Infinity Ground : Thailand and Taiwan Contemporary Architecture

Sala Bang Pa-In
The resort is situated in a rural landscape of
Ayutthaya, Thailand, surrounded by the Chao
Phraya River on one side and the canal on the
other. The architectural design is a contemporary
re-interpretation of the local rural landscape
and intends to connect people to the
life of the river and its atmosphere.
The buildings are scaled down to be in grain
with the surrounding local houses, alternating
and surrounded by lushness of trees, and
arranged in clusters with variation of positioning,
in and out with various building heights. The
roofline of the clusters is corresponding to
those of the surrounding villages. Yet the villas
are contemporary in their spatiality. The living
space of the villa is designed as if it is suspended
between nature, with one full front
opens up and connects to the river and another
full opening opens up to the small courtyard
on the opposite side. The hotel room type has
a special bay window as a cozy little place to
snuggle oneself in and to be connected with
the rural canal view beyond.
Thai house. In the surrounding immediate
context and in the Thai rural landscape in
general, houses and villages are often full with
colors – red, blue, green, yellow, pink, etc.
The lobby building which is nested within
the village is rendered red to speak the same
language of its colorful context.
The bridge as an extension of the lobby
bringing people from one side of the canal
to the main resort side also continues the red
color. This red bridge, although seems very
‘distinct’ in its color, is actually ‘blending’ into
the colorful village context – ‘bridging’ the
new architecture to the local tone and culture.
Crossing the red footbridge across the canal
to the resort site, one would arrive at the
arrival platform marked by a large well-preserved
rain tree at the entry point.
Guests would arrive from the mainland through
the breezy lobby space underneath the wooden
building on stilts, just like how one would be
welcomed at a living space of the traditional
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