InJoy Snow Hotel Bangkok cuts an ethereal figure in the Thai urbanscape

InJoy Snow Hotel Bangkok by HAS design and research brings together its owner's Thai and French heritage in a building that bridges cultures and spatial experiences. Blending images of snowy French landscapes with the Bangkok urban condition, and adding notions of sustainable architecture and restoration, the architecture studio came up with the concept of 'Thai Snow', explain its co-directors, Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee, who were part of the Wallpaper* Architects Directory 2022. 

InJoy Snow Hotel Bangkok by HAS design and research

InJoy Snow Hotel Bangkok works with the city's microclimate and an existing building to transform the site into a haven of 21st century urban hospitality and minimalist architecture. A perimeter of folding perforated aluminum panels creates a kind of architectural 'veil', gently separating the building from the street's bustle, while creating privacy for the users. It is a gesture the pair of architects has used before in their own home and studio, Phetkasem Artist Studio, using transparencies, minimalism and perforation to play with ideas of light, permeability and seclusion. 

Here, Jencheh Hung and Songkittipakdee use the same methods to filter light and frame sightlines. Meanwhile, the ethereal presence of this screen is a nod to snowflakes. 

Inside, this is continued and reflected in the interior's fabric space dividers, in the form of curtains and a series of 'threads' hanging from the ceiling, which balance the tightrope between functional elements and sculptural pieces of art. A pared-down approach to decor is accentuated by the consistent use of the colour white, which helps compose a neutral canvas and calming backdrop for the guests. 

'InJoy Snow Hotel Bangkok takes sustainability as its philosophy, and the result is a distinctive new vernacular architecture,' write the architects. 'The perforated aluminium panels, introduce natural wind convection from the outside. The “threads”, which can block the western sun while maintaining visual transparency, and the movable fabric allows for a variety of guest room layouts. The building not only provides a respite from Bangkok's dense urban environment, but its snow-inspired concept contrasts with the surrounding environment, bringing visitors spiritual tranquility and ritual.'

hasdesignandresearch.com