UPPER HOUSE RESIDENCES BANGKOK AND THE WIRELESS RESIDENCES BY UPPER HOUSE REDEFINE ‘LUXURY’ THROUGH A COLLABORATION BETWEEN CITY REALTY AND SWIRE PROPERTIES, GROUNDED IN THE BELIEF THAT TRUE LUXURY IS FOUND IN LONG-TERM QUALITY OF LIFE
TEXT: PRATCHAYAPOL LERTWICHA
PHOTO COURTESY OF UPPER HOUSE
(For Thai, press here)
There is a particular kind of residence that asks to be looked at. Another kind that asks to be lived in. The distance between the two is where the more interesting question begins. For a long time, the answer was straightforward – expensive materials, decorative detail across every surface. Luxury was visible. Yet that definition has become harder to hold, as what looks impressive and what feels good to live in are often not the same thing.
Upper House Residences Bangkok and The Wireless Residences by Upper House offer a different proposition. One built around ‘Human Experience’ rather than surface, and around a form of ‘Well-Being’ that develops over time. This thinking shapes every decision in the development, from its location to the logic of its architecture.
A Rare and Exceptional Address
The project stands on one of the few remaining freehold plots on Bangkok’s Wireless Road. Beyond its proximity to five-star hotels, embassies, shopping destinations, and leading international schools, the site holds something considerably rarer: a position flanked by Lumphini Park and Benjakitti Park – two of the city’s most significant green spaces – offering a quality of urban living that is difficult to find, and harder still to replicate.
On this plot, the development takes the form of two towers, each with a distinct character. Upper House Residences Bangkok, a 52-storey building comprising 156 units, is conceived as a private retreat with an emphasis on well-being and tranquillity. The Wireless Residences by Upper House rises to 71 storeys and comprises 239 units, its design oriented toward multigenerational living – balancing shared spaces with a considered sense of privacy.
Placing two towers of distinct character on the same site allows a broader range of residents to experience an elevated standard of living on one of Bangkok’s most coveted addresses.
A Partnership Between Two Developers
Underlying the project is a partnership between two developers with distinctly complementary histories. Thailand’s City Realty and Hong Kong’s Swire Properties have brought their respective expertise together under a joint venture, City Dynamic – a collaboration that speaks as much to shared values as it does to strategic alignment.
City Realty is the Thai developer behind Emporium Tower, Bangkok Garden, and Shrewsbury International School – projects that have not only established reputations of their own, but have played a tangible role in shaping the districts around them. Swire Properties brings an international frame of reference: a portfolio that includes OPUS HONG KONG, designed by Frank Gehry, and EDEN in Singapore, designed by Heatherwick Studio. The company has a long record of working with some of the world’s most recognised architects, and in 2024 was ranked first globally among real estate developers for sustainability performance in the Dow Jones Best-in-Class World Index.
That two developers of this standing have chosen to work together on a single site in Bangkok is itself telling. It sets a clear intention – and a standard against which the finished project will be measured.
Upper House: Reframing Human Experience Through Hospitality
When the ambition is to shape a genuinely considered human experience, the decision to bring Upper House into the project becomes a natural one.
Upper House is a hotel brand under Swire Hotels, defined by its philosophy of ‘Houses, not Hotels’ – an approach to hospitality that is intimate, personal, and deliberately domestic in feeling. Each property, across Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Chengdu, has been developed in close dialogue with its city and surroundings. The outcomes reflect that care: Upper House Hong Kong has placed in the Top 10 of The World’s 50 Best Hotels for three consecutive years since 2023, and in 2025 all three Upper House properties received MICHELIN Keys – an accolade that recognises the overall quality of a stay, rather than any single dimension of it.
Bangkok represents a significant new chapter for the brand. It is Upper House’s first move into residential living – and with it, a considered translation of what elevated hospitality means when the stay is no longer temporary. Upper House Residences Bangkok will operate as a fully branded residence, with the brand overseeing the entire living experience. The Wireless Residences by Upper House will offer front-of-house services under the same stewardship.
“For us, it’s always about the guest experience and how that translates into a residential setting. It’s about taking that ‘house’ feeling – something that is intimate, personalized, and very high-touch – and bringing it to a permanent home,” said Toby Smith, Chief Commercial Officer of Swire Hotels.
Designing for Better Living
The project’s vision of better living is articulated through every layer of its design, from architecture and landscape to interior environment.
Behind the architectural design is Foster + Partners, whose portfolio includes Apple Marina Bay Sands in Singapore and Regent Residences Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Roland Schnizer, Lead Architect at Foster + Partners, described the approach as one oriented around the everyday – an effort to make nature not incidental to the experience, but integral to it.
“The architecture is very much about the relationship between the building and the park. We wanted to create something that felt like it was growing out of the greenery. It’s not just a tower; it’s a series of vertical gardens. The geometry is curved to maximise the views of Lumphini Park, but also to create a sense of softness and organic flow that you don’t usually find in high-rise developments,” Roland said.
The landscape architecture is the work of P Landscape, whose projects include Rosewood Hong Kong and 137 Pillars House in Chiang Mai. Their approach treats the landscape as ecological, sustaining a sense of lushness from the ground to the sky gardens. Wannaporn Phornprapha, landscape architect at P Landscape, explained: “We wanted to extend the essence of Lumphini Park into the project. The landscape isn’t just decoration; it’s an ecosystem. We chose native species that thrive in Bangkok’s climate to create a lush, immersive forest feeling. Whether you are at the ground level or the sky gardens, you are always connected to nature. It provides a cooling effect and a mental break from the urban environment.”
The interiors of Upper House Residences Bangkok were designed by BAR Studio, known for their work on Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono in Japan. Their approach was guided by a clear intention: well-being as a quality that runs through the home itself.
“Our approach for Upper House Residences Bangkok was to create a sanctuary. We focused heavily on the ‘Wellness’ aspect – not just as a facility, but as a feeling throughout the home. We used a palette of natural materials, very tactile woods, and stones that have a calming effect. It’s about the play of light and shadow, and ensuring that when you step inside, the noise of the city just disappears,” said Stewart Robertson, designer at BAR Studio, describing the thinking behind the project.
For The Wireless Residences by Upper House, the interiors were entrusted to PIA Interior, whose work includes the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Bangkok. Their starting point was the texture of Thai domestic life – multigenerational, warm, and grounded.
“For The Wireless Residences by Upper House, the inspiration was the multi-generational Thai family, but modernized. We wanted to create spaces that allow for ‘togetherness’- large dining areas, open kitchens – while still providing private corners for reflection. It’s a very sophisticated, warm, and lived-in luxury. It feels like a house, even though you are in the sky,” said Danny Arthayukti, interior designer at PIA Interior.
A Definition Awaiting Proof
Every element of the project has been assembled around a single, coherent idea – a redefinition of luxury that is intended to hold up beyond the page.
As Thomas Woolsey, Co-Managing Director of City Dynamic, put it, “It’s more than just a building. It’s a legacy project for us.” Casey Au, Co-Managing Director of City Dynamic, added, “We are building a community here. A place where people will truly feel at home for generations.”
When the project reaches completion in 2029, that definition will finally have a form to stand in.