AP THAILAND’S PROJECT IN THE CENTRAL CHAROEN KRUNG AREA OFFERS A ‘LUXURY GATED COMMUNITY’ CONCEPT THAT CATERS THE VARYING NEEDS OF MULTIPLE GENERATIONS, WITH A SHARED FOCUS ON ‘FREEDOM AND SECURITY’
TEXT: KITA THAPANAPHANNITIKUL
PHOTO COURTESY OF AP THAILAND
(For Thai, press here)
“Gated communities” can be broadly defined as the development of a community within a particular location with a higher level of convenience and safety that can only be accessed by the community members. These communities are seeing significant growth as a residential trend, notably in highly populated cities. The rising popularity is a result of an attempt to build a “community-driven” residential project that offers both functional freedom and safety, especially the inclusion of open spaces, which are essential to children’s mental and physical development. The next most important question is: If a gated community is based on the formation of a sub-social group within a clearly defined physical space, how can such a community stay connected to the outside world?
The Pavilion
Social Pavilion
In an urban area like Charoenkrung, whose context includes the diversity of the riverfront community and Bangkok’s new creative district, which combines the neighborhood’s emerging role with the pre-existing local community, the challenges that new buildings sprouting in Charoenkrung must deal with extend beyond their interior functional spaces to their ability to connect with and become an integral part of the context of such a diverse community. This is the approach taken by AP Thailand’s new project, Pavilion. With its location directly across the street from Shrewsbury International School Bangkok Riverside, the project, which is centered on the concept of a gated community, provides superior security and privacy while still valuing its connection to the neighborhood. Meanwhile, the project incorporates its distinct concept and identity of co-generational living along with Charoenkrung’s unique characteristic as the factoring component, leading to the conception of the “Luxury Gated Community” concept, creating an ideal living environment and ensuring safety for residents of all generations while still embracing the spirit of the Charoenkrung neighborhood.
Aside from how each unit is designed to be large enough to store all of the necessary functions, what distinguishes the project is the quality of life that the project’s common facilities have to offer. The “Sky Facilities” on the 42nd, 43rd, and 44th floors comprise the indoor and outdoor common areas such as the Sky Terrace, the lounging corner with a stunning view of the Chao Phraya River, the Play Space for the community’s youngsters, and the 47-meter-long infinite pool. Last but not least is the project’s highlight, located on the first floor, “The Pavilion.” A cluster of three pavilions is designed to accommodate different functions: the Study Pavilion for educational activities, the Social Pavilion for gatherings and hanging out, and the Reading Pavilion for those who are looking for some privacy, peace, and quiet. All three pavilions are linked by a large green space named the “Gated Courtyard,” which provides residents with the wonderful lushness of an upscale housing estate. Everything is designed to provide the most comprehensive functionalities for users of all ages, with “freedom and ultimate safety” at the heart of it all.
