Boonthavorn Material Library, Showroom & Shared Workspace in Bangkok by Onion.

Onion’s design for the workspace material library, showroom and shared workspace in Bangkok resembles the layout of a Lego city. Modular towers rise up out of the ground, each extending to a different height. Small cubic indentations give the towers the impression of repetitive windows. The resulting design acts like a bustling city, complete with small alleyways and unexpected surprises. Guests meander through stacks of books and stumble across material samples, with each step uncovering something new to expand their own design knowledge.

The scheme is both highly functional and aesthetically interesting, encouraging all those who engage with it to actively uncover information. Building materials that are affordable, practical, and readily available in Thailand are displayed to provide designers with a comprehensive understanding of products. Material swatches for carpets, curtains, and wallpapers hang from walls, their colours injecting an undeniable sense of fun into the interior – think an excited child in a candy store, except adults with design samples.

A range of different workspaces are provided, each allowing for a different level of collaboration or privacy. Interiors are stacked upward, each floor unfolding with its own mezzanine that allows a visual connection between all levels. A scattering of singular desks and large couches give the ground floor a casual work environment, while upper floors, with private meeting rooms, become much more private. Onion has designed the space to allow young designers to engage with manufacturers and each other, while also allowing spaces for formal presentations and meetings.

When thinking of a ‘material library’, images of cramped warehouses and alienating industrial spaces may spring to mind. However, a very different picture emerges in this project. Hugely expansive ceiling heights, coupled with large walls of glazing create light-filled interior spaces. Warm timber lines almost every surface creating a soft, welcoming scheme. Workspaces are connected to a green-filled outdoor terrace and café, creating a blurring of interior and exterior space.

[Images courtesy of Onion. Photography by Ketsiree Wongwan & Srirath Somsawat.]