Back in 2016, Japanese studio Nendo has completed the exterior and interior renovation of the 40,000-square-metre department store Siam Discovery in Bangkok.

The studio was tasked with implementing a radical vision for a new retail experience built around curated environments rather than the familiar branded concessions. Instead of categorising products by brand, as is typical in traditional department stores, the different retail points present customers with a range of lifestyle experiences, including a digital lab, street lab, creative lab and play lab. This "lifestyle laboratory" concept provided a theme which Nendo interpreted throughout the 13 spaces. Beakers, flasks, test tubes, diagrams of molecular structures and other laboratory equipment recur throughout the interior as motifs, emphasising that the building is a space for creativity and experimentation.

The existing department store building featured a narrow frontage and deep plan punctuated by several circular atriums. The designers connected these circulation spaces to create a canyon-like room that extends towards the rear and improves the customer flow. One side of the atrium is lined with 202 frame-shaped boxes containing video monitors, digital signage and merchandise displays that can function as a directory of what's going on inside Siam Discovery. The display wall extends over four storeys, drawing visitors towards the upper floors.

Nendo's intervention to the building's exterior focused on enhancing its open and welcoming feel by creating as much space as possible around the glazed curtain walls. A patterned facade treatment was added to protect the interior from the harsh sunlight.

pictures of Siam discovery in bangkok