Due to limited parking space at
Prince Mahidol Hall, an additional building was designed to offer adequate
parking for events hosted at the Hall. The surrounding area was also developed
to meet the needs of the university, such as a 500-seat auditorium to cater for
academic conferences and shops, which boost interaction with the local
community. Prince Mahidol Hall is primarily the venue for Commencement
ceremonies, thus the new car park building will offer orderly, additional
parking space on campus.
The triple-story Mahidol Square
Parking has a total area of 30,000 square meters and capacity for 1,000 cars.
Built on the site of the existing car park, the new parking building is largely
below ground, with the new conference hall and shops are at ground level,
connected to the plaza and drop-off area. The roofs of these structures are
designed to be almost plane so as not to obstruct the view of Prince Mahidol
Hall.
Two basement levels of parking
were excavated using the cut-slope technique to eliminate the need for
retaining walls, and plant cover on the 1:2 slope gradient helps to prevent
soil erosion. Not only is it a cost-efficient method of construction, this open
wall design facilitates natural ventilation, creating a sustainable, low energy
parking facility. The new parking building is connected to Prince Mahidol
Hall’s basement parking at level B1.
The landscaped walkway serving
the conference hall and shops on the upper level provide shade and seating
among lush foliage, creating an attractive little community
mall promenade. Climbers and creepers are planted in planters surrounding the
parking building to create a refreshing, green façade and act as a screen to
conceal the cars parked within.
Drainage around B2 level, along with a surge tank and
submersible pump, is designed to prevent flooding in the two basement levels.
Rainwater runoff on the ground level drains into the storm water drainage moat
surrounding the campus.
Maple Solution
Plan Consultants
Christiani & Nielsen (Thai)