Dezeen Magazine

Ole Scheeren's "carved" MahaNakhon skyscraper scheduled to complete this year

The pixelated 314-metre-high skyscraper designed by former OMA architect Ole Scheeren is nearing completion in Bangkok.

A series of photographs snapped by Instagram users reveal the modular cutaways of the MahaNakhon tower, which Scheeren designed before leaving the Rem Koolhaas-led firm, and is now completing with his own studio Büro Ole Scheeren.

Located in Bangkok's Central Business District, the 77-storey building will accommodate 200 serviced apartments operated by Ritz-Carlton, and a 150-room boutique Bangkok Edition hotel operated by Marriot International and Ian Schrager.

It recently topped out – becoming the tallest structure in the Thai capital, ahead of the 304-metre Baiyoke Tower II built in 1997. But it is expected to soon be overtaken by a residential tower also under construction.

The structure's most noticeable feature is the pixelated cutaway that wraps around the exterior of the tower like a ribbon.

Scheeren's studio describes the structure as having been "carefully carved to introduce a three-dimensional ribbon of architectural pixels that coil up the tower's full height to reveal the inner life of the building".

A photo posted by @tsa.p on

The glazed volumes contained with this void, referred to as "glass skyboxes", are designed to provide occupants with indoor and outdoor living spaces that are well-suited to Bangkok's tropical climate.

They will include double-height spaces, boasting views over both the city and the Chaophraya River.

The pixelated volume is designed to "gradually dissolve" down to ground level, where the team is creating a landscaped public plaza.

The entire development will encompass approximately 150,000 square metres. Other additions include a shopping centre, restaurants and cafes, a 24-hour marketplace and a rooftop Sky Bar.

Scheeren left OMA in 2010, taking with him both MahaNakhon and The Interlace, the Singapore housing development conceived as "a blatant reversal" of tower-block housing. The Interlace was named World Building of the Year 2015.

The German-born architect was also project architect for OMA's giant CCTV tower in Beijing.