Chiang Mai - Blending Ancient & Modern Thai Architecture

Submitted by articlenic

How a Swiss hotelier and his Thai wife have created an elegant, modern living space in harmony within the heart of northern Thailand's culturally rich city. It is 20 years since a Lucerne hotel management graduate was appointed opening manager of the prestigious Amari Boulevard Hotel in Bangkok. And last year, multi-lingual Marc Dumur combined everything he has learned since then to open the unique Frangipani Serviced Residences. Marc and his Thai wife Laxami chose her home-city of Chiang Mai for their personal project, and a small, quiet site less than a kilometer from the absolute city centre. Just across their narrow, leafy lane, sits one of the most important Buddhist temples outside Bangkok, and there they have found a warm welcome: "New building in the area means more prosperity" says Phra Santi Tamawat, who at the age of 59 is the 8th recorded Abbot of Wat Chiang Man, built by Chiang Mai's founder King Mengrai as his 'home base' while creating the city over 700 years ago. 'We don't mind, because more business means that more people are likely to become supporters and attendees at the temple" he adds. The temple's chedi was intentionally built on the site of King Mengrai's bedroom, so that no-one could ever claim that they had slept in the same place, one of the contrasts with Frangipani, it's brand new 4 storey neighbour. Here, seekers after western comforts may claim to have slept in any one of 9 serviced apartments, all decorated differently, yet all influenced by the historic temple across the road. Marc and Luxami wanted to create a facility, which was rare in Chiang Mai, yet fitted into the amazingly peaceful heart of the city as appropriately as possible. "Because of our cooler climate and low cost of living, people are always coming to Chiang Mai, looking to settle down, but they don't know how", observes Marc, who for 7 years managed the city's Amari Rincome Hotel, some 4 kilometers away. "This part of Thailand has become one of the best, lowest cost places to live in South East Asia. These suites are the perfect answer as a base for people researching their future here. After all, it's always a mistake to be in too much of a hurry!" Once the couple had chosen the site, they needed in Marc's words "a design, a theme and some character." To achieve this, they chose Mr. Satherm Kadeedong as their architect, a Thai with no fewer than 38 years experience in the North and who worked under the legendary Professor Juladtat, designer of the area's first 5 star hotel, the Four Seasons Resort & Spa. Aware of some strong criticism of modern buildings in Thailand, Mr. Satherm is objective and more outspoken than many of his countrymen: "We would like to show Thai how to blend modern ideas in harmony with history in their own towns". He took themes and 'hints' from Wat Chiang Man for both the exterior and the interior of Frangipani. "We have not copied, we have followed the style" he explains. "The flat surfaces and squares on the chedi for example. Wat Chang Man's chedi is the most pure Lanna (northern Thai) example you can see." The Abbot agrees: "Fifty years ago, Chiang Mai looked like Luang Prabang in Laos looks now. In fact there is a lot of design here, which was influenced by Luang Prabang" he says proudly. This comes as no surprise, when we recall that in the era of King Mengrai, Luang Prabang was the royal capital of Laos. Leaves on corners, 'swirls' on doors and subtle use of small bells in many areas remind Frangipani guests of the local heritage and, Luxami has found, actually encourage clients to explore the temple for themselves, just as the Abbot predicted. While the tasteful new creation began to take shape last year, other workers began their own tasks at the temple. A large new 2-story multi purpose sala will soon be finished, housing a museum on the upper floor - but not the temple's large collection of historic documents. Just over the wall from Frangipani is a small, tree lined lake and here a small island will soon be created on which will sit the new library. A Buddhist solution to preserve vulnerable paperwork from hungry rodents! The trunks of stone elephants around the chedi, broken for decades, have been replaced and there are new pathways for the steady stream of curious visitors. All of whom are studiously ignored, of course, by Chiang Man's resident dogs, which are very well fed and cared for. Last words of wisdom on this excellent example of symbiosis between the old and the new must come from Phra Santi: "New things become old. It's a natural characteristic!"