MahaNakhon

History

Details on the MahaNakhon development were officially announced on 23 July 2009, with a team including German architect Ole Scheeren, former partner of the design firm Office for Metropolitan Architecture; joint-venture development partners including Thai company Pace Development, David Collins Studio based in London and multinational Industrial Buildings Corporation PLC. In 2015 PACE Development bought the remaining shares belonging to former partner Industrial Buildings Corporation PLC, thus becoming the sole developer of the project. The ground breaking ceremony was held on 20 June 2011, the building was topped off in 2015, and has been completed in 2016. The total project value as a result of pricing changes during the course of construction reached 21b THB (approximately $620m USD).

As of October 2013, construction was finished for the smaller CUBE building, and at that time the main tower reached the 4th floor, growing at the rate of approximately 2-3 stories per month. As of September 2014, construction of the main tower reached the 45th floor, and in December 2014 it has been publicized that the building reached around the 60th floor. In April 2015, PACE revealed that the tower had now reached its full height and was topped off at 314 meters, making it the tallest point in Bangkok. Finally in 2016, the building was announced as completed by CTBUH.

In March 2014, developers PACE Development Corporation revealed that the development was now being sold freehold, having previously been a leasehold property.

In September 2014, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Bangkok at MahaNakhon was awarded BEST LUXURY CONDO DEVELOPMENT 2014 (Bangkok) at the prestigious Thailand Property Awards. In October 2014, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Bangkok at MahaNakhon was awarded BEST THAILAND DEVELOPMENT 2014 and BEST LUXURY CONDOMINIUM SOUTH EAST ASIA 2014 at the highly regarded SE Asia Property Awards, with both awards accepted by PACE Chief Marketing Officer Kipsan Beck in Singapore.

In 2015, MahaNakhon was further recognised at the Asia-Pacific Property Awards, picking up 3 major awards including Best Mixed Use, Best Residential and Best Residential Highrise, received by CRM Director Songphon Chaovanayothin and Ms. Narumon Juthaprateep, Head of Public Relations and Corporate Communications in KL, Malaysia.

Subsequently the project has also been recognised with presentations at CTBUH, The Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat and leading Thai University Chulalongkorn.

In April 2016, Kipsan Beck, former head of marketing of PACE and also of Raimon Land was appointed as the Managing Director for the entire MahaNakhon development.

Design and location

The tower's design assumes the shape of a square prism with the appearance of a rough spiral with cuboidal surfaces cut into the side of the building. The building features a pixelated ribbon that swirls around the exterior, peeling back its surface layer to expose an inner layer (while also creating balconies with sweeping views of the city). This ribbon prevents the tower from overpowering the city that surrounds it, allowing the structure to, in a sense, dissolve into the landscape below. The glass walls are divided horizontally and vertically, adding to the building's "pixelated" appearance. Its height, 314 metres (1,030 ft), with 77 floors, now makes it the tallest building in Thailand by structural height, surpassing Baiyoke Tower II's record of 304 metres (997 ft), and at the time of completion in 2016, making it the 88th tallest building in the world.

Among the features of the building are: 10,000 square metres (110,000 sq ft) of luxury retail space (MahaNakhon CUBE and MahaNakhon HILL Retail components); 209 Residences serviced by The Ritz-Carlton, which, with prices ranging from approximately THB42 - more than THB500m (approximately 1.2m - $14m+ USD), are among the highest prices achieved for Thai luxury real estate, freehold or leasehold in Bangkok; the Bangkok Edition boutique hotel, with 150 rooms, to be operated by Ritz-Carlton which is part of Marriott International in collaboration with famed boutique hotel creator Ian Schrager; as well as a roof-top bar and observation deck. MahaNakhon features Thailand's first L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (Bangkok), Thailand's first restaurant by Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Thailand's first VOGUE Lounge and the largest Dean & DeLuca in Thailand.

The development features a free-standing seven-storey building ("the Cube") and an outdoor plaza ("MahaNakhon Square"), which connects the tower to the Chong Nonsi station of the BTS Skytrain Silom Line and the Bangkok BRT station on Narathiwat Ratchanakharin Road.

In November 2012, PACE Development revealed that the CUBE retail component will include Thailand's first L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, a flagship Dean & DeLuca gourmet foodhall, Verita Wellness Center from Singapore and Thailand's first VOGUE Lounge food and beverage concept, by Condé Nast International.

In January 2013, PACE Development announced the sale of the highest-price condominium penthouse in Thailand at MahaNakhon, a 2-floor, 1,500-square-metre (16,000 sq ft) residence worth 480M baht.

PACE Development also has marketed overseas, including in the Middle East for MahaNakhon in 2013, marking the first time that a Thai property developer has marketed Thai property in the Middle East as well as in Hong Kong and Singapore.