AWC snags world-class architects
SET-listed Asset World Corp (AWC), the property arm of billionaire Charoen Sir iv ad ha na bhakdi’ s TCC Group, has joined forces with Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG) on further development of Asiatique The Riverfront.
Chief executive and president Wallapa Traisorat said the mixed-use project on the Chao Phraya riverside will be the new tourism benchmark for Bangkok and Thailand.
The development includes collaboration with both local architecture firms like A49 and Urban Architects, as well as the world-renowned AS+GG.
Mrs Wallapa said Asiatique’s new skyline will consist of an 800-room five-star hotel under Marriott International and a six-star hotel and residential area under one of Marriott International’s brands, plus retail and commercial space and a tower viewpoint.
She said the company is conducting research on a landmark tower that could possibly be the tallest building in Bangkok, boasting at least 100 storeys, thanks to partnerships with specialists like AS+GG.
Asiatique attracts more than 50,000 visitors on weekends.
The new tower and other development projects at Asiatique will require an investment budget of at least 30 billion baht. Mrs Wallapa voiced confidence that the projects would be a new magnet drawing more tourists to the site.
Adrian Smith, co-founder of AS+GG, said the practice’s expertise in tall buildings will help it design and develop the project into a world destination, creating a building that represents Bangkok and Thai culture.
AS+GG has designed a number of landmark structures, including Central Park Tower in New York; Dubai’s Al Wasl Plaza, which will host World Expo 2020; and skyscrapers in China such as Zifeng Tower in Nanjing, Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai and Wuhan Greenland Centre in Wuhan.
AS+GG’s projects also include two of the world’s tallest buildings, Burj Khalifa in Dubai and Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia.