“The hotel’s own history is the backbone of the design language at the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok,” said Jeffrey Wilkes, founder/principal, DESIGNWILKES. “The hotel first opened 143 years ago. On the Chao Praya River with the grand palace upriver, the hotel has long been the center of Thai Society as an aspirational place in Bangkok. The hotel’s legacy has always been the cornerstone of every decision for the project, with an emphasis on its position in the culture, which follows through with the interior design. Fabric selections from Jim Thompson (one of the original hotel owners, not just a Silk baron), seating plans in the lobby respecting long-staying guests and people of importance, cultural influences on color and pattern all combined in an urban resort that respects the past but is indicative of the present as it progresses into the future.”
For the lobby of the hotel, the team preserved several original teak bells, while some were interchanged with Bohemian crystal versions, each displaying 2,460 pieces, intricately constructed by Preciosa of the Czech Republic. Dangling from each bell is a Bodhi leaf design, which also appears within the hand-tufted carpets, representative of the leaves falling to the ground to rest.
The Bodhi leaf pattern seen in the carpets is also carried through to the silk textile mounted on the walls behind the reception desk, which was conceptualized by DESIGNWILKES and executed by artist Mook Vinyaratn.
The corridor artwork was sourced from the archives of the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, consisting of oil paintings, watercolors, tinted lithographs and prints, many that have been in storage for years.
“The design is relevant and sophisticated, yet accessible,” Wilkes said. “In this renovation, we tried to reinforce the story, romance and history of the property. This design choice also contributes to the resort nature of the property. As the hotel is primarily leisure-driven, there was an emphasis on that atmosphere. Elements include the timber teak floor, the addition of balconies and the removal of a traditional desk, which was replaced with a tea height table, serving as a worktop and dining area. Imagery of river life, from fish swimming around a lamp, to lotus leaf-inspired carpets and a collection of boats seen on the Chao Praya River, speak to the hotel’s location.”
The Verandah Restaurant features a 55-ft. mural that spans three walls by Bangkok-based artists Anusak Paowpusri and Manussanun Wongrianthai, who painted in the traditional temple technique (pigment is laid onto plaster work to create an aged, chalky patina surface). The artists spent four months creating this mural with imagery taken from local lore, and indigenous plants and animals are also represented.
For The Oriental Suite, the hand-carved pineapple four-poster bed was retained from its original structure and refreshed with new hand-painted gold leaf.
“True to the brand’s desire to create a sense of place, the Mandarin Oriental legacy was the basis for the hotel,” Wilkes said. “It will always be The Oriental as much as the Mandarin in Hong Kong, but veins run through them both connecting and creating the MO brand. We have continued that philosophy in all the renovations present and past (we also worked on the Mandarin Oriental renovations of the Dubai, Hong Kong and Tokyo properties). Elegance, comfort and a certain reverence permeate throughout. Creating a sense of place is one of the pillars of the brand, and this is very evident in Bangkok with pattern, detail, color and exquisite finishes.”
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