TEXT: PRATCHAYAPOL LERTWICHA
PHOTO: RUNGKIT CHAROENWAT
(For Thai, press here)
Tops Superstore (later renamed Tops Plaza) is a Central Group superstore designed to target customers in smaller provinces and districts with less purchasing power than those in major and secondary cities. Tops Superstore positions itself as a community’s shopping center and a recreational attraction, as well as a locality’s economic booster.
Tops Superstore Nong Han is the brand’s first standalone location. The store’s location on Nityo Road, a main route connecting Nong Han district to other neighboring districts and provinces, is not too far from some of the Isan region’s most popular tourist attractions, such as the Red Lotus Pound and Ban Chiang National museum, making the area a well chosen strategic location with great growth potential. Moreover; Within a restricted budget, the design must be aesthetically striking in order to entice people in the store to browse and shop.
The design of Tops Superstore Nong Han is strongly influenced by traditional Thai houses with gable roofs. The cladding of earth-toned metal sheets on the outer surface of the building gives it the appearance and feel of a wooden home, while the metallic characteristics brings a modern edge. The retail space on the ground floor is equivalent to the area beneath a traditional Thai stilt home, where residents spend the day engaging in a variety of activities in a shaded area to escape the heat on the upper floor of the house.
The interior design is dominated by a palette of earth tones, enhanced with inexpensive and
locally accessible materials such as ropes, bamboo, and chicken coops. Through portions of the roof, natural light enters the interior, producing a warm, welcoming, and energizing ambiance.
The layout of the building consists of three primary sections: the superstore, the retail
spaces, and the multifunctional area for activities and events. Without dead ends or closed corners, the circulation connects the supermarket and the retail spaces, leading clients shopping at the store to all the shops in the retail zone.
As a result of the success of Tops Superstore Nong Han, the brand continues to expand into more areas of the region. The move from Tops Superstore to a simpler Tops Plaza is intended for the locals to easily pick up the new name. Oriental Studio is assigned to design two branches of Tops Plaza.
Tops Plaza Phon
The architecture of Tops Plaza Phon in the Phon district of Khon Kaen province is a continuation of that of Tops Superstore Nong Han, resembling connected gable roof houses. With this branch, the design team opts for more vibrant hues and bolder ornamentation, paired with other design elements inspired by Mudmee, the Northeastern Thai’s signature textile.
Tops Plaza Singburi
During the Ayutthaya Period, Bang Rachan Village played an important role in the country’s history. Oriental Studio incorporates this piece of history into the design of Tops Plaza Singburi, translating it into the pattern inspired by the village’s bamboo gate, including the gableshaped façade, which is a key feature of Tops Plaza’s design language.
