GOVERNMENT CENTER CHAENGWATTANA

client
Dhanarak Asset Development Company Limited
architects
A&A Architects & Associates Co.,Ltd / A-SEVEN Corporation Co.,Ltd / Veda Co.,Ltd
total-land-area
56 Ha (6.5 rai /2.7 acres)
location
Chaengwattana Road, Bangkok, Thailand
completion
2011

LANDSCAPE DESIGN CONCEPT

This large development uses water and treed avenues to connect existing and new Government building complexes such as the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Special Investigations and Army Supreme Command Headquarters.  The large network of jogging tracks, bikeways and gardens for workers are also open to the public as a local park.

At the southern end, the main building housing many smaller ministries sits on a large expanse of water which is a natural cooling system for the communal inner oval atrium.  Water falls are used to lower the water temperature before passing below the building.  This moving water is used to create a variety of waterscape experiences such as stepped waterfalls, mangrove wetlands, aquatic planting margins and sloped grassed berms for sitting in the cooled landscape.

On the east side of the centre plot an existing natural water body was rejuvenated as a lotus pond connecting through to the northern end development. The main north-south boulevard planted with a stepped canopy of the national tree Cassia fistula and the statuesque Dipterocarpus alatus will mature into a grand shaded avenue.

Sitting on busy Chaengwattana Road a small urban forest is used to buffer pollution and provide a passive recreation zone adjacent to the Ministry of Justice.  A large rooftop park built over the parking building gradually steps down ­to ground level on the east side.  The wheelchair accessible park with connections into the adjacent ministries provides spacious walk and cycle ways, seating areas, exercise stations and an aerobics plaza.

GALLERY