Siam InterContinental Bangkok exhibit wall panel
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
Hotels--Thailand--Bangkok
New York School of Interior Design. Gallery
Exhibitions
Hotels--Designs and plans
Wall panel from the 2013 New York School of Interior Design exhibit "Designing the Luxury Hotel: Neal Prince and the Inter-Continental Brand."
The Siam Inter-Continental, in Bangkok, Thailand, and the Tahara’a Inter-Continental, in Pape’éte, Tahiti, were two hotels built by Pan Am, in 1966 and 1968 respectively, that signaled the rise of the luxury resort hotel in exotic, far-flung locales serviced by Pan Am’s global fleet.
Even though tourism was in its infancy in Thailand, the Pan Am round-the-world service stopped in Bangkok every day in both directions, and Inter-Continental recognized an opportunity. The hotel built by architect Joseph Salerno, a pyramid-shaped building flanked by two wings, was informed by the exoticism of Bangkok’s Grand Palace complex. Thailand was known the world over for its fabrics, particularly silks. Its cottage industry of handwoven silk had been revitalized by the American architect and designer Jim Thompson, who founded the Thai Silk Company in 1948. Thompson’s fabrics were featured in Vogue and Time, and were used to make royal Thai costumes in the classic 1951 musical The King and I. Even before coming to Bangkok, Prince had admired Thompson’s designs, and had seen images of Thompson’s “House on the Klong,” a complex of six traditional Thai-style houses that were purchased from several owners and brought to Bangkok from various parts of Thailand.
While silks were impractical for the heavily trafficked spaces of a hotel, Prince’s color palette for the Siam Inter-Continental was inspired by the bright jewel tones and dramatic color combinations that Thompson had invented for Thai silk. Equally important were Prince’s “walk-arounds” through Bangkok, where he picked up “the local color and feelings,” and the luxuriant setting of the hotel on the site of the Royal Gardens. Prince also looked to the beauty of the temples and their fine craftsmanship to design the richly carved and painted surfaces of the Siam’s interior. For the hotel bar, the design team worked with local artisans to produce intricately carved wooden screens that acted as room dividers, with dragon-headed nagas (snakes) taken from temple architecture. Wall fabrics were chosen in rich jewel tones threaded with gold. Together with carpets patterned after the ornate exteriors of ceremonial Thai buildings, the sum total of the interiors was evocative of the wealthy and exotic kingdom of Siam.
The Hotel closed in 2002.
New York School of Interior Design
New York School of Interior Design
2013
Prince, Neal A.
Salerno, Joseph P., 1915-1981
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of INterior Design, New York, NY, United States
New York, NY
Siam InterContinental Bangkok guest suite
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
Hotels--Thailand--Bangkok
Guest rooms
Interior decoration
Hotels--Decoration
<p>Thai motifs are found throughout the hotel. Common motifs include: the flame, the lotus, the fight between the serpent Naga and the Monkey God, the royal hunt for the mythical jeweled leopard, Thai silk, gold leaf, mirror mosaic, brass, carved wood, and beading. “Both the guest rooms and public rooms are miniature museums of Thailand’s traditional arts” (Quotation from <em>A Room with a World View</em>). The hotel was in operation from 1966-2002.</p>
<p>Architecture by Joseph P. Salerno, AIA (1915-1981)</p>
<p>Interiors designed by Neal Prince.</p>
Prince, Neal A.
1966
Salerno, Joseph P.
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of Interior Design, New York, NY, United States
Bangkok, Thailand
Siam InterContinental Bangkok private suite for entertaining
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
Hotels--Thailand--Bangkok
Interior decoration
Hotels--Decoration
Cocktails
Waiters
<p>Thai motifs are found throughout the hotel. Common motifs include: the flame, the lotus, the fight between the serpent Naga and the Monkey God, the royal hunt for the mythical jeweled leopard, Thai silk, gold leaf, mirror mosaic, brass, carved wood, and beading. “Both the guest rooms and public rooms are miniature museums of Thailand’s traditional arts” (Quotation from <em>A Room with a World View</em>). <span>The hotel was in operation from 1966-2002.</span></p>
<p>Architecture by Joseph P. Salerno, AIA (1915-1981).</p>
<p>Interiors designed by Neal Prince.</p>
Prince, Neal A.
1966
Salerno, Joseph P.
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of Interior Design, New York, NY, United States
Bangkok, Thailand
Siam InterContinental Bangkok Naga cocktail bar and lounge
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
Hotels--Thailand--Bangkok
Bars (Drinking establishments)
Interior decoration
Hotels--Decoration
Cocktails
For the hotel bar, the design team worked with local artisans to produce intricately carved wooden screens that acted as room dividers, with dragon-headed nagas (snakes) taken from temple architecture. Wall fabrics were chosen in rich jewel tones threaded with gold while carpets were patterned after the ornate exteriors of ceremonial Thai buildings. The hotel was in operation from 1966-2002.
Architecture by Joseph P. Salerno, AIA (1915-1981).
Interiors designed by Neal Prince.
Photo by Arie deZanger
Prince, Neal A.
1966
Salerno, Joseph P.
DeZanger, Arie
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of Interior Design, New York, NY, United States
Bangkok, Thailand
Siam InterContinental Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand, aerial view
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
Hotels--Thailand--Bangkok
The hotel was built by architect Joseph Salerno. A pyramidal-shaped building flanked by two wings, the Siam Inter-Continental was informed by the exoticism of Bangkok’s Grand Palace complex. Salerno did not want to “copy local designs since he thought of them as intrinsically royal or religious in nature." Rather, "he would incorporate individual local motifs into the finished product.” “To emphasize relationship of the hotel buildings with large garden spaces, he created two low-rise wings of bedrooms surrounded by ponds, lawns and plantings, connected by outdoor walkways to a dramatic four story high, elongated pyramid shaped central building with an orange tiled roof.” The main building and roof were controversial, and reminded Prince Kukrit Pramoj of a crematorium. The expectation was to see an “ultra-modern high rise” since the hotel was constructed by an American company. (Quotations from<em> A Room with a World View</em>).
<p>Hotel closed in 2002<br /><br />Interiors designed by Neal Prince.</p>
<p> </p>
Salerno, Joseph P.
1966
Prince, Neal A.
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of Interior Design, New York, NY, United States
Bangkok, Thailand
Exterior view: Siam InterContinental Bangkok
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
Hotels--Thailand--Bangkok
Ponds
Exterior ground-level view of the Siam InterContinental Bangkok and its lily pond. The main building and roof were controversial, reminding Prince Kukrit Pramoj of a crematorium. The hotel was in operation from 1966-2002.
Architecture by Joseph P. Salerno, AIA (1915-1981)
Interiors designed by Neal Prince.
Salerno, Joseph P.
1966
Prince, Neal A.
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of Interior Design, New York, NY, United States
Bangkok, Thailand
Exterior view: Siam InterContinental Bangkok
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
Hotels--Thailand--Bangkok
Ponds
Exterior ground-level view of the Siam InterContinental Bangkok and its reflective lily pond which surrounds the front of the building. The main building and roof were controversial, reminding Prince Kukrit Pramoj of a crematorium. The hotel was in operation from 1966-2002.
Architecture by Joseph P. Salerno, AIA (1915-1981).
Interiors designed by Neal Prince.
Salerno, Joseph P.
1966
Prince, Neal A.
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of Interior Design, New York, NY, United States
Bangkok, Thailand