With the construction starting in 2011, MahaNakhon in Bangkok is set to be the tallest building, as well as occupying 150,000 square meters of “urban oasis with public gardens”.
© OMA/Ole Scheeren 2009
Moreover, it is aiming to be a hub of luxury retail, residence, transportation, and public space.The building pushes a pixelated effect which shows the inner life of its residents, but still capable of protecting their identities.
© OMA/Ole Scheeren 2009
By creating the pixel-imperfection, the protrusions also create balconies with “uninterrupted views over the city as well as larger areas for greenery.” Slated to be completed in 2015, the tower will be featured as a major mesh of mix used facility, for not just its residents, but also the general public seeking to enjoy dining and leisure facilities all around.
The main structure and life core are wrapped by a series of mega columns, connected at several transfer floors. The building uses 129 piles drilled to a depth of 65 meters capped with a massive 8.75-meter thick mat foundation, to compensate for Bangkok’s soft soils.
© OMA/Ole Scheeren 2009
The inner city site is irregularly shaped, resulting in a three-building program, the main 314m tower, a smaller retail building at the front of the site and an automated parking tower positioned towards the back. The three-dimensional ribbon of architectural pixels cut away the façade of the tower to reveal the inner core, creating unique one of kind residences as well as special features such as oversized terraces and skyboxes, protruding out from the main building.
© OMA/Ole Scheeren 2009
During the design of this building, its designer and partner-in-charge Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), Ole Scheeren, left and founded his own firm, Buro Ole Scheeren. OMA and Ole Scheeren share the design credit for this project.
Project Info:
Architects: Ole Scheeren, OMA
Country: Thailand, Bangkok
Year: 2009
Photographs: Ole Scheeren, OMA
Site: Narathwas Ratchanakharin Road adjacent to Chongnonsi Sky Train Station
Client: PACE Development Co., Ltd.
Area: 150,000 m2
Project Name: MahaNakhon
Madeline Brooks is a Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she has been shaping and refining architectural content since March 2024. With over a decade of experience in editorial work, she has curated, revised, and published an array of projects covering architecture, urbanism, and public space design. A graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Madeline brings a strong academic foundation and a discerning editorial eye to each piece she oversees. Since joining Arch2O, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the platform’s editorial direction, with a focus on sustainability, social relevance, and cutting-edge design. Madeline excels at translating complex architectural ideas into clear, engaging stories that resonate with both industry professionals and general readers. She works closely with architects, designers, and global contributors to ensure every project is presented with clarity, depth, and compelling visual narrative. Her editorial leadership continues to elevate Arch2O’s role in global architectural dialogue.