Local Developer Plans One-of-a-Kind, Mixed-Use Community in Thailand
Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Ltd., one of Thailand's top quality property developers, is building a massive project in its home country.
By Adrian Maties, Associate Editor
Bangkok, Thailand—Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Ltd., one of Thailand’s top quality property developers, is building a massive project in its home country. Described as an “ideal community,” the $900 million development will include residences, retail, offices and large areas of public space.
Whizdom 101, as the project is called, will be constructed on a 17-acre site, on one of Bangkok’s major arteries, Sukhumvit Road. It will have about 3.66 million square feet of space, including 1.5 million square feet of residential space, 323,000 square feet of offices and 215,000 square feet of retail space. Whizdom 101’s massive size will make it one of the largest new developments in Bangkok.
MQDC said that the project is being developed under “The Great Good Place” concept, which says that communities need a “third place”, where people can gather, forget about their problems and hang out in good company. One’s home is the “first place,” the workplace is the “second place,” and parks, cafes or clubs represent “third places.” These anchors of community life are important for civil society, democracy, civic engagement, and establishing the feeling of a sense of place. Whizdom 101’s “third places” will be located right at the heart of the project.
The developers also said that the project’s commercial zone will be constructed around a hybrid concept which blends indoor and outdoor space on a scale never before seen in Thailand. Whizdom 101 will feature the country’s first in-building multi-level bicycle lane, with a jogging track which passes in and out of the building, on a 0.8-mile course. It will also have one of the largest vertical sports clubs in Thailand. U.S.-based ClubCorp will manage the more than 100,000-square-foot club.
Whizdom 101 will be Thailand’s first fully integrated digital community. Its offices, residences, retail facilities, and common areas will all be on a common digital platform. This will turn the development into a digital town.
The $900 million project is expected to be completed in mid-2018. MQDC has put together a team of global experts for the development of Whizdom 101. It includes Gensler, DiDesign, and the Rockwell Group.
