The Akyra Manor Hotel is located on a tight urban site in an upcoming trendy neighbourhood in Chiang Mai. With a lack of heritage to draw upon and good views of the landscape that most hotels in the area are known for, the biggest challenge the design faced was to derive an original concept that is not a mere interpretation of the overused symbolic kitsch from the Lanna culture, but one that is inventive and provides an alternative hospitality experience that stands up to the competition in the saturated boutique hotel market.
The design concept took its cue from the absence of natural landscape by injecting a hip whimsical landscape throughout the hotel. Entering the lobby and restaurant, one is immersed in a forest of lights on top of customised amorphous rattan furniture—a result of close collaboration with local craftsmen. The lift lobby and the corridors are deliberately dark and lined with soft materials to mute one’s senses, building up the anticipation of what awaits beyond the guest room door. Opening the door, one is greeted by the next ‘landscape’—a brightly lit ‘courtyard’ with a tub on a bed of river pebbles and a cloud-like pendant light overhead. This ‘courtyard’ provides a semi-outdoor environment where one can take a bath while enjoying the weather. The rest of the room is organised around this ‘courtyard’ and is kept in black clean lines, accentuating the indoor and outdoor contrast. As guests venture to the rooftop bar and pool, they are presented with a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding mountain ranges. The bar is designed as a visually simple pavilion and an extension of the lift lobby volume, so as not to overwhelm this exceptional view.
Selective placement of distinctive pieces like Moooi’s Horse Lamp, Pig Table or Rabbit Lamp in specific corners of the hotel and the use of reflective materials further lends strength to the choreography of a surrealistic journey that the design seeks to craft.
PROJECT DATA
Project Name: Akyra Manor Hotel Chiang Mai
Location: 22/2 Nimmana Haeminda Road Soi 9, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Completion Date: October 2015
Site Area: 800 square metres
Gross Floor Area: 3,900 square metres
Number of Rooms: 30
Building Height: 23 metres
Client/Owner: Manor Group (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Architecture Firm: Hyphen Architects
Principal Architect: Chaw Chih Wen
Design Consultant: Hyphen Architects
Interior Design Firms: Hyphen Architects with Manor Studio Pte Ltd
Lighting Consultants: Hyphen Architects with Manor Studio Pte Ltd
Landscape Architect: Varit Charoenveingvechkit
Mechanical & Electrical Engineer: EEC Engineer Networking Co.,Ltd.
Civil & Structural Engineer: Warnes Associates Co.,Ltd.
Quantity Surveyor: Currie & Brown (Thailand) Co.,Ltd.
Main Contractor: KT Construction
Interior Fit-Out Contractor: Vorrawut Interiors
Images: Beer Singnoi Architectural Photography Productions
