E-BOOK Wesmile _Vol 42 September

TRAVEL
Phra Ram Ratchaniwet Palace
ELEGANT SEASIDE PALACES
BALANCING MASCULINE & FEMININE DESIGN
Thailand’s Petchburi province is
the first southern province to have
a popular coastal beach town. The
historic seaside town is also known
as Petchburi and is located 186
kilometers from Bangkok, making it
easily accessible by train.
Not only is the area rich in
local culture, it is also home to two
prominent summer palaces that once
belonged to King Rama V and King
Rama VI. Because the town was the
Chakri dynasty’s favorite oceanside
getaway, the palaces were beautifully
designed and appointed.
The Phra Ram Ratchaniwet
Palace, colloquially known as
“Baan Puen Palace”, and the
Maruekhathaiyawan Palace,
display dual-gender aesthetics.
The architecture and design of the
two locales combine masculine
austerity as well as feminine grace in
a beautiful way.
Surrounded by mahogany trees as much as 108
years old, the structure of Baan Puen Palace was heavily
influenced by the German Kaiser’s royal residences.
Carl Dohring, a leading German architect, designed the
two-story edifice in the early 20th century. Architecturally
avant-garde, the palace’s proud, rigid lines contrast with
crystalline surfaces, thanks to a carefully chosen mix of
building materials: glass, wrought-iron, steel, and stone,
exhibiting a typically masculine quality.
Its notably European dome roof is in the style of
Art Nouveau, a style also known by its German name
Jugendstil. The dome features the transformation of
floral patterns into a more abstract, geometric design.
Dark wood built-in closets, paneling, fish scale motif floor
tiles and spiral staircases create an orderly and highly
regimented feel for the living quarters located within the
military barracks.
Meanwhile, the seaside palace of Maruekhathaiyawan,
also known as the “Palace of Love and Hope”, features
wonderful, cross-cultural architectural designs. Built
in 1923, the royal abode was designed by King Rama
VI himself with the assistance of an Italian architect,
Ercole Manfredi, and was oriented to the coast of
the Gulf of Thailand. Golden teak wood was carved
into lace-like lattice work, and
is utterly exquisite; light raised
floors and neo-classical verandas
altogether express a more “feminine”
delicateness.
Inspired by the image of a
beautiful, elegantly-adorned
woman, King Rama VI and Manfredi
incorporated a sky-blue color
and a beautiful cream on painted
wooden surfaces to frame the tall
ceilings of the halls, which were
then ornamented with chandeliers.
Floral garlands were also hung by
the windows to introduce a symbol
of Thainess into an otherwise
Western structure.
Walkways stretch out towards
the sea, through a well-manicured
garden, complete with water
fixture. The shade of age-old trees,
a feature of both palaces, invite
leisurely strolls and lingering views
of beautiful scenery.
PHOTO: SHUTTER STOCK
42
September 2018