailand breaks down rigidness of student dorms

silp architects latest design in thailand is ‘the bright’ apartment project. the client brief calls for a compact student dormitory to accommodate the students of kasetsart university from kamphaend saen campus. the dormitory is split into two separate 8-story height buildings, utilizing post-tension structure to gain maximum efficiency. in each building, there are a total of 77 units which are composed of 70 studios and 7 one-bedroom dormitories.

a compact student dormitory to accommodate the students of kasetsart university

as feasibility was a priority to the clients, thai based design studio silp architects has inherited the layout plans from the branding and marketing team. under the guiding principle of ‘creative thinking, energetic living’, the design challenge was to create excitement out of a conventional building. the project team aimed to design playful spaces that evoke creativity and imagination to the youthful end users, while retaining its functionality as an accommodation. also, having adopted the use of simple materials and architectural elements in innovative ways. silp architects’ scope of design covers the master layout plan for public space, facade design and residential interior.

the inner facing blocks provide shading to each other

silp architects has organized the dormitory blocks parallel to the site following an east-west axis, with the inner facing blocks to provide shading to each other. to reduce solar gain to the dormitory units, lift core and fire staircases are positioned on the west side of the blocks. to access the ground floor lobby from the main street, a green area serves as a buffer for privacy, while adding environmental enhancement to the overall development.

silp architects has wanted to introduce dynamics and flow by expressing three distinct architectural elements

in an attempt to break down the convention of a repetitive and rigid student dormitory facade, silp architects has wanted to introduce dynamism and rhythm by expressing three distinct architectural elements — the balustrade, floor slab and wall. the metal balustrade adopts a diagonal pattern as part of a creative exercise to use material in a different way. this diagonal graphic is repeated in several spaces throughout the project. the linearity of the post tension floor slabs is expressed on each level from the building surface as an architectural language. they provide sun shading and rain protection to the windows. a brightly yellow painted balcony contrasting with a dark grey wall blended into the night sky gives a strong visual signature to the project.

the metal balustrade adopts a diagonal pattern as part of a creative exercise to use material in a different way

a door is positioned in the ground floor lift lobby as principle security control. the diagonal metal cage partition and door provides natural ventilation to the space, omitting the need to use air-conditioning. mechanical and electrical system such as the fire hose cabinet and hose reels are exposed as decoration. metal sheet is applied as the wall and ceiling cladding to conceal the wiring system. the floor finish adopts a natural cement render to create contrast to the vertically patterned metal sheet. to break down the scale of the long and narrow corridor, metal sheets frame the exterior ceiling of the dormitory door, while adding definition to it as an entrance space.

a brightly yellow painted balcony contrasting with a dark grey wall gives a strong visual signature to the project

for both types of dormitory units, a zigzag patterned timber headboard gives character to the bedrooms. a metal sliding door with custom detail connects the bedroom to the bathroom. one-bedroom units are positioned at the corner of each floor to take advantage of the view and ventilation. in comparison to the studio units, they come with a larger living room and walk-in closet. concealed sliding panels of floor-ceiling height are used to provide privacy and zoning in the unit. when the panels are opened, different areas are visually connected to create a single space.

ground floor lift lobby with metal cage for natural ventilation and security control

the diagonal metal cage partition and door provides natural ventilation to the space

mechanical and electrical system such as the fire hose cabinet and hose reels are exposed as decoration

floor finish adopts a natural cement render to create contrast to the vertically patterned metal sheet

typical floor lift lobby with aluminium corrugated wall and ceiling cladding

a zigzag patterned timber headboard gives character to the bedrooms

in comparison to the studios, the one-bedroom units come with a larger living room and walk-in closet

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edited by: apostolos costarangos | designboom