“It was one of those global intrigues that worked nicely for everyone,” the New York City-based architect says. “It’s exciting and challenging at the same time. The design is the consequence of several factors.”
Most notable was the client – an American from Louisiana, living in Italy and moving to Bangkok. The project would also have multiple cultural influences, while being site specific to Thailand – a result of Green’s common practice of melding international influences into his architecture and furniture designs.
“I spent a week (in Thailand) so I could become acquainted with the site and become more familiar with the architectural vernacular of Bangkok,” recalls Green. “My interest is to create architecture that is specific to a venue from an environmental standpoint, as well as structurally.” The factors shaping the new wave of regional design are many, but the desire for environmental efficacy is often cited.
However, when he arrived in Bangkok, he discovered that the city, like so many urban areas, doesn’t embrace its architectural history. “I had to go out of the city to look at traditional forms and methods of construction,” he tells. In the process, he realized that the more one uses international influences to shape a building, the more important it becomes to embrace local styles.
