PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The project integrates a data center with salt production and community amenities in Bangkok's hot climate. Situated between the sea and land, it utilizes waste heat for salt evaporation and cultural spaces, with efficient cooling strategies. The design incorporates curved pathways and vector flow shading for comfort and aesthetics. The facility features a data center, salt evaporation area, wellness center with a salt spa, and cultural learning spaces. Circulation is optimized with designated lanes for cycling and walking. Multi-layer bamboo roofs provide shade and blend with the environment. The project aims for sustainability, community benefit, and technological innovation.

RESEARCH

In hot climates like Thailand, waste heat from data centers is typically unused. However, this project aims to utilize that heat for salt crystallization and heating saunas and pools, enhancing sustainability and energy efficiency. Inspired by practices in colder regions, such as the Netherlands and Switzerland, this innovative approach demonstrates how to effectively repurpose waste heat in a tropical setting, benefiting both technology and community well-being. The site's proximity to the sea ensures seamless internet connectivity and optimal functionality.

LOCATION

The project will be located at Bang Khun Thian, near Bangkok and the sea, ensuring optimal internet connectivity via undersea cables. This strategic location is ideal for integrating a data center with a salt farm and wellness center. During a site visit by bicycle, marked by the red route, I noticed a significant issue: a lack of fresh water, highlighted by the distant water pipe. This project aims to address this by utilizing the data center's waste heat for desalination, providing fresh water and promoting sustainability.

SITE DATA

Most of the mangrove forests in Bang Khun Thian are being converted into shrimp and shellfish farms, as well as salt farms. This transformation is impacting the climate, as the loss of mangroves means fewer shaded areas for people and animals. This project aims to integrate a data center, salt farm, and wellness center in a way that addresses these issues, promoting sustainability and environmental restoration by preserving mangrove areas and utilizing waste heat for beneficial purposes.

SOLUTION

The strong sun is ideal for salt farming, naturally evaporating seawater to produce salt. This project leverages the waste heat from a data center to accelerate the evaporation process, similar to an air conditioning system using liquid for heat transfer. By integrating a small desalination plant, the project uses this heat for both salt production and providing fresh water to the community. The remaining heat supports wellness center facilities like saunas. This creates a mutually beneficial relationship between the data center's cooling system, the desalination plant, and the wellness center, promoting sustainability and resource efficiency.

FORM EXPERIMENTATION

This project balances space to accommodate all essential functions. I experimented with various forms and inspirations, integrating ideas from each iteration. A key focus was designing the pathways, particularly for bicycles. After considering curved, linear, sharp-cornered, and complex intersections, I found that curvy paths offer the safest, most suitable, and enjoyable experience for cyclists. This design prioritizes user experience, ensuring a harmonious blend of functionality and pleasure in navigating the space.

FORM GIVING

For the form finding process, I started by offsetting the boundaries of the pathway, forest, and port, then interpolated these boundaries towards the center of the site. I drew the initial path that winds through and around the area and added more paths to define volume and space between them. These volumes were then pulled up, and slopes were created by slicing them, helping the building blend into the landscape. I added pathways on top of the slopes for salt viewing, and cut out holes to bring in natural light. The shading elements follow the flow of these pathways, providing comfort and visual interest.

SPACES

The wellness area includes a café on the second floor, with a reception, office, and toilets on the ground floor, all protected by a beautiful weaving bamboo structure. This space seamlessly blends leisure areas with food vendors, encouraging interaction and creating job opportunities for locals. The building is only 1 meter above water, allowing people to immerse themselves in the nearby mangrove nursery forest, enhancing the connection between nature and community activities.

THE EXPERIENCE

When you enter the project, you'll see the entrance where you can park your bike on the left side. You'll then enter a transition space between the data center and the wellness center. This leads to a beautiful area where you can relax and enjoy the endless sea view, have food, and access the wellness area with a café on top and a swimming pool below. All spaces are interconnected under a continuous roof, with the salt evaporation process on top helping to cool the servers. This design ensures that everything flows smoothly, supporting the functions of both the data center and the wellness center while efficiently utilizing waste heat.