WOHA: Met Tower

Designed by WOHA Architects and shortlisted for the 2013 Aga Khan Award for Architecture, this 66-storey residential tower in Bangkok adapts aspects of low-rise tropical housing, rather than adopting high-rise models from temperate countries. Naturally cross-ventilated, the apartments require no air conditioning, and open-air terraces with barbecues, libraries, spas and other facilities link the three towers every five storeys and act as structural bracing.

The main columns extend to the exterior of the building, creating protected indoor-outdoor spaces for balconies and terraces, and are lit at night, transforming the building into a vertical screen. The staggered block arrangement gives apartments light and air on all four sides. Thai elements — ceramic tiles, textiles and timber panelling — are abstracted to organise forms. Every horizontal surface is planted, and vertical faces are shaded by screens.

WOHA Architects:The Met Tower
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Architect: WOHA Architects, Singapore
Client: Pebble Bay Thailand Company
Completion: 2009
Design: 2004-2009
Total combined floor area: 124,885 square metres
Total site area: 11,361 square metres