Job search
Job Search
Latest news
More news: (showing 1 - 20 of 13969)           
UK only International

Ole Scheeren creates Thailand's tallest tower with twisting, 'pixellated' MahaNakhon

By Kim Megson    01 Sep 2016
At 314m, the tower is Thailand's tallest / Alexander Roan, courtesy of PACE
The design of MahaNakhon dismantles the typical tower and podium typology, creating a skyscraper that melds with the city by gradually ‘dissolving’ as it flows downward to meet the ground
– Ole Scheeren
Credit: Epizentrum

German architect Ole Scheeren has completed one of his highest profile projects since leaving OMA and setting up his own studio: Thailand’s tallest building.

MahaNakhon is a 77-storey, 314m (1,030ft) tall ‘pixelated’ skyscraper located in Bangkok’s Central Business District.

The dramatic addition to the city’s skyline opened to the public this week with a spectacular light show. The multi-coloured LED display highlighted the three-dimensional ribbon of architectural pixels that coil up the tower, giving a glimpse into the interior life of the building.

The 150,000sq m (1.6 million sq ft) development features a 150 room boutique hotel operated by Marriott International and Ian Schrager; 200 luxury apartments run by Ritz-Carlton; a multi-level retail centre with restaurants and cafes; a 24-hour marketplace; a rooftop Sky Bar and restaurant; and a landscaped public plaza at its base.

A series of cascading indoor/outdoor terraces at the base of the tower accommodate most of the public leisure facilities and are designed to evoke the shifting protrusions of a mountain landscape.

An adjacent freestanding seven-storey building called The Cube has corresponding terraces and forms an atrium space between the structures.

“The design of MahaNakhon dismantles the typical tower and podium typology, creating a skyscraper that melds with the city by gradually ‘dissolving’ as it flows downward to meet the ground,” said Scheeren in a statement.

The architect is a former partner of OMA, where he led the design of the China Central Television Station building. He set up his new practice, Büro Ole Scheeren, in 2010, but a team of Thai architects at OMA collaborated with him on the MahaNakhon project.

His new studio won the 2015 Building of the Year prize at the World Architecture Festival for their Singapore housing development Interlace. They are currently developing the Guardian Art Centre in Beijing, which will feature a museum, auction house, event space, 120-room hotel and several restaurants.

MahaNakhon features a three-dimensional ribbon of architectural pixels that coil around the building / Alexander Roan, courtesy of PACE
The tower is a dramatic addition to Bangkok's Central Business District / Alexander Roan, courtesy of PACE
The building opened to the public this week / Alexander Roan, courtesy of PACE
Residences are housed in the extended glass skyboxes / Buro Ole Scheeren/OMA
An adjacent freestanding seven-storey building called The Cube has corresponding terraces and forms an atrium space between the structures / Buro Ole Scheeren/OMA
Ole Scheeren  Thailand  Bangkok  MahaNakhon  OMA  architecture  design 
Sign up for FREE ezines
Related news

Company profile

Company profile: Everyone Active
Everyone Active's aim is to get communities active, engaged and entertained through our wide-ranging activities and services that include, sports, coaching, culture, events, health and happiness. We manage a vast range of indoor and outdoor facilities including swimming pools, spas, sports halls, squash courts, studios, fitness suites, climbing walls, cafes, golf courses, athletics stadia and sports pitches.
View full profile >
More company profiles

Featured Supplier

Elevate 2026 to mark 10-year anniversary with biggest ever waterfront drinks reception
Elevate is set to celebrate its 10th anniversary in style this June, with organisers confirming the event’s largest-ever drinks reception as registrations continue to run more than 10% ahead of last year.
View full details >
More featured suppliers

Property & Tenders

Location: Stratford, East London.
Company: Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
Location: Y Felinheli, LL56 4QN
Company: Newmark
Location: Newhaven, Sussex
Company: EiA Real Estate
Location: Tutbury Castle, Staffordshire
Company: Savills
Location: Oxford
Company: University of Oxford
More properties & tenders

Diary dates

13-13 Jun 2026
Worldwide, Various
21-24 Sep 2026
The Langham Huntington Pasadena , Pasadena, United States
06-08 Oct 2026
Messe Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
22-22 Oct 2026
QEII Conference Centre, London
More diary dates