MORE THAN JUST A SHOPPING SPACE, WHIMSICAL MARKET TRANSFORMS THE MALL EXPERIENCE INTO A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE, DESIGNED BY B | U | G STUDIO UNDER THE CONCEPT OF CREATING A FESTIVAL THAT CAN BE ENJOYED EVERY DAY
PHOTO: JINNAWAT BORIHANKIJANAN
(For Thai, press here)
The scene unfolding here bears little resemblance to a conventional hangout spot. A mischievous-looking mammoth balances playfully on a ball, while a squirrel’s tail flicks back and forth as though it has a life of its own. This is Whimsical Market, the centerpiece of Wonderwild, one of the principal buildings within Happitat, a large-scale development on Bangna–Trad Road at Km 7
Today, people no longer leave home just to buy goods. They also come in search of new experiences, places to pause, and moments that offer a sense of pleasure or escape. This evolving expectation became the point of departure for Whimsical Market, where an entire fantasy world has been brought to life.
“We created this place with the intention of giving people something meaningful to experience.” saids Orada Kerdhong, President of Extra Happitat and one of the driving forces behind the development.
Orada Kerdhong, President of Axtra Happitat
Yet the idea of a ‘meaningful experience’ is an expansive idea and open to countless interpretations. For some, it may be found in a calm, uncluttered space free from distraction. For others, it lies in the pleasure of elaborate and opulent surroundings. Precisely because the phrase can signify so many things, the team first needed to define what such an experience should mean in the context of this particular place.
“We knew we wanted to create happiness, but we also needed to understand exactly what that happiness might look like,” Orada explains. “So we went out and spoke directly with people in the neighborhood.” Those conversations revealed that what local residents wanted was not simply another common area, but somewhere that could bring a greater sense of enjoyment to their daily lives . “When we asked what kind of place would make them happy, one word kept emerging: ‘festival,’” she continues. “They imagined somewhere they could explore, unwind, and feel restored, almost like an amusement park, but one they could return to every day.”
From Festival to Fantasy
Rooted in a vision of carrying the delight and spectacle of a festival into the everyday, the project called on Winai Chairakpong, designer and founder of b | u | g studio, to translate an abstract premise into a tangible spatial experience. “We designed the space to feel dreamlike and fantastical, as a way of bringing people joy,” Winai explains when describing the concept behind Whimsical Market. “We also wanted it to carry a narrative, with characters inhabiting the world we created.”
Winai Chairakpong, Design Director and Founder of b | u | g studio
The dream begins at the entrance, where the elevators are framed by brightly colored portals. Above the doors, animated creatures from this fantasy world appear in succession, greeting visitors with palpable excitement. From there, the elevators lead to a series of environments, each shaped by its own distinctive character and mood. Daily Delicious, the food zone, takes the form of a miniature village, with small animals hidden in unexpected corners, offering a playful sense of companionship as visitors browse for something to eat. Elsewhere, a treetop setting introduces a fresh, verdant atmosphere, while Rainbow Forest is saturated with candy-bright colors that lend the entire floor an almost sugary sweetness. Another area evokes the vastness of the sky and outer space, creating an altogether more expansive and otherworldly ambiance.
The Elevator Hall greets visitors with various creatures on the archway
Daily Delicious Zone
Even the smallest elements, from the tiles and flooring to the walls and ceilings, have been specially designed to establish distinct atmospheres and introduce visual details that continually draw visitors onward. Shopping is recast as a journey of discovery, with each step offering a new moment of intrigue.
“The challenge in designing the Whimsical Market experience was finding a way to keep people engaged as they moved through it,” Winai says. “The journey needed to offer a constant sense of discovery and surprise. We therefore filled the interior with details that gradually reveal themselves, almost like turning the pages of a storybook and wondering what might appear next.”
The interior design team also worked closely with the retailers occupying the development, refining each store’s design language so that it would sit naturally within the wider environment without requiring each brand to relinquish their individual identities.
The Atrium is Where the Heart Is
The central atrium is where Whimsical Market truly comes into its own. Rising through three stories, the vast volume is animated by animal sculptures at dramatically different scales, from round-bodied birds with oversized heads to a towering giraffe that extends beyond the full height of the space. Some remain still, while others shift and sway as though imbued with life, lending this storybook world a palpable sense of movement and vitality.
The atrium is conceived around the idea of ‘A Place Where Humans, Animals and Nature Live Harmoniously Together,’ imagining an environment in which people, wildlife and the natural world coexist in shared delight. At its center stands an immense tree, its branches unfurling into an intricate canopy of leaves and blossoms. Each leaf contains a concealed light source, producing a field of glimmers that continually transforms the atmosphere. Rather than serving as a static centerpiece, the tree gives the space an evolving presence that sustains a sense of discovery throughout the day.
“Within the narrative, animals of every size are hidden throughout the different corners and zones of Whimsical Market, much as they might be encountered in different parts of a forest. Eventually, they all come together in the central Gathering Space, imagined as a clearing in the woods. This is the project’s principal focal point, bringing together characters such as the giraffe, squirrel and mammoth,” Winai says of Whimsical Market’s central gathering space.
The Gathering Space area
“At the center of the Gathering Space is the Foris Tree, described within the story as the oldest tree in this imagined world. It serves as the project’s landmark and gives the space an image that remains in visitors’ memories,” Winai continues. “The tree is fitted with Breathable Lighting, which allows its illumination to shift through different patterns. These changing effects continually renew the atmosphere, making the tree appear alive and fulfilling the project’s original vision of an everyday festival.”
The Foris Tree
The Foris Tree
Although the interior is conceived as an unfamiliar and fantastical world, b | u | g studio did not allow it to exist in isolation from the rest of the development. The design remains closely aligned with two of Happitat’s defining principles: weaving nature into the fabric of the project and creating an environment that welcomes people from every generation.
“Elsewhere in the development, both the landscape and architecture draw nature directly into the design. We worked from the same principle, but interpreted it through a different lens. Beyond the animal characters and other nature-inspired elements, references to the outdoors are also embedded in the material palette, including tiles patterned with leaves.
“We also believe that happiness can resonate at any age. A child might be captivated by the possibility of things that do not exist, while teenagers may enjoy exploring and experimenting, and adults may find themselves transported back to memories from earlier in life. It is much like visiting an amusement park: the child is not the only one having fun; the parents share in that enjoyment as well. By infusing every detail with this sense of delight, the design allows Whimsical Market to become a point of connection across generations.”
Festivity Without the Wait
Behind the color-shifting glow of the tree, the swaying squirrel’s tail, and the richly patterned floors and walls lies a clear and carefully considered premise: to create a place devoted to joy and happiness. That idea did not emerge by chance. It was shaped through direct conversations with people in the surrounding community, long before the first design line was drawn. This grounding gives each element a sense of vitality, allowing it to play an active role in delighting visitors.
From the elevators and dining zones to the soaring central atrium, Whimsical Market is more than a habitat for fantastical creatures and unfamiliar flora. It is a place where the happy spirit of a festival is made part of everyday life, with no special occasion required.
