Construction on The MahaNakhon Tower, Bangkok’s tallest building, may have recently been completed, but for anyone looking at the massive skyscraper, they may be left wondering, has that building finished downloading?
A unique façade of spiraling cube-shaped balconies provides the building with its eye-catching look, one that brings a pixelated aesthetic into the real world. The 1,030-foot building is the work of Büro Ole Scheeren, an international architecture firm with offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Bangkok, and Berlin.
The building’s design, according to architect Ole Scheeren, is meant to reflect the city in which it resides. In an interview with CNN, Scheeren says, “MahaNakhon is a vision of a tower that is very much about process, about becoming, about developing." And the building certainly captures that idea, as, even in its completed form, it seems unfinished and still in the building process, as if you will blink and upon opening your eyes, the jagged building will have completed its rendering process and appear crisp and clear on the Bangkok skyline.
Oddly enough, however, it is the fictional version of the “completed” MahaNakhon Tower that would appear out of place. Currently, the building fits right in with the other futuristic and architecturally unique buildings comprised in the Bangkok skyline (such as one meant to resemble a robot and another meant to mimic the appearance of an elephant).
The mixed-use building includes retail space, a hotel, and 200 condo units that are under the management of Ritz-Carlton Residences.
Photo courtesy of Kyle Hasegawa, Wikimedia Creative Commons
Related Stories
High-rise Construction | Jan 6, 2017
76-Story luxury apartment tower in Chicago’s South Loop gets name and begins construction
The building was designed by Rafael Viñoly and is scheduled for completion in 2019.
High-rise Construction | Jan 4, 2017
In search of better data to optimize tall buildings
In spite of the ability to build tall and taller buildings—usually fully glazed, often in extreme climates with increasingly smart technologies—it could be argued that we are not similarly “rising to the occasion” in terms of optimization, writes Gensler's Russell Gilchrist.
High-rise Construction | Dec 15, 2016
Shenzhen’s newest supertall tower has topped out
The 350-meter-high building was designed by Morphosis and will provide over 2 million sf of office and retail space.
High-rise Construction | Dec 13, 2016
The tallest building in Manhattan’s Meatpacking district tops out
The office, designed by CetraRuddy, will be completed in 2017.
High-rise Construction | Dec 6, 2016
New York’s One Vanderbilt to have publicly accessible observation deck 1,020-feet above ground
The building, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by SL Green, will stand 1,401 tall.
High-rise Construction | Dec 2, 2016
Agora Garden, a twisting, plant-filled tower in Taipei, will absorb 130 tons of carbon dioxide annually once completed
The building sits just a few blocks from the LEED-Platinum certified Taipei 101, the world’s eighth tallest building.
High-rise Construction | Nov 7, 2016
Shanghai Tower wins CTBUH’s “Best Tall Building Worldwide” award for 2016
Shanghai Tower beat out three other finalists selected from 132 entries from around the world for the award.
High-rise Construction | Nov 3, 2016
Two identical Kohn Pederson Fox office towers may be headed to Wacker Drive
Murphy Development Group is looking for tenants for the $800 million project.
High-rise Construction | Nov 1, 2016
The world’s 100 tallest buildings: Which wind consultants have worked on the most?
The top firm has worked on almost half of the world’s 100 tallest buildings.
High-rise Construction | Nov 1, 2016
LEGOLAND Dubai unveils the Brick Khalifa, the world’s tallest LEGO replica building
The model is on display at the newly opened LEGOLAND Dubai.
