Central Plaza Rayong

The striking facade concept by Architect Synthesis Design showed a pair of interfering waveforms that change shape and level as they wrap the building. The forms spread out over the large flat walls and lift and twist up over the main entrance and then swoop down under signboards to form a glazed walkway canopy leading to the main entry before rising again to wrap the corner.

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Central Plaza Rayong

The waveforms are captured by vertical slices through the waves and the two waveforms are given different colours.

The technical solution required several different support condi- tions: cantilevered fins fixed directly back to vertical walls; canti- levered arms fixed back to a steel torsion tube; and cantilevered arms fixed to face of slab.

After consideration of many options Aluminium Composite Panel (ACP) was selected.

At the vertical wall locations this could be used with both faces of the ACP finished with a colour coat (this was a special order, typically only one was is colour coated, and the other has a basic protection coat), but when not attached to a wall a structure needed to be included within the fin. Here the ACP was doubled up and used to sandwich steel rectangular tubes welded back to a large steel torsion tube itself fixed back to vertical steel sup- ports within the vertical wall build-up.

The single layer and double layer fins can clearly be seen in the photos but are not obvious at first viewing.

Every fin is unique but the fabrication was made simple by ex- change of CAD files with the Facade Contractor who used CNC routers to cut the individual fins from standard ACP sheet sizes.

The facade changes shape and colour throughout the day and at night the shadows from discrete lighting continue the dynamic visual effect.

 

DATE

2013-2015

LOCATION

Rayong, Thailand

CLIENT

Central Plaza Rayong

TEAM

architect SDA | Synthesis Design + Architecture

SIZE

GFA 130,000m2 / height 18m / floors 4

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