aw riverlife mag

8/14/2019 AW RiverLife Mag

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THE RESIDENCEThe Desi n C nceptThe Interi rs

The QualityThe Smart LifeEnvir nmentMy River Life

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THE LIFESTYLEThe FacilitiesThe Experiences

The Herita eThe FestivalsMy River Life

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THE ADDRESSThe L cati nThe C nnecti nsThe Views

The TrendThe En ineerSite PlanFl r PlanMap

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Project owner: TAKSIN PROPERTIES CO., LTD., Registered capital Baht 285,000,000 (Paid up capital Baht 285,000,000), Registered address at 22nd Floor Unit 2201-3 The Millennia Tower, 62 Langsuan Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Site location: ontitle deed no.1158, 4528 Lot no.209, 208, Klong Tonsai subdistrict, Klongsan district, Bangkok, Project area: 12 Rai 3 Ngan 41 Sq.Wah, This project has received approval of EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) report from ONEP (Of ce of Natural Resources andEnvironmental Policy and Pl anning) as per letter number Tor Sor 1009/7756 dated 7th S eptember 2006. This project has construction permit as per let ter number 816/2549 dated 2nd October 2006 and at tended letter for construction as per letter number Kor Tor 0907Kor/2485 dated 15th December 2006. Presently mortgaged with The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Bangkok Branch. Construction has begun with construction completion around the 4th quarter of 2011. Juristic person will be registered afterproject completion and common area fee will be paid by customer to the project Juristic per son according to Sales and Purchase agreement and/or regulations of the condominium Juris tic person, contact Tel. no: Bangkok + 66-2651-9600 Fax no: +66-2651-9614

CONTENTSWelc me t The River Life ma azine. This is the first issue f what will bec mea quarterly publicati n dedicated t ivin readers a taste f the lifestyle thatawaits residents f The River, Ban s finest waterfr nt residence.

The Cha Phraya is a ma ni cent waterway, ne f the w rlds nest rivers. Itsa thrivin c mmunity, teemin with life, c l ur, traditi n and adventure. And Im

very pr ud that Raim n Land is creatin what will bec me a new f cal p int andic n f river livin , as well as ne f the m st spectacularly cuttin -ed e andenvir nmentally friendly freeh ld c nd miniums t be f und in S uth East Asia.

In this first issue, theres plenty f readin in st re. Theres all the inf rmati ny u need ab ut the pr ject itself, as well as fascinatin features n dinin ,architecture and hist ry. In ass ciati n with ur friends at Wallpaper ma azine,we als brin y u a stylish ph t essay and fashi n spread, sh t n l cati n at

ur new Sh w Suites at The River Pr menade.

In all f the w rlds reat cities, waterfr nt livin is the ultimate symb l f distincti n and success. I trust y ull enj y readin ab ut everythin The River and the river has t ffer, and I h pe t welc me y u f r a cl ser l at urSh w Suites s n!

Y urs Sincerely

NIgEL J. CoRNICkCEo, Raim n Land


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T H E D E S I g N C o N C E P T


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Hans Bro wer, concept desi ner of The Ri erand former prot of Sir Norman Foster,disc sses his reatest accomplishment andchallen e, and offers a niq e ision of modern waterfront li inQ: Why are rivers so important to theorigins of great cities? a: When y u l at the reat cities f the w r ld, their f rtunesand their hist ries have ften been tied very intimately with therivers that service them. Whether its the Huds n in New Y r , theSeine in Paris r the Thames in L nd n, th se rivers have bec mesyn nym us with their cities vibrancy and life. Ban s hist ry,t , is inextricably lin ed t the Cha Phraya river. Its a w nderfulriver, ver 360 m in len th, and it remains in many ways the pulse

f this reat city and c ntinues t play a ey r le in the life andr wth f Ban .

Q: hoW has the chao phraya shaped yourdesign concept for the river?

a: It was all ab ut the views. T he River is l cated n a bend inthe Cha Phraya, s the views acr ss the river t the city s yline

are very different fr m th se up and d wn the river. Buildinp siti n and rientati n were extensively studied in rder tensure un bstructed views ut fr m every unit and t ma e them st f each particular view plane. As ne es up the buildin ,the views f the river sna in its way up c untry r t wards the

cean bec me m re critical than th se acr ss t the city. S thatchan in nature f h w the views affect each apartment was veryimp rtant in h w the desi n ev lved.

The

Ed eC ttin


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I belie e The Ri er is thefirst of a new eneration of b ildin s that is oin tore italize the Thon B ri sideof the Chao Phraya


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The desi n f the apartments within The River is als based n thebelief that the s phisticated client f t day deser ves a wide ran e

f ch ices when it c mes t ch sin their livin envir nment.Units ran in fr m c mpac t studi s all the way up t lar e duplex units pr vide a pleth ra f livin arran ements based n unitlay ut, r level and the views aff rded. Whether y u ch se tlive near the water r up in the s y, in a c mpact settin r withs arin d uble-hei ht spaces, reetin the sunrise r enj yinthe sunset, The River will have the unit b est suited t y ur m stdemandin needs.

Q: What Was the biggest design challenge?

a: Tall buildin s ften suffer fr m repetitive r plans. Thearchitecture f tall struc tures is t ften reduced t either ver-simplistic sculptural statements r excessive repetiti n f typical

rs. The Rivers careful m dulati n f scale, articulati n anddetailin are re ecti ns f a desi n phil s phy that embracesintelli ent, resp nsive desi n which in turn is re ec ted in b th theinteri r plannin as well as the exter i r appearance f the buildin .

The t wers have been carefully sculpted, brea in d wn themassin int a series f cascadin v lumes f varyin hei hts andarticulati n: the interplay f the restrained ele ance f the curved

lass facades is c ntrasted by the deep articulati n f the strai htelevati ns; b ld wall elements help t delineate the differentf rms, lendin the t wers their ver tical expressi n; the taller t werculminatin in a dramatic, free-standin lass curtain, translucentby day and lit up at ni ht.

Q: hoW have you integrated the river intoits community?

a: We were very c nsci us f wantin t ma e this buildin and itsfacilities a part f its c mmunity. The waterfr nt part is accessibleb th f r residents and ther cit y dwellers, with the pr visi n f restaurants and ret ail at that level. I believe The River is the rst

f a new enerati n f buildin s that is in t revitalize theTh n Buri side f the Cha Phraya. M dern cities are seein thistime and time a ain; the revitalizati n and entr i cati n f theirwaterfr nts, and The River will be d in that by brin in bacvibrancy and activity.

Q: is it rare to find a site like this Whichcombines extraordinary vieWs and peace and Quiet With such easy access to the cbd? a: I was fr an ly quite amazed that a site f this size andnature existed ri ht in the heart f the city. It ffers w nderful

pp rtunities f r urban, inner-city livin , yet it als ffers theraci usness, calmness and luxury f space f bein n the water

at a p int where the river is ver 20 0m wide. Its this idea f beinn the water, yet immediately accessible t the heart f Ban

via ferries, the S ytrain and the Ta sin Brid e, thats a ey featuref The River. It really is quite unique.

Q: at over 250m, the river Will be one ofbangkoks tallest structures. is it a bigresponsibility creating an icon? a: The term ic n is s mewhat verused these days, implyin ther le f architecture is t raise eyebr ws and cr eate an exclamati n

mar n the h riz n. Desi nin The River wasnt ab ut ma inpe ple l , it was ab ut ma in them understand h w it ma es ameanin ful c ntributi n t b th the city s yline and its c mmunity.

The term icon is somewhato er sed these days, implyinthe role of architect re is toraise eyebrows and createan e clamation mar on the

horizonQ: Why did you choose a central coredesign? a: The structural en ineerin f hi h-rise buildin s ften resultsin a dense line f lar e c lumns al n the perimeter, eff ectivelybl c in a hi h percenta e f the views. T he River has beendesi ned with a l n span, at slab structure that sees the primaryl ad-bearin elements pulled bac fr m the faade, minimisin anybl c a es t the exteri r.

The central c re plannin means that all main spaces (studies,bedr ms and livin areas) will enj y the same un bstructed,

prime views. open plannin f the itchen and bathr ms extendsth se views int alm st all areas f the units. T he faade desi nshave f ll wed suit by pr vidin full-hei ht, r-t -ceilin lazin .The result is urban, hi h-rise livin at an unprecedented scale.

Q: What are some of the WoW factorelements? a: The facilities are in t be breathta in , with a waterfr ntin nity p l and a 50m lap p l, a capaci us landscaped p diumspace, all s rts f dinin and retail adventures, and f c urse,the S y gardens a mid-level c mm n space in each t wer thatincludes a p l, tness centre, arden and spa.

But f r residents, the bi est w w fact r will und ubtedly be the

views. When y u step int y ur unit and y u see B an at y urfeet and the river sna in its way t the sunset, thats the stuff thatwill chan e y ur life, every day.

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The Ri ers interiors, crafted by the le endaryFrench team J + H Boiffils and Raimon Land

Desi n Director Andreas Sa ides, complementst nnin iews with timeless style

Spacei

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Duplex


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I DONT BELIEvE IN FASHION, BuTI DO BELIEvE IN STYLE.

Master Bathr m


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WITH THIS vERY SHARP, DISTINCTIvEARCHITECTuRE, THE INTERIORS

SHOuLD RELATE, LIkE CHILDRENIN A FAmILY.

T p view fr m Duplex


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EvERYTHINg BEgINS AND ENDS WITH THE vIEWS. ITS SuCH ABEAuTIFuL RIvER, SuCH A vIBRANT RIvER, SO EvERYTHINg WEHAvE DONE IS WITH THE INTENTION OF mAxImIzINg ANDFEATuRINg THE vIEWS.

All ima es sh t n l cati n at The River Pr menade Sh w Suites.All qu tes fr m Raim n Land Desi n Direct r Andreas Sav vides.


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kitchen - 3 Bedr ms


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The Ri er is not only abo t sweepin iewsand the bi pict re. E ery detail, from thefinest fittin s and fi t res to the ery bestappliances, has been caref lly considered

detailattention to

a mans accomplishmentsin life are the cumulativeeffect of his attention todetail. J hn F ster Dulles

T H E Q U A L I T Y

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one does a Whole painting for one peach and peoplethink just the opposite - that particular peach is but a detail. Pabl Picass

caress the detail, the divinedetail. Vladimir Nab v


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8 : Its time t leave f r w r . With ne t uch f a s witch,security m de is turned n, while everythin else turns ff. Buty u w nt be c min h me t a h t and stuff y c nd . Durin

the day, the air-c nditi nin will perate just en u h t eepthin s c l and dry, pr tectin y ur valuable ar t and cl thesfr m dama in humidity.

7 : Time t et up. The s thin strains f y ur f av uritetune envel p y u, s ftly at r st, then l uder. As y u pen y ureyes, y ur blac - ut curtains are already partin , lettin in them rnin li ht. Y u pad t the bathr m, where the li hts havejust switched themselves n, and the same music reets y u. 7.30 : Y u enter the itchen, where y ur espress isalready perc latin . The r m is nice and c l, as the air-c nditi nin system switched itself n half an h ur a . Y ust p by the livin r m, and turn n t he televisi n. Y u catchup n the headlines n CNN, while in an ther w ind w n thescreen, y u answer s me emails and chec y ur schedule.

The Ri er Lifeis the easy life

when yo ta ead anta e of thec ttin ed e

Siemens SmartLi in technolo y,a ailable in e ery

residence at

The Ri er

s art lifea day in the

T H E S M A R T L I F E



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6 : on the spur f the m ment, y u invite friends r undf r drin s. Bef re y u arrive h me, usin y ur m bileph ne y u turn n the air-c nditi nin as well as m dli htin , music and y ur plasma screen and Playstati n.

9 : Y ur friends leave. Y u watch s me televisi n, thenpen a new wind w n y ur scr een t chec h w busy the

p l and tness centre ar e. Y u decide t head d wn f r alate w r ut and a swim.

10 : Y uve t the munchies. Thr u h the centralserver, y u call up the internet n y ur s creen, rder y urfav urite pizza, then d y ur wee ly r cery sh ppin

nline.

11 : Time f r bed. With the t uch f a switch, curtainscl se, li hts dim and s ft jazz serenades y u t sleep.

2 : The maid is due sh rtly. Y urSmart Livin system will switch ff the di ital l c f r tw h urs s shecan ain entr y with her ey. She w nthave t vacuum, as y ur r b tic unithas already cleaned up y ur brea fastcrumbs.

4 : Y u n w the maids been, asthe central server alerts y u by SMSthat the washer and drier have nishedtheir cycles.



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greenEffect

E N V I R o N M E N T


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Water C led DXAir C nditi ninElemental Dia ram

in these days of globalWarming and soaring energy costs, it makes sense to gogreen

Envir nmentally friendly inn vati ns at TheRiver, includin hi h-perf rmance lassand d uble- lazin as well as w ater-c ledair-c nditi nin , will deliver l wer p werbills f r residents and hi h mar s f r

helpin the envir nment.Acc rdin t c ncept desi ner HansBr uwer: We have ta en the reenaspect very seri usly. The River featuress me inn vati ns which will certainly bea rst f r Thailand. All the units willfeature a hi h-perf rmance aluminiumand lazin system which will besuperi r t anythin used in residentialdevel pments here t date.

The Ri er will be the reenest condomini m inThailand than s to the latesttechnolo y and Raimon Landscommitment to de elopin abetter en ironment

This system will inc rp rate a c mbinati nf hi h-perf rmance lass and d uble-lazed units. This is a si ni cant step

f rward. It increases the thermalperf rmance si ni cantly, reducins lar heat ain and thus savin n air-c nditi nin c sts, as well as reatlyreducin n ise in ress.

An ther b n f r residents is the

intr ducti n f a water-c led air-c nditi nin system. This recentinn vati n in hi h-rise desi n sees thereplacement f the n isy, heat- eneratinair-c led c ndenser units l cated nterraces and balc nies, by a silent unitthat is hidden within a cupb ard spaceinside the apartment, Br uwer explains.Inte rated, cl sed-l p pipin systemsta e the water used t c l the in-unitc ndensers t the t p f the buildin ,where they dischar e the heat int theatm sphere.



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C min fr m Seattle we felt it was imp rtant t be cl se t water, andthe view is s fabul us: we can see the temples and Wat Arun. Its c land very calm here; as y u can see theres l ts f li ht and we l

nt reen space utside.

B th his l ve f reenery and Thailands Buddhist culture have playeda bi part in Phuan malais unique and extra rdinary life. B rn in theeastern Thai t wn f Pratinburi, he rew up in the Thai c untrysideand warmly remembers learnin t swim with his friends in the l calcanal near his m thers h me.

At 12, li e many male children f rural families, he decided t leaveh me t see a better life and train as a Buddhist m n ; eventuallyhe w uld be enr lled at a presti i us temple sch l in Thailandsn rth n the Pin River, where n vices underta e special educati n teventually serve as m n s at the r yal palace.

His mem ries f m nastic life are far fr m placid r uneventful. As an vice m n his early teena e years were spent travellin ar und thec untry, sleepin r u h in temple cemeteries. Camaraderie was cl seand he vividly remembers daily swimmin sessi ns with fell w m n sin the rivers near his temple.

I l ve bein cl se t the water. Bac then, we were just li e all thether y un teena e b ys; we w uld have fun jumpin int the water

and havin races acr ss the river. I thin it is very Thai. Even when Iwas y un er, we w uld strip ff and jump na ed int the canal nearmy h me!

But after 12 years studyin in the temple, family duty called. PraditPhuan malai left the m n h d t return t help his m ther in hish me pr vince. Bein a m n was a reat pp rtunity and I learneda l t and impr ved myself but my mum is the m st imp rtant pers nt me.

After a few years, he f und himself drawn t the city and there he methis current American partner, wh was instrumental in enc ura inhim t nd a subject that he c uld enj y. Fl ral arran in startedas a h bby but it s rt f became my life. After attendin c ursesin Ban , L nd n and Seattle, Pradit s n disc vered he had aunique talent.

Inspired by the success f h me r wn Thai ral desi ner Sa ulInta ul, the y un Thai s n excelled. Bef re l n he was creatin his

wn c ntemp rary wer arran ements that did n t always f ll wthe precisi n r structure f the m re classical, stiff and symmetricalm dels. I rew up with rchids, they are special, but then, I didntappreciate them. He became intri ued with f rei n species,especially wild wers f r m c ler climes. T day, am n his fav uritesare the sculptural white kalla lilies, bushy blue hydran eas, and thedelicate perennial, c sm s. Equally imp rtant is the ch ice f vase; he

ften uses hu e lass cylinder jars as an inte ral part f the display.

one f his fav urite places n the Cha Phraya is the vast erupti n f

c l ur and scent that is the Pa kl n Talat wer mar ets. I ftencatch a ferry there, I l ve t just wander ar und and et inspired.

Re ects Pradit: I am luc y I have travelled t s many places,Ive learned a l t. But ne thin that never chan es is my l ve f c mmunity; that is s methin thats still very imp rtant t me. Im abit ld fashi ned in that way!

He stares ut the wind ws t wards the river bel w. Theres s muchc mmunity d wn there t , y u n w. If y u travel up this river y usee pe ple shin , washin cl thes, pe ple in small b ats sellin f dand little b ys jumpin in the river! He st ps and smiles, just li e Idid nce.

Pradit p ints t the river and t the uninterrupted h riz n where thesun has just ali hted n a white temple spire, and says: Views li ethis, they inspire me when I am desi nin . Livin here pens my mind,it really relaxes me.

My River Lifcharlotte shalgosky meets pradit phuangmalai, a florist extraordinaireWho finds both peace and inspiration on theWaterfrontThai-b rn Pradit Phuan malais namereveals m re ab ut the 35-year ld than

m st. one f Thailands up and c min raldesi ners, he has lived and trained all verthe w rld.

Phuan malai means arland in Thai;traditi nally Thais thread fra rant budsint small wreaths that are reverentiallyplaced n Buddha statues r small altarsin temples r at h me. The name is asunusual as it is ttin .

Relaxin in his airy apartment n the ban sf the Cha Phraya, the dapper Pradit is

every inch the y un Thai success st ry.After a busy wee w r in ut f a smart

wer sh p in Ban s litzy SiamPara n mall, he clic s pen his tabletc mputer and chats t friends acr ss thew rld ver the internet.

Th u h he has just spent tw years livinin a beautiful la efr nt h me in Seattle, thepull f Thailand and Ban s listeninriver br u ht him and his partner bac tTh nburi. He appears happy t be h me.



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S y gardenHi hl

The st nnin S y gardensoffer oases far abo e themaddin crowd

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from the spectacular sky gardens to theexpansive riverfront podium, residents ofthe river Will find facilities that surpasstheir expectations at every pointWhen it c mes t s phisticated c ntemp rar y c nd minium livin ,there are certain thin s that are simply expected. A well-equipped

tness centre. A swimmin p l. Plenty f par in . Well-desi nedc mm n areas.

At The River, merely meetin expec tati ns is n t en u h. Thepr jects facilities have been desi ned t exceed what y u mi htexpect, at every turn.

The stunnin S y gardens ffer ases far ab ve the maddincr wd; places t et away and t drin in views that are the envy f the rest f the city. Up here, y ull truly feel n t p f the w r ld.

Adjacent t the S y gardens are the pr jects state- f-the-arttness centres. Y ull nd an ther wh le dimensi n t eepin in

shape when every w r ut rewards y u with breathta in views,and f c urse the very latest e quipment and techn l y.

one f the hi hli hts f The River isthe awe-inspirin riverfr nt p dium, anexpansive space stretchin ver m re than120m f abs lute river fr nta e. Experiencea true sense f c mmunity here, with adiverse array f dinin and entertainmentch ices n y ur d rstep, beautifullandscapin and architectural features.

Enj yin pride f place n the p dium isa spectacular in nity p l, where y u candrin in Ban in all its litterin l ryby ni ht, r simply w r n y ur tan by day.And f r seri us swimmers, the 50m lapp l will be reatly appreciated.

Residents will als enj y specially z nedl w- and hi h-rise lift ban s t pr videquic and ef cient vertical distributi nthr u h ut.

Riverfr nt P dium

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bangkok night falls like black velvet,silently, surreptitiously. it begins as thelong river, speckled With bronze, turns toindigo; the arched brid es l w ld. This her alds n t the end

f the day f r this city, but its reinc arnati n, the be innin f itssec nd life.

When the iant tan erine sun slips behind Wat Arunthe western s ies ver Th nburi i nite in a ery carmine blaze,li e spar t tinder.

Spectacular sunsets here are alm st a daily r utine; but thisr seate verture als heralds the citys start f hi h-adrenalineacti n. While the temple n s call the pi us t sleep, the sunset isf r ni ht wls, a rallyin cry.

The evenin li ht sh ws be in: rst c me the t win le f thefairyli hts drippin fr m The oriental H tels iant trees, then thestrea in ne ns f the ferries and river cruisers, f ll wed by the

white l w f the sp tli hts n the wat s. A nal splash f ldilluminates the cup la f The D me, then ar und the daz zlin

aleid sc pic pan rama, Ban ni ht nally falls.

goinwith the flowCharlotte Shal os y e plores theri ers litterin second life

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At The Peninsula, Thip Thar as amint rches have been lit t welc me the dinerswh meander int this upscale utd rrestaurant in search f its h me-styleThai delicacies. Built n a w den decd tted with l tus p nds and ancient trees,each table sits under in its wn privatepavili n near the lappin waters f theriver. It is undeniably rustic; seductive,yet smart. The small b ats putter past and

the vermili n petals f the ame trees falls undlessly t f rm an un- rchestratedcarpet thr u h the secluded eatery.

T the east, tipplers n the quiet decf Arun Residence nish their wine as

they marvel at the watery pin palettethat washes ver Wat Arun, the citysm st fam us spire that dates bacalm st 250 years.

A b at ride away the icy b lue li hts nthe Millennium Hilt n Ban sear theni ht with the l w f a ma nesium t rch.At its summit, the l un e lizards at ThreeSixty

sip their chilled beers and l d wn nthe writhin river, while the bars jazzrhythms mer e with the bri ht li hts bel w.

D wnstairs, in Zeta bar, sister t thep pular L nd n haunt, Ban s m stbeautiful pe ple are preparin f r a ni ht

f sizzlin s unds amid its c l desi nerdc r. By c ntrast, the drama f cut tin -ed e c ntemp rary chic is s ftened atFl w, the h tels airy, all-day diner setbeside the river. It lives up t its name witha mell w, spaced- ut feel, s ft li htb x seats, spectacular waterside views.

Twin lin just a few metres away nTh nburi side is the newly-refurbishedSala Rim Nam. As part f the 130-year- ld

oriental H tel, this Thai-styled hall all ws diners t fea st n anendless, multi-c urse Thai supper while bein be uiled by therhythmic race f classical Thai dancers wh perf rm each ni ht.

Music f a very different nature lls the s ies at The D me.Silh uetted a ainst the ni ht s y, the s arin n tes f a jaz zv calist cut thr u h the stars at Sir cc .

Perched li e an eyrie n the cusp f the buildin , the adj inincircular S y Bar, Ban s hippes t pen air, alc h lic pit-st p

l ws in s ft pulsin hues f r m red t ran e t emerald, whilear und its rainb w c unter cluster the y un , the well-heeled,the savvy in-cr wd, sav urin n t just the champa ne, but theilluminated cityscape that stretches f r miles.

It is fr m here that the cit ys many rew r displays are m stbreathta in ; n Thai h lidays and at New Year, the s ies

ver the city expl de in b uquet s f c l ur ver the few milesfr m Ta sin Brid e t the Palaces; this is the Ban ni htat its m st awes me.

ThreeSixty - Millennium Hilt n Ban



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Viewed fr m Le N rmandie, the a ship French restaurant f The oriental, the Cha Phraya River cann t c mpete with thepyr technics but all the same, exudes the same twin lin charmthat inspired many f its celebrated uests. kin s and princesses,c untesses and l rds, have all azed at ne time r an ther ntth se same waters teemin with life.

In the last tw years, Ban s reputati n as a culinary ma nethas br u ht it t p billin as ne f the w rlds h ttest places tdine. As the city sees a new b m in entertainment and t p end

retail c mplexes, it has welc med t , a bev y f new, super-c leatin places.

Seaf d restaurants li e Pier 59 and Breeze, each l cated in s yhi h structures, are h ldin every ne in their astr n mic rip f rtheir raptur us av urs and unst ppable style.

Pier 59 at the Banyan Tree ffers l wlit dc r, drenched in lumin usblue li ht emanatin fr m its aquar iums and c lumns. It has w wedmany f dies and sc red t p mar s in the revered Thailand Tatlersdinin list with its delici us duets such as raw Ahi tuna, servedsimultane usly with crispy l bster w nt n, as c mplimentarypalette teasers; r butter-sm th blac c d c unterin r semary-r asted prawn; miniature desserts f ll w suit, each meltin li htly

n the t n ue.

Fresh seaf d is als t p f the menu at Bree ze, an utd r eateryat Lebua, a new cut tin -ed e h tel within State T wer, h me tThe D me. Featured n the 20 07 C nd Nast Traveler ma azines

T p Tables, this ne n- lled, c sm s-hu in c rner is entered bya lumin us S y Brid e; the emphasis here is n pan-Asian fav urs,dainty dim sum, r succulent barbecued dishes, served up withc mmandin views acr ss the city and the Cha Phraya River.

Brin in thin s d wn t a m re leisurely pace The B anMarri tt Riverside Res rt and Spa cl se t Ta sin Brid e is a vast,sprawlin asis. Set amidst turqu ise p ls and tall palm treesThe River Terrace ffers a lazy, tr pical atm sphere in whichdiners can unwind ver endless c h ices f Thai cuisine.

The h tels ren vated rice bar e, The Man hra, is ne f a number f vessels, lar e and small, that quietly plies upand d wn the river at sunset while its passen ers samplea Thai set supper.

Fr m 5.30pm the river starts t ll with such pleasure cruises,live bands tune up and seaf d buffets are laid ut in theirculinary splend ur. F r a bi ni ht ut, revellers head f r theH riz n, a super-cruiser, bel n in t the Shan ri-la H tel. This

iant, ne n-laced, riverine behem th pr vides a heady ni ht f dancin and dinin while it f r es thr u h the Ban ni ht,ta in in n cturnal view s f the shimmerin temples that ad rnthe River f kin s.

N ne wh has sampled the C ha Phraya River at ni ht is immune

fr m the spell it casts. With an upsur e in venues clustered al nits ban s, the river is als playin its part in the citys accessi n tthe new w rld sta e.

No one who has sampledthe Chao Phraya Ri er

at ni ht is imm ne fromthe spell it casts

Zeta Bar - Millennium Hilt n Ban

Man hra Cruises - The Marri tt Res rt and Spa


Mezzaluna - The D me, State T wer

34 T H E L I F E S T Y L E


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Introd cin

The Ri er Life Card...a passport to p re pri ile e onthe waterfront

The Ri er is Ban o s finest waterfront residence.And its residents deser e nothin b t the f inestpri ile es. The Ri er Life Card is an e cl si e ey thatwill nloc all the secrets and pleas res of life onthe Ri er of kin s.

The River Life Card will entitle Cardmembers t a h st f privile es anddisc unts at Shan ri-La, and Marri tt Res rt & Spa, plus excepti naldisc unts fr m a selecti n f leadin lifestyle brands in ass ciati nwith M byElite.

Cardmembers can sav ur culinary adventures at s me f Ban sren wned restaurants, disc ver s phisticated ni htlife andand pamper themselves with sh ppin and leisure privile es.

Raim n Land CEo Mr Ni el C rnic said he was deli hted t ann uncethe launch f the The River Life Card, and said residents c uld trulyl f rward t ettin the m st ut f life in Ban s five starnei hb urh d.

The River is a unique pr ject in that it sits ri ht in the heart f finest five star h tels, and enj ys excellent access t ther ren wnedrestaurants and bars al n the Cha Phraya.

The River Life Card will all w h lders t ma e the m st f the riverlifestyle. There are substantial disc unts at s me f the finestin t wn. H lders will als et pri rity privile es t exclusive upc minevents at The River.

Pr spective buyers invited t bec me Cardmembers w uld als benefit

thr u h bein able t et a true taste f life n the river f r themselves.The launch f the card is further c nfirmati n that the ultimatelifestyle really is The River Life, Mr C rnic said.

P l at Ni ht - Peninsula H tel




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watermar inT soot ng soun s of a r r lapp ng g ntly aga nst a p r, t ramaof a s br a ng on ts or at r pro st p rf ct bac groun toa gastronom c a ntur .Ga n Nazar t s r s up acoo s tour of t orl sf n st at rfront n ng

xp r nc s

Laprous , Par s51 quai des grands-Au ustins, 6thArr ndissement Tel: +33 (0) 1 43 26 68 04

If the walls in this pulent 19th centur yrestaurant replete with furnishin s fr mthe 1850s c uld tell tales, it w uld be

f hist rical c n re ati ns and tales f secret assi nati ns. In the past Lapr usef und fav ur as a rendezv us f r Frenchp liticians and their mistresses, n acc unt

f the tiny private dinin r ms upstairswhich used t l c fr m inside and wereequipped with c uches. T day classicFrench is still cuisine du j ur just as w henPr ust, Vict r Hu , and Emile Z la werepatr ns, while seductive views f the Seineentice diners t lin er

T R r Caf, N Yor 1 Water Street, Br lyn Tel: +1 (0) 718 522 5200

Few dinin utlets ffer a t tal evenin f r mance li e The River Caf n Br lyns waterfr ntwhere the amazin f d is surpa ssed nly by the stunnin views. opene d in May 1977, The River Cafhas arnered numer us awards includin ne by the French culinar y uide gault Millau. Special

ccasi n? Reserve the Terrace R m, with its spectacular views verl in the New Y r Harb urand the Manhattan s yline. Seaf d is their specialty and they d nt disapp int. Finish ff with

an ther f their specialties, the Ch c late Marquis Br lyn Brid e dessert, an amazin c nfecti nin the f rm f a ch c late brid e.

La R , Amst r amAmstel Inter-C ntinental Amsterdam H tel, off Weesperstraat, Amsterdam EastTel: +31 (0) 20 520 3264

M dern re i nal French with a dash f Mediterr anean and inc mparable vistas f the Ams tel riverblend t ether at La Rive f r a hard-t -beat dinin exper ience. French wind ws pen nt aterrace at this classic, ele ant Michelin-starred restaurant, while inside panelled walls and tallb cases ive an intimate feel. But what eeps diner s returnin is the haute cuisine that is a stri inmarria e between f d and wine, a menu that chan es seas nally and an impressive w ine list.

Tax , M lbournTransp rt H tel, Federati n Square Tel: +61 (0) 3 9654 8808

Taxi, Melb urne

If there is ne restaurant y u sh uldntmiss when in Melb urne, Australia, ithas t be the Taxi Dinin R m at pthe Federati n Square Bar Transp rt. Ina dramatic space encl sed by s arinwalls f l uvred lass that verlthe mi hty Yarra, chefs Michael Lambieand I uei Ara ane serve up Japanese-inspired m d-oz dishes and anextensive wine list. Pushin culinaryb undaries, the tw chefs plate f dthat is simple in c ncept yet seducesdiners with a c mplexity f flav urs.




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Ubon, Lon on34 Westferry Circus, Canary Wharf Tel: +44 (0) 20 7719 7800

If the name d esnt rin a bell, it s because it is N bu, as in thew rld-fam us Japanese t que N buyu i Matsuhisa, spelledbac wards. only ne f his 18 str n N bu empire, Ub n dishes utdelicacies r ted in Japanese tr aditi ns but with a t uch f LatinAmerica. L cated in a small buildin n Canary Wharf, this uber-

c l eatery n t nly ffers patr ns a chance t sample thele endary chef s blac c d with mis r the bent b x f m ltench c late with reen tea ice cream, but als aff rds spectacularviews ver the Thames fr m fl r-t -ceilin lass n three sides.

Boul ar , San Franc sco1 Missi n St., The Embarcader Tel: +1 (0) 415 543 6084

With stunnin views f the Bay Br id e, B ulevard, h used in thehist ric 1889 Audiffried Buildin , is l cated in the heart f SanFrancisc s waterfr nt area. Created by desi ner Pat kulet , theele ant, yet warm and welc min interi r f B ulevard is a superbsettin f r chef Nancy oa es hearty cuisine: American re i nalflav urs with French influences. oa es trainin under girardB yer, Taillevent, guy Sav y and J el R buch n is ref lected in hercreati ns. Critics hail it as ne f the best restaurants in SanFrancisc because f its rand feel, ener us p rti ns and artfulpresentati n.

Aub rg u L on Or, G n aPlace Pierre-gautier, C l ny Tel: +41 (0) 22 736 44 32

L cated in the C l ny district, the Michelin-starred fish restaurantAuber e du Li n dor (g lden Li n) ffers pan ramic views f thecity and La e geneva. Set in a rest red 18th century villa, itssuperlative f d and stun nin views ma e L Auber e du Li n dora must f r th se with penchant f r French fare with Asian rMediterranean vert nes. The tw chefs, Frenchman gilles Dup ntand Irishman Th mas Byrne c nc ct such delicacies as lan ustinewith lem n rass and vinai rette, all enhanced by an excellent list

f fine wines.

t c - t b , s3 Zh n Shan D n Yi R ad Tel: +86 (0) 21 6323 0608

Three n the Bund ( n the Huan pu River) is def initely Shan hais m st tal edab ut lifestyle destinati n. But the jew el in its cr wn is the hidden d med dininr m ri ht at the t p: Cup la. An eye- catchin space s private that it can nlyacc mm date tw diners and a butler (wh n c s bef re enterin ). Reservin theCup la all ws y u t ch se fr m the menus f the w rld-fam us Jean ge r es(French), the cuttin ed e New W rld cuisine f David Laris , r the Whamp a Club,where Master Chef Jereme Leun presents traditi nal Shan hainese flav urswith a m dern f lair. But that is nly if y u can ta e pull y ur aze away f r m thetantalisin limpses f Shan hais mind-b lin urban landscape.

Ub n, L nd n

Cup la, Shan hai



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ThAiLANdS MiGhTY ChAO PhRAYA iS NOT SOMUCh A RiveR BUT A SwiRLiNG, PULSATiNG veiNThAT wiNdS ALMOST 400 kiLOMeTReS FROM TheCeNTRAL PLAiNS AT NAkhORN SAwAN, ACROSS A

vAST BASiN, BeFORe deLiveRiNG iTSeLF PLACidLY iNTO The SiLveRY GULF OF ThAiLANdkn wn n ld maps as the Mae Nam, meanin M ther f Waters,it is suf xed by a feudal title, Cha Phraya, meanin general.T day it is ften referred t as the Ri ver f kin s, and has alw aysplayed an hist ric r le in the m narchys vivid r ituals and pa eants,past and present.

It is seen by many as the lifebl d f the Thais. Upstream, itirri ates the nati ns rice paddies and, until nly a f ew decadesa , th u h it is hard t ima ine n wadays, its waters f ed n t justBan s many rice elds, but its fertile western suburb, Th nburi,fam us f r its herb ardens and fruit rchards.

Fleein the Burmese armies which had ransac ed the f rmerp werbase f Ayutthaya upstream, Th nburi had been the ch ice

f Thailands d med kin Ta sin f r a new palace in the 1860s.

The bustlin area, n wn then as Th nburi Si Mahasamut, hadbeen established by wealthy Thai traders as early as the mid-1500s due t its strate ic l cati n a sh rt verni ht b at rided wnstream fr m the c urt at Ayutthaya, yet n t t far fr m them uth f the cean.

on the rem val f kin Ta sin fr m p wer in 1782, the f underf t days Cha ri Dynasty, general Phaya Cha ri r Rama I,

shifted the seat f p wer t a small bac water villa e called BanMa , meanin olive Plum River ban . Thus Thailands capital,Ban , was b rn.

history tour magical

T H E H E R I T A g E



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The ban s f the Cha Phraya fr m Ta sin Brid e t Mem rialBrid e are n w h me f the citys smartest riverside h tels, randdipl matic residences and hist ric churches. Small restaurants and

uesth uses cluster ar und the many piers and new h tels havepurp sely perched clubs, bars and upscale restaurants n theirhi hest rs in rder t enj y the river s spar in views.

While Ban s main d wnt wn area has devel ped r apidly intteemin t wers f c ncrete, there are still p c ets f unsp ilt

riverside canal-side c mmunities, burstin with reenery, f und inthe Th nburi District, t the west.

Many hist rians p int ut that its timeless charm is due t thefact that it has but tw brid es - the rest f the traf c traverses itswaters by its many cr ss-river ferries as they have f r centuries.

H wever, the citys S ytrain will, in a matter f m nths, lin thisdeli htfully unsp ilt area t the city centre and in turn, ma ethis hist ric c mmunity ne f the capitals m st s u ht verresidential suburbs; minutes fr m the citys malls, yet bene tinfr m tranquil and friendly surr unds, small par s, riverside cafs,w rld-class spas and the citys m st well-l ved arts theatre,Patravadi Theatre.

iN The 220 YeARS SiNCe The ROYAL CAPiTALOF BANGkOk wAS eSTABLiShed, kiNGS, ARMieS

ANd TRAdeSMeN hAve ALL, AT SOMe POiNT,TRAveLLed ALONG iTS SiNUOUS PATh, wheTheRiT wAS BY SiMPLe wOOdeN SAMPAN, ROwBOAT, PORTLY STeAMeR OR iN A GiLded ROYALBARGe POweRed BY FiFTY ChANTiNG OARSMeNiN BROCAde LONGCOATS ANd ORNATe hATS.

The river and its netw r f canals f rmed the th r u hfares,the bac b ne f the city; f r ver a century m st structureswere waterb rne, nly the palace buildin s were built n land.Thailands citizens lived and died n the water.

Ernest Y un , an En lishman in the ser vice f the SiameseEducati n Departm ent, published The kin d m f the Yell w R bein 1898, in which he vividly depicted life n the busy river. Thewater is the true h me f the Siamese , and it is n this, their nativeelement, that their real character and enius are best exhibited

Mem rial Brid e

R sary ChurchThe b at, n t the h rse; the paddle, n tthe whip are the pr perty f the nati n atlar e...

Writin in the 21st century, British writerD n R ss ma es similar claims that it wasthe Cha Phraya that c uld m uld andcraft the lifestyle f Thais, m re than any

ther stretch f water.

N wadays, th u h Ban s f ces ll theve square miles ar und Sil m and Wittayu

r ads, as any Thai and he will af rm thatBan s real life: c mmerce and ritualshave always centred ar und the r iver.

Indeed the arrival f Ban s r adsystems - which in time, w uld r aduallyreplace the canals - came nly in 1861after the f rei n c mmunity, m reat h me n terra frma , issued a pleat kin Rama IV t build r ads s thatthey mi ht enj y terrestrial pleasures,such as huntin and ridin .

New R ad r Thanon Charoen Krung , was,as its name implies, the rst r ad t bebuilt. It was a ten il metre -l n avenueextendin s uth fr m Wat Ph , thr u h themercantile districts, ri ht d wn past them dern day d c yards. It t f ur yearst nish, its c bblest nes, quite literally,laid the f undati ns f r the arr ival f, n tjust ric shaws and carria es, but later, theaut m bile, tram and mnibus.

Early en ravin s sh w tall-masted sailinships, steam b ats and c vered cruisers,all m red al n side myriad atin rasshuts; later ph t raphs illustrate thec nstructi n f ele ant bric buildin s,which didnt start until well int the 1820s,

and, in the be innin , required r yalpermissi n pri r t c nstructi n.

Missi naries, writers and dipl mats wereall struc by the citys wealth and tall,

litterin m numents, which st d utacr ss the at dplain. It was, in sum,an aquatic capital, nurturin a water-baseds ciety few travellers c uld ima ine.

Ban has been aptly styled the Venicef the East f r its th r u hfares and

hi hways are simply intersectin canalsand branches f the river; the maj rity f the h uses are either atin , built up nrafts r up n piles n the sides f thesewaterways wr te Fran Vincent in the19th century. In 1870 an En lish verness,Anna Le n wens, describes her arrival inBan t w r in the Thai r yal c ur t:




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A triple r w f atin h uses extendsf r miles al n the ban s f the ri ver. Theseare w den structures tastefully desi nedand painted, raised n rafts f bamb made fast t reat piles, planted in the bed

f the stream.

Few writers c uld c ntain their amazementn seein this mass f aquatic humanity.

The seafarer and n velist, best n wn byhis penname J seph C nrad, arrivin inBan in 1888, describes the atin cityin his b The Shad w-Line:

There it was, spread n b th ban s an expanse f br wn h uses f bamb , f mats, f leaves, f a ve etable-matter style

f architecture, sprun ut f the br wn s ilf the ban s f the muddy r iver ... in th se

miles f human habitati ns, there was n tpr bably half a d zen p unds f nails.

Le n wens t , c uld n t i n re the Thaipe ples af nity f r the water: Naturally,

b ats and can es are indispensableappenda es t such h uses, the n bilityp ssess a eet f them, and t ever ylittle waterc tta e a can e is tethered,f r errands and visits Pr cessi ns f b ats pass t and fr m the palace, andeverywhere bustlin traders ply their ...little craft ... in a Babel f cries.

Ban o has beenaptly styled thevenice of the East

Wat Ph

Chinese Pa da Cheechin h r



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While r ads and hi hways have ta en the terrestrial traffic fr mthe waters, the river ar und Th nburi still maintains its a e- ldtraditi ns, and it is here that the visit r sees a f r tten way f life

Just after dawn, small can es drift d wnstream past the Chinesepa da and ld -d wns (wharfside han ars) brin in the last f the ld n dle sellers, wh se p t-b ilers steam and b il as theypaddle up t the piers, h n in n a la x n t et pe plesattenti n. It is n w that the saffr n-r bed m n s leave the wats t

receive alms.

By nine cl c , the fast yell w speedb ats dash d wn the chrewaters t wards the hu e Mahachai wh lesale fish mar et wheremuch f the citys indeed hinterlands fresh fish and seaf darrives at dawn.

Later it is the turn f the pencil-li e thin l n tails and fat teabar es, slu ish tu s, stylish h tel cruisers and dartin riverferries t cut their r ipplin wa es thr u h the heavin waves.

on festival days, such as L y krath n in N vember r the kin sbirthday in early December, firew r s li ht up the s ies ver theriver and palace; fam us h tels li e The oriental, Shan ri-la andThe Peninsula put n lavish pyr technical sh ws.

on very rare ccasi ns, such as the kin s 80th birthday inDecember 2007, the public will be treated t a priceless spectaclethat ev es centuries f p mp and cerem ny.

This is when these l n , ilded cr aft c me ut f the R yal Bar eMuseum and ta e part in a hu e c l urful pa eant that carries the

in d wn the river.

At their helms are the r yal arsmen resplenden t in sumptu usc stumes; the b w f each vessel is carved with le endary animals,with the fi urehead f the in s wn bar e a le endar y, l n -nec ed swan.

old en ravin s sh w these randi se vessels lidin up the Riverf kin s in mile af ter mile f stately pr cessi ns; the nati ns

pe ple are sh wn neelin al n the ban s in silent h ma e.

H ma e f r their bel ved m narch, wh m is re arded as the Fatherf the nati n; and perhaps in h ma e t , f r the reat Cha

Phraya; the river f life; the M ther f Waters .

ThOUGh The FLOATiNGCOMMUNiTieS OF LeONOweNS

ANd CONRAd ARe FAST FAdiNG, A Few OF The heRiTAGeBUiLdiNGS TheY wOULd hAveSeeN STANdiNG ALONG TheRiveR STiLL ReMAiN, PeekiNGFROM BeNeATh The GLASS ANdSTeeL OF TOdAYS CiTY.T the west f Mem rial Brid e liesthe cup la f the Santa Cruz church,testament t the interacti n f A siasearliest P rtu uese traders and Eur peanmissi naries, wh , inte ratin with theS uthern Chinese immi rants, built many

f the citys hu e, w den villas andchurches and established the wealthy Sin -

P rtu uese c mmunities.

The crumblin , p rtic -cr wned Cust msH use, which is rum ured t s n bec mean ther luxury h tel, is currently h me

f the Cha Phrayas eet f re b ats;its (n w barely visible) li n and unic rninsi nia f the British, stands re ally verits ele ant ld cl c .

only a few metres upstream, the l ri uslyrevived primr se faade f the 100 year-

ld Siam C mmercial Ban , desi ned byMilanese en ineer Carl Alle ri, epit misesthe ele ance f riverside Ban under

kin Rama IV.Built durin 1908-1912 f r the princely sum

f 300, 000 Baht, its basement vaults, builtwell bel w water level, (and still used th ld the ban s cash), have fam usly neverlea ed - despite the seas nal hi h tides!on a rare t ur, the ban s hist rian explainsh w even at the turn f the last century,the river was the place t be. C led bythe daily breeze, it was the healthy andpractical ch ice f the citys traders aswell as its wealthy families. When in 1908the ban s l cati n was ch sen, it was f c urse - built facin the water.

At its hei ht, in monsoonseason, its swollentan-colo red waters riseto the tops of the oldtea piers

Many f the beautiful century- ld buildin sne can see t day f ll wed this pattern;

riverfr nt land was c stly, underlininthe status and exclusivity enj yed byThailands riverside residents.

Near the palace, Prince Cha rab nsesdeli htful belle poque h me is a reatexample f ld Ban s hist ric charm.T ether with r e us c l nial buildin ssuch as the French and P rtu ueseAmbassad rs residences, the Cust ms H useand the rnate H ly R sary Church, were allbuilt within metres f the lappin river.

They als all have their wn piers, areminder that when they were f unded,

their appr ach was s lely f r m the water.Happily, time cann t chan e the riversseas nal character, as it winds the 33 m

r s thr u h t days central Ban , itspers nality and appearance c nstantlychan e acc rdin t the time f year.

At its hei ht, in m ns n seas n, itssw llen tan-c l ured waters rise t thet ps f the ld tea piers, churnin li e astr n latte; in winter its pace is sl venlyand mercurial, its pewter rey surfaceappearin at times as still and a s sm th asa tin tray.

Siam C mmercial Ban




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T H E F E S T I V A L S

The Chao Phraya and its en irons play host

to some of Thailands most important andcolo rf l festi als

splendour refected


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LiFe AT The RiveR MeANS FRONT-ROw SeATSTO SOMe OF The kiNGdOMS MOST COLOURFUL

ANd SPeCTACULAR FeSTivALS, FROM The GeNTLeRAdiANCe OF LOY kRATONG TO The POMP ANdMAjeSTY OF The ROYAL BARGe PROCeSSiONThe Cha Phraya and it s envir ns play h st t s me f Thailandsm st imp rtant and c l urful festivals, and residents f The Riverwill have the best seats n the h u se

The spectacle be ins with the New Years Eve rew r s, when theentire river is lit up in a bla ze f li ht and s und. S n ran, thetraditi nal Thai New Year, is celebrated in early t mid-April , andthe river and its many temples bec me a f cal p int f celebrati ns,which include the splashin f water t cleanse the spirit.

In early June, the R yal Bar e pr cessi n sees the kin s ele antand raceful bar es ta e t the river, bathin the water in their

lden l w, pr pelled by arsmen dressed in the nest re alia.

And in late N vember, the m st beautiful celebr ati n f all ta esplace as th usands f w rshippers c t the river f r L ykrat n , see in t ma e merit by atin l tus-shaped vesselsbearin candles n the water, and wishin f r d f r tune,l n evity and r mance.



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My River LifThe centre, which runs just metres fr mthe Cha Phraya River, was c nverted fr ma hi h sch l by Thailands veteran star

f screen and sta e, Patravadi Mejudh n,an ele ant, silver-haired w man wh rststarted perf rmin Thai classical dance atthe a e f six.

T day, her ep nym us theatre c mprises f a lar e, tented audit rium, a inder arten,art allery, and a charmin al fresc caf,

pp site which, a sunlit r m displaystraditi nal h n mas s.

Acr ss fr m the c mplex is Studi 9, adinner-dance c ncept that is part f hercentre; it sh wcases emer in s ills andall ws trainee dancers t perf rm in public,thus ainin c n dence while they canearn a small fee. Li e anywhere, in the arts,sustainability is essential.

This quarter f Th nburi district, cl set the immense Wat Ra han , has a laidbac , arty feel; there is street art n thewalls f the s i which is h me t a smar tb utique h tel, Ibri , and a c ntemp rarycrafts b utique next t the riverside caf; itc uld just as well be New Y r s greenwichVilla e, Paris Latin Quarter r L nd nsemban ment, yet it is nly a 10 minute b atride t Ta sin Brid e.

Just next d r, n the waters ed e, is theele ant h me where Madame Mejudh n- best n wn t Thais as khun Patravadi- was b rn int a well- ff family wh had

nce served in Ban s rst r yal palace,the r unds f which had been l c ated inthis bustlin part f t days Ban .

Patravadi admits her envir nment is veryimp rtant t her and n tes h w T h nburisriverside c mmunity has always held reatinspirati n f r her artistically.

As a y un child, she saw many differentstyles f perf rmances at the nearbytemple. There were always a l t f cultur alactivities in n in Th nburi; we watchedall inds f thin s: Thai classical dance,li ay, Chinese pera, f l music, in factli ay was my bi in uence.

Li ay is a mixture f dance, classical s nand acr batics, n t unli e a Br adwaymusical, full f dazzlin c stumes anddrama. Th u h n t trained in the art f rm,khun Patravadi has in fact perf rmed itherself t reat acclaim.

Li ay is very dif cult, the sin in is veryp werful, and its really fun and its veryThai. Sadly, few li ay masters are left.

a soft afternoon breeze is lifting the paper lanternsthat hang in the tree above the courtyard in thonburispatravadi theatre, bangkoks best knoWn centre ofperforming arts.



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Hist rically, Th nburis emer ence as a cultural hub w as dueprimarily t kin Ta sin, wh m ved the r yal palace fr m thedecimated Ayutthaya t Ban in the late 1770s . It was here thatThai r yal c urt culture was rst established n the western ban s

f the river, and even t day, Thais still rec nise the richness f traditi n f und n the Th nbur i side f the city.

This area was the be innin f Ban ! says Madame Mejudh nvi r usly, whirlin as her slender n ers in the air. All this (area)

was part f the R yal palace s Th nburi became very fam usf r all inds f thin s; Thai classical music, art and crafts, and Thaif d, especially in this s i, its fam us f r its fried bananas andsweet, lac fruits.

only the best craftsmen w uld be ch sen t serve the r yal familys craft w r sh ps lled the area, it had f undry w r ers wh castthe brass Buddha statues; blac smiths wh made the c urtierssw rds, and musical instrument ma ers, ne r tw f wh m arestill in business t day, as well as the w dw r er s resp nsible f rthe elab rate h n mas s used in Thai classical dance.

Patravadi p ints ut that Th nburi is als the birthplace f ne f Thailands reatest p ets, s it is n t sur prisin that inhabitants

f this side f Ban are s pr ud f the areas artistic herita e,

and that theatre is in her bl d.The theatre has humble be innin s , built ri inally as a hi hsch l n fall w land wned by Patravadis m ther, it was where,

n her h lidays fr m b ardin sch l in En lan d, the teena ePatravadi tau ht En lish. H wever, the y un Mejudh n lateras ed her m ther if she w uld c nver t it int an actin sch l. Therest is hist ry.

Meanwhile, in Thailand, Patravadis wn actin career hadbl ss med as she landed maj r par ts in televisi n, lm and n thesta e. But after a peri d she started t bec me m re interested inwatchin and she turned t teachin .

Her passi n and untirin discipline had always been le endary inher actin and dancin career, but n w the fty-s methin teacher

and dev ut Buddhist wants t pass n what she has learnt in life tthe next enerati n.

Its all abo t i in ,thats what is mostimportant



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Its all ab ut ivin , thats what is m stimp rtant, she says emphatically.With ut heart, dance is empty, justtw pe ple htin t be better than

ne an ther! I try t lin the teachin sf Buddhism with dance and drama,

Buddhism teaches us harm ny, sharin When dancers w r t ether, it sh uld bean exchan e f em ti ns, f heart, n t a

ht t be the best.

She dedicates much f her time tBuddhism, the teachin s f which shetries t impart am n her c llea ues andstudents. kn wled e can be ainedanywhere; I w uld li e my students t learndiscipline and s phisticati n, but m st

f all I want them t thin in the Buddhistway. And the bene ts?

My students tend t be happier, they w rin harm ny, they bec me entler and m rereas nable. She pauses, suppressin a

i le. And they d nt ar ue with me smuch! She lets ut a hearty lau h.

After alm st half a century f ivin , b tht her public, and n w t her students,Patravadi Mejudh n spea s as if she hasf und new purp se in life; a new r le. Asshe appr aches 60, she is still as fresh andimpassi ned as she was 20 years a . Acurtain call is n t s methin t expect fr mThailands fav urite theatrical d yenneanytime s n.

Without

heart, danceis empty, just two people fighting tobe better than oneanother!



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T H E L o C A T I o N


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SIROCCO

location, location, location the old adage has never beentruer than at the river, With its unrivalled site in the heartof bangkoks undisputed five star neighbourhood

Fr m the myriad t wers that thrus t up verthe Huds n in Manhattan t the litter ins ycrapers that stand sentinel ver H nk n s harb ur, and fr m the majestich mes that line Sydney Harb ur t the

pulent manses f the French Riviera and

the art dec ic ns f S uth Beach, Miami,the ne thin that unites the w rlds m stdesirable pr perties is their waterfr ntl cati n.

The w rlds finest waterfr nt districtsc mbine ic nic architecture, mixed-usedevel pment, a variety f water-relatedactivites, hist ric preservati n and ab veall a sense f c mmunity and spaces f rpublic recreati n.

Up until n w, Ban has la ed behinds me f the w rlds ther reat cities interms f waterfr nt residential pr perty

devel pment, but with the advent f The

River, that is ab ut t chan e. F r the firsttime in Thailand, discernin buyers will beable t c mbine the presti e f waterfr ntlivin with ne f the citys very finestl cati ns in the heart f the citys nlytrue 5-star nei hb urh d, surr unded by

s me f the w rlds m st ren wned luxuryh tels, as well as s me f the citys m stn table hist rical architecture.

All ver the w rld, m dern internati nalcities are seein a redisc very f thedynamic lifestyle ass ciated with inner citywaterfr nt livin . Li e L nd n, Paris andNew Y r , Ban s hist ry is inextricablylin ed t its river.

And as The River be ins t ta e shape, itwill spearhead a renaissance in waterfr ntlivin and bec me the f cal p int in anever-m re bustlin and vibrant river

c mmunity.

LifeFi e Star


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T H E C o N N E C T I o N S

a World aWay from city cares, and bathed in theharmony only a river canbring. yet mere minutes aWay from the cbd. Who said you cannot have the best ofboth Worlds?While The River ffers the perfect escapefr m bi city cares and cha s, its residentswill als enj y the very best c nnecti ns tthe places where they w r and play.

C min h me t The River will be a in tenterin a sanctuary ima ine settlinbac n y ur balc ny with a drin , watchinthe last f the sun lintin n the ldenspires f the grand Palace while the darand silent waters f the Cha Phraya wby li e they have since time immem rial.

Yet when its time t head t int t wn,stayin c nnected c uldnt be easier. Afeature f The Rivers 120-plus metres f river fr nta e is an exclusive pier with adirect ser vice t Ta sin BTS stati n. Y ullbe whis ed acr ss the river in minutes,in luxury and style n b ard The Riverscust m-made launch.

F r th se wh prefer t ta e their wn car,ettin nt the expressway system is als

c nvenient, with easy access t the nearbyTa sin brid e.

58 T H E A D D R E S S


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Pl in to the citys heartbeat from yo rri erside ref econnectedimpeccably


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T H E V I E W S

EvERY CuRvE OF THE RIvER IS BEAuTIFuL, WITH ANuNExPECTEDNESS OF ITS OWN. Anna Leonowens

viewsto a Thrill


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T H E T R E N D

Li e The Ri er, c ttin -ed e b ildin s theworld o er are oin reen in style. kriskiattisa profiles a st nnin new icon of s stainable waterfront desi n in Wales

Water front

deSPiTe The BReAThTAkiNG viewS OveR CARdiFF BAY TOwARd PeNARTh MARiNA,

viSiTORS TO The New NATiONAL ASSeMBLY FOR wALeS,STANdiNG ON The GRANd,SLATe-CLAd TeRRACeS, wiLLFiNd iT iS iMPOSSiBLe TO STOPLOOkiNG iNLANdDesi ned by Richard R ers, n wnf r his ic nic buildin s such as Ll yds f L nd n, Centre P mpid u, and the MadridAirp rt, the Nati nal Assembly buildin

pened in March 2006 af ter years f p litical wran lin . R ers is ne f thef rem st livin architects; he is the winner

f the 2007 Pritz er Architecture Prize, therecipient f the presti i us RIBA g ld medalin 1985 and winner f the 1999 Th mas Jeffers n Mem rial F undati n Medal.

A stri in red-cedar s f t undulates thr u hthe new Nati nal Assembly f r Wales buildinand ut t ward the harb r. The use f naturalmaterials such as w d and l cal slate is just

ne reas n the buildin is bein heraldedas a pi neerin example f sustainability. Itmay als be ne f the m st imp rtant andc ntr versial pr jects f R ers career.

The Welsh Nati nal Assembly was f unded in 1987 f ll win areferendum, and all ws the Senedd ( parliament r senate) thes u ht-after p wers f h me rule. This imp rtant r anizati nneeded a w rld-class buildin t p rtray its identity and tenc ura e l cal pride and interest in p litics.

At the penin cerem ny in March, the Queen said she h ped thebuildin w uld bec me as imp rtant a symb l as the H uses f Parliament were. She praised the s ill and ima inati n f th sewh ve desi ned and c nstructed this remar able example f m dern architecture.

The Nati nal Assembly f r Wales ccupies a harb ur-side site ncen wn f r its c al exp rtin trade. At the time f the Internati nal

desi n c mpetiti n f r the pr ject, the site was a relatively unusedand p rly devel ped part f the Welsh capital f Cardiff. The

pr ject is n w the c rners t ne t a re enerati n area, near thenew Millennium Centre arts c mplex by Welsh architects PercyTh mas Partnership, (n w Capita Percy Th mas).

The w rld ren wned, L nd n-based Richard R ers Partnership (RRP)w n the internati nal desi n c mpetiti n f r the Assembly buildinin 1998, but the p litics surr undin the buildin led t c nsiderabledelays, with the penin m re than six years behind schedule.

As is ften the case with hi h-pr le, publicly funded pr jects,unrealistic bud et expectati ns caused much f the delay-alth u hthe nal c st was less than 10 p ercent f the c ntr versial 500milli n Sc ttish Parliament. As p litical pressures escalated, RRPwas brie y but dramatically red in 2001 by the Welsh nancesecretary and then reinstated with a new c ntract.

Even bef re it br e r und, the buildin became le endaryn t f r its desi n but f r the sa a f its c nstructi n. It wasvery fru stratin , said L rd R ers at the penin cerem ny,d wnplayin the drama when as ed ab ut t he delays.

It started very well and then f r a number f different reas nsit t b ed d wn, and there was a certain m ment when weth u ht it w uld never be built. But f r tunately, he c ntinued

ptimistically, as thats why were here, it has been built, and n wwere much m re interested in the future.

The result may well have been w rth the wait. RRP s visi n f r thepr ject, in resp nse t the challen in site and brief, was t createan pen, lazed facade facin the w ater. This later became a steeland lass wall due t security c ncerns f ll win the attac s f September 11, 2001.

Smith/View



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T H E T R E N D

Shelterin the facade is a dramaticsweepin r f, expressin the res lve

f the clients t create a transparent,dem cratic buildin that enc ura es

pe ple t en a e with l cal p litics. Thestrate y is en rm usly successful as b than urban esture and a desi n element.

The main entry space feels airy andpen, ded with dayli ht and ample

natural ventilati n. Framin views t thewaterfr nt, the pavili n-li e buildin sitssympathetically n the site. Inside, thecan py is even m re dramatic as the r f f rm is pulled thr u h t the l wer r tf rm a funnel-li e encl sure f r the debatinchamber bel w. The r unded, r anic f rm,with en ineerin by Arup, l s a bit li e amushr m with a w d-clad stal .

Rather than enterin fr m the lazedfacade facin the water, visit rs enter at asecurity p int at the side f the buildin ,thr u h a less rand but m re expedientand secure entry. The public is welc medinside the r und- r l bby with its slate

rs and a rand staircase up t themezzanine. Visit rs can c me f r a c ffee,t admire the views t ward the water, r tl d wn int the debatin chamber, thecircular r m bel w the center f the space.

The spatially c mplex interi r enc ura esviews and dayli ht, but n t direct accesst the debatin chamber, and all ws f rcertain areas t remain visible yet private.

Ar und the chambers perimeter are vari us c mmitteer ms, administrati n r ms, and f ces f r the Senedds60 elected members

The buildin challen es expectati ns ab ut desi nin f r publicinstituti ns. While c st was certainly a uidin c ncern, RRP didn t let this st p them fr m ma in the buildin a sh wcase f raccessibility r sustainability. It d es n t l stere typically reen, and its theatrical, li htwei ht r f that twists surprisin lyint the interi r space ma es it an aut matic landmar .

It is imp rtant t n te that the buildin d es m re than just ld; it als perf rms well. The mushr m t p f the debatin

chamber m ves up and d wn, p umpin in fresh air f r ventilati n,and the thermal mass f the slate plinth re ulates interi rtemperatures.

Water is c llected n the r fs t further re ulate the temperatureand t pr vide f r t ilets and wind w cleanin . The buildin isdesi ned f r a minimum 100-year life span, a challen e iven the

st rmy harb ur l cati n.

C nstructi n used m re than 1,100 t ns (1,000 metric t ns) f Welsh slate f r the rs and exteri r walls. F ur l cal artists werec mmissi ned t pr vide public art. Near the main entry, l calsculpt r Richard Harris desi ned The Meetin Place, an utd rinstallati n f 44 machine- cut slate slabs, each wei hin 3.3 t ns(3 metric t ns).

I wanted t create a space that was t the side f the buildin ,that related cl sely t the buildin but was very invitin f r pe plet use s mewhere quieter that pe ple c uld sit and spen d s metime, Harris says f the w r .

In June 2006, the Nati nal Assembly f r Wales was awarded apresti i us R yal Institute f British Architects Desi n Award,which places it n the l n list f r the c veted Stirlin Pr ize, theoscar f architecture.

AID

ARCAID

grant Smith/View



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T H E E N g I N E E R

The Ri er is leadin the way witha host of en ironmentally friendlymeas res that will pro ide residentswith si nificant cost sa in s aswell as peace of mind, says ProjectDirector gerry Healy

en iron entde elopina better


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double glazingBec min m re envir nmentally friendly is the trend all ver thew rld n w. And at Raim n Land, we ta e this very seri usly andwe want t sh w we are payin far m re than just lip ser vice t

ur m tt : Devel pin a Better Envir nment. one feature f The River that we are ver y excited ab ut is the fac t that all thewind ws will be d uble- lazed. I b elieve we are the nly devel perin Thailand fferin this, and while it adds a si ni cant capital c st

t c nstructi n, we believe it is w rthwhile as this will si ni cantlyreduce the heat l ad f the buildin , and thus deliver si ni cantsavin s n air-c nditi nin as well as als ma in the units far quieter.

Waste WaterWater recyclin is als s methin we ta e ser i usly watersh rta es can be a r eal pr blem in Thailand. At The River, we willhave a water recyclin plant t treat all the rey water, whichwe will then use t water The Rivers extensive landscapin . Thisis an ther envir nmental initiative that will als cut d wn nmaintenance c sts f r wners.

solar energy We are installin s lar panels at The Ri ver which will pr videener y f r use in landscapin , as well as pr vide a c st-effective

s luti n f r the si ni cant ener y required by li htin up thelass cr wn at the t p f the t wers a t ni ht.

forested timberRainf rests and w dland in Asia isdisappearin at an alarmin rate. T helpaddress this, we are d in ur part byrefusin t use timbers li e tea r maplewhich c uld have been ille ally l ed.At The River, all timber rin will beTasmanian oa , which c mes with a

certi cate pr vin it is fr m mana ed f rests.

Water-cooled air-conditioning The water-c led air-c nditi nin systemused at The River is far m re ef cientthan c nventi nal split systems. Y u d ntneed n isy, heat- eneratin units n thebalc nies. Rather, a central system ffersmuch reater ef ciency and will deliversi ni cant p wer c st savin s t residentsand als f r the buildin as a wh le.

earthQuake protectionThailand is n t in a hi h-ris earthqua ez ne, and at the m ment there is nrequirement f r seismic desi n inBan . H wever, f r the peace f mind

f residents, ur en ineers have desi nedThe River t Z ne 1 seismic status,which means the buildin can withstandf rces 50% reater than under the currentrequirements, which nly relate t windl adin . We believe this is the prudentthin t d . We have just be un pilin , andThe Rivers piles extend d wn 65m, whichis very seri us pilin !

environmentally friendly productsThe River is leadin the way in Thailand nthis issue. All the sanitary ware, xturesand ttin s at The River are s urced fr mc mpanies which c nf rm t Australianand Eur pean envir nmental standards nthin s li e water and p wer c nsumpti nand p lluti n c ntr ls.

67T H E A D D R E S S


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Living

River


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Wallpaper* pr m ti n

Living it up

over the Bangkok skyline

This supplement rst appeared in the N vember 2007 issue f Wallpaper


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Mixed views in the duplex


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Sky high yet firmly grounded


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Very hip

and not so square


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Whos looking with Valcucine?


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Looking down river at The River


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SITE PLAN



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FLooR PLANSAND SHoW SUITES



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Sh t n l cati n at The River Pr menade


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Unit 1A2 - 1 Bedroom63 - 66 Sq.m.

The unit lay uts are subject t any amendments as required by the relevant auth rities. The unit r area(s) and dimensi ns are subject t nal survey.



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Unit 2E1 - 2 Bedrooms101 - 105 Sq.m.




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Unit 3B1 - 3 Bedrooms188 - 189 Sq.m.




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Duplex


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Unit 3G1 - Duplex181 - 185 Sq.m.



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The unit lay uts are subject t any amendments as required by the relevant auth rities. The un it fl r area(s) and dimensi ns are subject t final survey.




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aw riverlife mag

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