Going Green at Park Ventures
Nowadays you can see impressive, new skyscrapers popping up like mushrooms all over the world. While some constantly strive for becoming the tallest in the world, others claim they are the biggest or have the most unique design. The high competition has created new buildings with exotic designs showcasing the designers’ creativity and many new perspectives on art; but there’s one building in Bangkok that stands out from the crowd, not only because of its particular design but because this building is designed to ensure that every aspect of it is environmentally friendly.
Park Ventures Ecoplex’s gleaming lobby area | Photograph: Courtesy of Park Ventures Ecoplex
Park Ventures Ecoplex, located on Witthayu Road, is a new energy-saving building, 34 stories high with a column-free design that amazingly increases the usable space to over 81,000 square meters. The design of Park Ventures was inspired by the shape of the wai, or the Thai way of pressing the palms together as a greeting that symbolizes a lotus bud. While reflecting the beauty of Thai culture, this traditional imagery blends well with the modern architecture of the tower.
Besides its creative design, this new landmark is one of the first eco-friendly complexes in Thailand. In the early stages of design, the design team, themselves representing a range of institutes worldwide, called upon experts from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) to be their consultants so that all aspects of the building – from design and construction methods to materials – are as eco-friendly as possible.
Energy-saving windows with Low-E coatings minimize UV light, heat and noise levels | Photograph: Courtesy of Park Ventures Ecoplex
The building’s energy-saving windows have three layers of laminated, insulated glass and low-emissivity (also called Low-E) coatings to minimize penetration of ultraviolet and infrared light. The air between each layer of glass provides a buffer against external sound, sunlight, and Bangkok’s heat. This special material lowers the temperature inside the building but allows abundant natural light to shine through, thus reducing power consumption and air-conditioning use.
The building is also equipped with carbon dioxide sensors which automatically activate ventilation fans when the amount of indoor CO2 exceeds the limit. As a result, guests will be reassured of the most comfortable experience while inside the building. Most of the tenants in Park Ventures are companies that appreciate the importance of saving the environment. Apart from these premium offices, the building houses the five-star, 240-room Okura Prestige Bangkok hotel spanning the eighth through the 22nd floor.
One of the many green spaces, which account for 25% of the building’s space | Photograph: Courtesy of Park Ventures Ecoplex
Upon entering Park Ventures, guests are greeted with a green space in front of the building. Several gardens thrive on the upper floors, accounting for 25% of the total property space. All the trees are watered by a water recycling system called “Grey Water Reuse”. All wastewater from the building is reused, providing substantial benefits for the water supply subsystem by reducing the demand for fresh clean water.
The location of the building in Bangkok’s central business district also helps the environment. Park Ventures is conveniently located right next to the Ploenchit BTS station, which promotes the use of public transportation.
Park Ventures Ecoplex has given a new meaning to the word “design”, one that’s synonymous with excellence in architecture and ecology and that is finding favor among modern skyscrapers. Thanks to the design team’s meticulous attention to detail, new urban lifestyles and a marvelous ecosystem blend together impressively to set a new benchmark for new-age buildings that not only house people, but also help make the world a better place. For them, making just another skyscraper is not an option.
