Kurve 7, a Community Mall in Bangkok

Thai architecture studio, STU/D/O Architects has designed the Community Mall Kurve 7 in Bangkok. A shopping mall that reconciles the tropical environment with the needs of the users, at the same time engaging with - and respecting - the urban backdrop and the natural greenery.

It's no coincidence that Kurve 7 in the Krungthep Kreetha district in Bangkok is called a Community Mall and not just a Shopping Mall. The fact is that the construction designed by STU/D/O Architects is completely different from the closed, monolithic structures we usually find in this architectural category.


With Kurve 7 - named after its curved mass and street number - STU/D/O Architects have delivered a porous, openly inviting complex, structured in nine volumes that almost organically blend in with the existing fabric. The segmented layout is the design response used to make the most of the available space for shops while leaving as much of the existing nature intact. The result is that the exterior of Kurve 7 incorporates most of the large trees on the land, protecting the tropical landscape that becomes an integral part of the mall as well as natural shade based on the rationale of sustainable architecture.


The materials used for the individual buildings, dominated by exposed concrete and glass, sets up an eye-catching contrast with the main plaza of the Community Mall. The timber deck of the multi-level plaza is sculpted by steps, ramps, trees and ponds, creating a dynamic space that provides a meeting place for the community and sets the stage for special cultural or commercial events.


Kurve 7 by STU/D/O Architects is a virtuous example of how you can combine architecture, city planning and passive, sustainable design in a harmonious whole. It responds to the commercial requirements but it also creates a sense of belonging and of community.


The project has been shortlisted for the Architizer A+ Awards (Commercial, Shopping Center).

Christiane Bürklein

Project: STU/D/O Architects, http://www.stu-d-o.com/
Location: Krungthep Kreetha, Bangkok, Thailandia
Year: 2014
Photography: Ketsiree Wongwan
Structural Engineer: Panit Supasiriluk
Mechanical Engineer: MEE Consultants
Interior Architect: Stu/D/O Architects
Landscape Architect: Teerachai Tharawongthawat
Graphic Designer: Amnaj Suriyawongkul
Lighting Designer: Siriluck Chinsaengchai