LSA 220- Introduction to Landscape Architecture

LAM Article Reflection

All for the Trees by James Grayson Trulove
Chris Brocher
September 18th

Quattro is a High-end Residential Project in the up-scale area of Bangkok. Being that it is so hard
to find soil in the city full of concrete and asphalt, the design team was inspired to keep as much existing
nature with their small inhabitants. According to landscape architect Pok Kobkongsanti, recent time
zoning regulations that permit high density development in these formerly tranquil, tree-lined
communities is whats destroying some of the last remaining green spaces in Bangkok. A few years back
Pok came across a lot with several trees that needed maintenance and attention and instantly got in
contact with the owner of the lot. He shortly received a phone call back from the Sansiri company which
just so happened to buy the lot and was curious if his firm, TROP: would be interested in designing the
landscape for the high-rise condominium planned for the site. As the firm began to develop the scheme
for the Quattro, a high-end condominium with 446 units in two towers, now coexists with the rain trees
on Soi Thonglor 4. The street from which Quattro takes its name from was also the inspiration behind
the firms design scheme: squares and rectangles rule the day. Inspired to save the trees, the design
team was able to build an attractive garden away from the buildings even if that meant losing a good
deal of marketable square footage.
They approached this project with the idea to combined rectangular shapes and make them into
three-dimensional garden compositions. Shielding the entrance from the street, there is a wall that
introduces the geometric Quattro there with rectangles of glass and travertine. He feels strongly about
making the security walls that separate the street from the entrance porous, giving passengers a glimpse
into the garden beyond. As you enter the arrival court, there is a large rectangular lawn set within a
reflecting pool and a circular pond with some sculptural orbs designed by Kobkongsanti before the
project name was acquired. This works well because its a visual relief from the rigorous orthogonal
template that dominates the hardscape and building. The main garden is where his design mastery is
apparent how he placed the garden elements relative to existing trees. A lap pool, a spa, a kids pool,

and a seating pavilion have all been sited in such ways to preserve these trees. To minimize any impact
on the root system of the trees, Kobkongsanti avoided larger landscape areas and used a series of
terraces with softscape plantings and small pebbles to create a cooling effect. The main pool is also
located away from the root zones and designed with a boundary wall that rises 80 centimeters over the
garden. Its overflowing water creates white noise to cut down on the sound of traffic. Poolside
furniture was carefully chosen to mimic and be comparable with the design of the project as a whole.
Two frangipani trees were strategically placed to provide shade for the pool and mask some of the
reflecting light off the pool. Native Indian oak and pong pong trees are placed within the L-shaped
reflecting pond which creates a cool microclimate on the terrace so one could comfortably sit there all
day.
Kobkongsanti has written that in Asia, it is quite common to have three generations of family
members in one household. What he tried to create was not just any garden but a special place for
them where they can spend the rest of their lives.