Thai architecture is a vivid reflection of its rich and long history. With its rich ornamentation, bright colors, and multi-tiered, sweeping roofs, the palace and temple architecture of Thailand is immediately identifiable.
The architecture of Thailand brilliantly reflects its culture and history, which adds up to the existing beauty of the majestic country. The advent of various dynasties resulted in the amalgamation of cultural diversity, profoundly influenced by its neighboring South-East Asian countries. The West brought to the country vibrant ornamentation that became a part of the décor of Thai architectural magnificence. So, let us take a look at some of the architectural brilliance of Thailand.
Wat RongKhun
The Wat RongKhun is still a work in progress and was funded and designed by ChalermchaiKositpipat, a Thai artist who is involved in a lifetime project to restore the crumbling buildings of 20th century. The white temple reflects the sunlight and creates a sparkling effect because of the use of glasses in the plaster. Wat RongKhun is influenced by Buddhist architecture and the white color of the temple represents the purity of Buddha and the glass symbolizes his teachings or Dhamma. The building’s interior is ornamented with numerous sculptures, both traditional and contemporary, displaying the sheer extravagance and brilliance of the artist.
Wat Samphran Temple
Wat Samphran Temple is located in Amphoe Sam Phran and it is not a popular tourist attraction. But the temple displays an impressive work of humankind, spiraled by a massive dragon across its seventeen storeys. The massive dragon is hollow, enabling visitors to walk through it. Sadly, details of the architecture and its year of construction remain anonymous to this day.
Elephant Tower
In 1997 the Elephant Tower was inaugurated and in 2011 it was ranked 4th by CNN as ‘20th World’s Iconic Skyscrapers’. The architecture of the building is influenced by the national animal of Thailand. This 102-meters tall structure has 32 floors and was designed by a collaboration between Dr. ArunChaisaree and Ong-at Satrabhandhu. While the three towers of the building resemble the shape of the elephant’s body, the right edge displays the tusk and the eyes. The Elephant Tower symbolizes the post-modern architecture and the technological aspect of the millennial era.
The Grand Palace
The Grand Palace is a collection of buildings constructed in 1785 by King PhutthayotfaChulalok, the first king of the Chakri Dynasty.Owing to the periodical reconstruction over the years, the building features architectural styles from different decades. This royal residence in Thailand is a classic example of the dynastic architecture of the country.
King Power MahaNakhon
King Power MahaNakhon was designed by Ole Scheeren in 2016 and the building has a height of 314 meters. MahaNakhon is an extraordinarily designed architectural wonder, giving the appearance of a glass-curtained square wrapped within a spiral of cut cuboids. The building seems to be dissolving downwards towards its base. MahaNakhon translates to ‘Great Metropolis’ in Thai, and the name suits the structure that seems to integrate with the city as though moving between the sky and the ground.
Despite rapid modernization, there is a renewed interest in Thailand to preserve historic architecture incorporating a fascinating mix of the old and new.
