Located in the city of Pattaya, located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, 100 km southeast of Bangkok, is Cross Pattaya Pratamnak Hotel. Overlooking the beach, this five-star hotel provides a relaxing stay for its guests while organising many recreational activities. Being a colonial heritage building with historical significance dating back more than 50 years ago, this hotel features 78 rooms & suites, among which is the Elite executive ocean suite with a 15 sqm balcony & a free-standing bathtub. Other facilities include a private club overlooking the secluded beach, a gym, various eateries & restaurants, a saltwater lap pool, a spa, etc. The landscape is designed by architects of Studio NDT, while the modern-style interiors are by PORDEE design studio, the project leads. Both agencies have their offices based in Thailand.
Design
Context
Cross Pattaya Pratamnak Hotel is located amid a high-end residential area, located approximately 3 km from Pattaya Beach and Walking Street. It is a two-hour drive away from Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand. While being in a district having easy accessibility to various modes of transport to the city, this hotel is nestled in a calm and serene neighbourhood. The overall design with the surrounding site context enables the guests visiting to escape the hustle and bustle of their everyday life in the city to refresh their mind, body & spirit, thereby gaining a new rejuvenated perspective while returning to their work and life after their stay.
User-friendly landscape design – Planning & Techniques
With an area of 7400 sqm, Cross Pattaya Pratamnak Hotel previously needed elements like a well-lit ambient foyer space for its guests. This aspect laid the foundational need that inculcated the user-friendly design approaches implemented in this project. The architects introduced a pool measuring 35 meters long in the place of the drop-off zone. This idea changed and opened up the overall spatial design of the development. The space enables visitors to walk around a bright lobby while taking in the gentle breeze from the sea. The organically designed pool derives its inspiration and takes the users back to the blue waters of Koh Larn, a small island in the Gulf of Thailand. Additional facilities in the pool area, namely the Sunset Deck, Chill-out shallow pool, Cabanas, sun-bathing areas, lovely gardens, walk paths etc., are for the guests to relax and perform leisurely activities with their friends and family during their stay.
The pre-existing mature vegetation was retained during the design & construction process and taken care of well. These soaring canopies provide ample shade near the poolside, benefitting the users well, especially in the context of a tropical climate. Preserving the pre-existing trees might be time-consuming. Nevertheless, they have various advantages, such as reducing site preparation, grading & replacement costs in the stages of construction. Moreover, these trees have played a crucial role in enhancing spaces over the years.
Additionally, Cross Pattaya Pratamnak Hotel now has a spacious lawn, surrounded by well-maintained lush flora serving as an iconic location for many celebratory occasions of any kind. The garden areas are a barrier zone for the pool spaces from the nearby streets. Hence, providing essential privacy and security for the same. Studio NDT strived and ensured that every space was designed with considerable thought for the users and enhanced the luxurious atmosphere of this hotel.
Conclusion
The immense complexities faced in heritage architecture, especially those based in the service industry, are more often overlooked. There are four significant facets to be successful in this typology of architecture: to conserve the cultural identity of the heritage building in its respective context, to adapt the infrastructure to the current demands of sustainability and environmental efficiency, to accelerate economy and jobs for the general public without comprising on its architectural and historical character retaining the unique flavour of the city & country and finally to increase the number of tourists in the coming years which will enable these developments to sustain themselves over time. It goes without saying that in the context of Cross Pattaya Pratamnak Hotel, both the parties, the architects & engineers, and the clients, have successfully established it as an ever-growing tourist destination and landmark in Pattaya. Studio NDT, the landscape architects amalgamated modern and contemporary solutions in the overall landscape planning in the development without compromising its colonial style and preserving its historical character while providing a luxurious experience for its users.
Alongside that, another crucial takeaway from this project is the various unique approaches taken in planning the concepts of this landscape design. Coral Island-inspired pool enhances the complete ambience of the foyer and refreshing walking areas for the guests who will be worn out after travelling. The methodological approach followed in preserving the aged native trees and using the same shading devices for the poolside. The sizeable lawn with abundant vegetation can also serve as a venue for numerous celebrations. The gardens safely conceal the pool and other interior landscape areas to assure the visitors of safety, security, and privacy.
References:
Abdel, H. (2022) Cross Pattaya Pratamnak Hotel / studio ndt, ArchDaily. ArchDaily. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/981463/cross-pattaya-pratamnak-hotel-studio-ndt (Accessed: January 21, 2023).
Cross pattaya pratamnak: Luxury resort in Pattaya (no date) Cross Hotels & Resorts: Your Luxury Escape to Asia. Available at: https://www.crosshotelsandresorts.com/crosspattayapratamnak (Accessed: January 21, 2023).
Image 1: Varp Photo (2022) Cross Pattaya Pratamnak Hotel, Arch Daily. Available at: Gallery of Cross Pattaya Pratamnak Hotel / Studio NDT – 1 (archdaily.com).
Image 2: Studio NDT (2022) Cross Pattaya Pratamnak Hotel Landscape Plan, Arch Daily. Available at: Gallery of Cross Pattaya Pratamnak Hotel / Studio NDT – 15 (archdaily.com).
Image 3: Varp Photo (2022) Cross Pattaya Pratamnak Hotel Garden Area, Arch Daily. Available at: Gallery of Cross Pattaya Pratamnak Hotel / Studio NDT – 11 (archdaily.com).
Image 4: Varp Photo (2022) Pool area, Arch Daily. Available at: Gallery of Cross Pattaya Pratamnak Hotel / Studio NDT – 6 (archdaily.com).
