Photo: FOTO: PANORAMICSTUDIO.MYPORTFOLIO.COMA zigzagging form gives extra privacy to the medical staff living in Thai studio Plan Architect's nurse dormitory apartment block at Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok.
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Comprising 523 rooms, the building is formed of 26 floors with diamond-shaped openings at their centres. Plan Architect designed the apartment block to be a restful home for nurses working in the hospital, which is run by the Thai Red Cross Society.
In response to the dense arrangement of the city, Plan Architect aimed to design a building that offers the residents plenty of privacy, project architect told Dezeen.
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"With the dense high-rise buildings in Bangkok, we aimed to provide enough space for each room to have its own privacy without directly facing other buildings and to allow natural ventilation to get through the rooms," Jittinun Jithpratuck continued.
To ensure the rooms didn't directly face the surrounding high rises, the studio gave the apartment block a zigzagging form.
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On each floor, the apartments are arranged along two corridors separated by a central opening that lets more natural light enter the corridors and facilitates natural ventilation from the floor to the roof.
Most rooms are separated into two parts by a sliding door, with one half acting as the bedroom and the other containing a dining area, pantry and bathroom. The bedrooms are intended to sleep two people, with the beds on opposite sides of the room for privacy.
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Balconies placed at an angle extend from each room, forming snaking rows along the structure.
"Since the dormitory is close to other nearby buildings, we designed the balcony to have a slanted angle. This avoids a direct sightline to other buildings and allows more sunlight into the area, making it suitable for planting trees and drying clothes", said the studio.
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Aluminium railing and perforated aluminium sheets provide further privacy and shading on the balconies.
"This facade and balcony composition create the pattern of light and shadow that reflects the simple systematic design of the building while concealing the various lifestyles of the users," the studio continued.
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Additional facilities in the block include a library, public dining room, co-working space, and laundry room.
An enclosed courtyard is formed in the space between the apartment block and three of the neighbouring buildings. Separated from the busy hospital, this courtyard offers green space and a peaceful area for relaxation for the nurses.
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"The nurses feel it's a lot better than where they lived before because it can give them privacy even when living with each other, and the natural cross ventilation really works including the zoning in the room that makes it easier to work while the other occupant needs to rest," the studio said.
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Source: dezeen.com
