These hotel-style apartments that come with glamorous facilities and panoramic views could be the next highly-coveted haute property in the Thai capital
Commonly known as the Old Town area of Bangkok, the city’s Rattanakosin Island has experienced waves of change over the years. Sited along the Chao Phraya River, the historic enclave has witnessed a blitz of luxury hotel openings and property launches. A new monorail extension, the BTS Gold Line, is also expected to run in phases in the next few years.
As one of the prominent landmarks in the neighbourhood, The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok hotel seems to be history incarnate. Since it was first built over 140 years ago, the grand dame has seen the city progress from a trading port to the bustling metropolis that it is today. Just across the river from the hotel is The Residences at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, a luxury freehold property launched in collaboration with Thai property developer MQDC. The first Mandarin Oriental-branded residence in Southeast Asia is a 52-storey condominium that is a part of the Iconsiam mixed-use complex—a THB54 billion (S$243 million) venue that features retail, entertainment and cultural venues.
Envisioned as an architectural tribute to the Chao Phraya River, the building has 146 waterfront units, which include a mix of two- and three-bedroom apartments as well as penthouses with private lift access. Foster & Partners was roped in as an architecture consultant, while Joyce Wang Studio was tasked to design its glamorous interiors.
“The Residences at Mandarin Oriental has been designed with influences derived from both the organic landscape and the unique vernacular architecture of Bangkok today,” explains Wang, the founder of her eponymous studio. “By reflecting the qualities of the river—from the organic lines of the river bed, the raw edges and geometric forms of rocks and shells, and the various tones of river sediment—a strong foundation for the interior concept was formed.”
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