Bangkok is known for its cheap shopping at Platinum mall and Chatchuchak weekend market – however, there is a growing business in luxury retail malls. One such newly opened mall is Siam Discovery, introducing an unprecedented experimental shopping experience with a fresh concept of combining space with experiential design. Branded as an exploratorium, the 40,000 square-meter space that spans eight floors was designed by Japanese firm, nendo, and houses numerous boutiques and exclusive brands.
Its exterior boasts huge glass walls that allow maximum transparency to remove the feeling of constraint. In sunny Bangkok, heat is an issue and hence the designers created a double-layered façade with an innovative pattern that reflects the stacked box installation in the atrium.
Working around the central theme of a ‘lifestyle laboratory’, the architects incorporated different motifs at 13 different locations around retail space, including laboratory equipment like beakers, flasks, test tubes, molecular structures, DNA sequences, smoke, bubbles and more. In order to encourage consumers to discover different tastes, they recategorized products to be grouped by style rather than brand.
With labels such as COMME des GARÇONS, Issey Miyake, Rimowa and more setting up camp at Siam Discovery, you can only expect whats to come. Besides renowned international brands, they also feature more exclusive labels like Loft, which carries Bearbricks and other Japanese goods, as well as Cazh, which stocks Thai streetwear brands and vintage Americana wear.
Besides their impeccably curated fashion section, their commitment to being a lifestyle hub has led them to allocate one whole level to housing the ultimate general goods and homeware galore. You can expect to find quirky items like terrariums, to experimental coffee shops where you can rest your feet after a day of exploring the space.
On top of that, the hub is always filled with activities from installations to galleries and workshops. There are printing areas where people can customize and personalize pieces using textile printers, 3D model printers and embroidery machines. The mall has also introduced Social Discovery which is an installation that allows consumers to share their Instagram accounts on a plasma-filled wall, transporting one’s digital social media life into the physical sphere.
Address
Rama I Rd, Khwaeng Pathum Wan,
Khet Pathum Wan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330
Thailand
Opening Hours
10AM – 10PM daily
Nearest BTS
Siam Station
More information here
