Prize(s) Winners in Exterior Architectural Illumination
Company SEAM Design
Lead Designers Marci Song
Other Designer's names Smith, Padungruengkit, Lorton, Sadiyyah, Mendo
Completion Date Completed October 2018
Project Location Bangkok, Thailand
Entry DescriptionThe 314-metre MahaNakhon – by Buro Ole Scheeren © Buro-OS – became Bangkok's tallest building when complete. SEAM, leading the facade lighting, was tasked to create “a beautiful architectural sculpture at night”. How do we light a supertall, asymmetric facade to become Southeast Asia’s largest artwork? Discarding the typical ‘beacon’ tower approach, SEAM's lighting connects into Buro: OS’ architecture, with programmable illuminated panels that animate the signature eroded geometry, while the dynamic-white scheme follows the natural colour-temperature of the evening sky. Aligned with an astronomical clock, the animation follows the city’s day and night activity cycle, echoing the waves of the evening rush-hour before eventually receding into the night. As a fleeting spectacle – like buoyant embers, a passing cloud or flowing water – this kinetic sequence connects MahaNakhon with nature, with the moment and with the changing pulse of Bangkok. With the tower now a 24-hour landmark, a tourism icon and driving local renewal, SEAM's lighting elevates MahaNakhon to a brilliant emblem for Bangkok's emerging status as the Southeast Asia design capital.
Company DescriptionWith commissions in 30 countries, SEAM is an independent architectural lighting design practice led by Marci Song and Emory Smith – each offering 20+ years’ global lighting and architecture experience. As architectural designers who specialise in light, SEAM expertly integrates lighting into the architectural vision and service, having supported Buro: Ole Scheeren, Waugh Thistleton Architects and many others to develop buildings and built environments on five continents. SEAM’s work uniquely brings together lighting, architecture and design, with the creation of memorable human experience.
