British Council HQ in Bangkok sees redesign

The British Council has a new 600 000 design for its Thailand headquarters, with interiors and signage by Amalgam. This is the fourth new HQ the council has commissioned since 1992.

It plans to upgrade further buildings and has a policy of employing British groups to work alongside overseas developers.

The council chose Amalgam for its Bangkok HQ as partner Robin Locke worked on a strategic study for this project in 1991, when he was associate director at DEGW.

“This space had to be a showcase of the best of what the UK has to offer, to show we are a leading-edge, democratic organisation,” says British Council design director Malcolm Reading.

The building was designed by the architecture department at Bangkok’s Chula University, where it is sited.

“The design had to be dynamic, with dramatic colours and lighting. We wanted to entice people into it, as it is remote from the street,” says Locke.

Terry Farrell and Partners is creating the council’s Hong Kong headquarters, which will be unveiled in 1997.