Kenkoon
Vaslab collaborates with Kenkoon, a renowned Thai furniture brand, for the revamp of the brand’s factory on Soi Phatthanakan 20 into the new office space and showroom, Kenkoon Ex. The renovated structure is intended to replace the brand’s previous showroom after the lease came to an end. Vaslab’s signature architectural language transforms the rundown three-story building into a modern-looking structure, reflecting the spirit of the younger generation that Kenkoon strives to embody.
The construction materials are chosen for their functional purposes and abilities to reflect and accent Kenkoon’s renewed personality. The architect uses aluminium bars as the principal material of the façade, which enfolds the structure from the roof to the walls of the entire third floor and parts of the second floor. Such manipulation of the architectural mass does not only lessen the rigidity of the existing structure but also filters the sun and the heat. It also renders a slim and modern form, which is one of the physical characteristics of Kenkoon’s furniture, now made discernable through one’s experience of the architectural space
Kenkoon Ex makes the best use of the factory’s original and sturdy structure. Adjustments are made with the decorative elements, using primarily white colour to increase the brightness and spaciousness of the interior space, setting the establishment apart from most furniture factories. Glass is used with the walls of the first-floor entrance where the showroom is located; creating the visuals where weightlessness, airiness and a sense friendliness work together in welcoming visitors and passerby to step inside and take a look at the meticulously displayed products.
Red bricks are the main construction material of the walls of the office space occupying the second floor and the third floor where the company’s products are stored. The bricks are chosen deliberately as a result of the architect’s attempt to preserve a part of the building’s original physical attributes. The design, however, incorporates a new and more modern approach to better manage the materials. Additionally, the new openings’ design references those of the old factory while the random pattern of the openings on the walls introduces an interesting flair to the overall appearance of the architecture.
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Completion
2011 -
Area
7,000 sqm -
Location
Bangkok