Construction work in Pattaya brought to a new level
Numerous new real estate projects are underway, presenting the finest in engineering and construction quality from villas to high-rise buildings. Said structures are all designed by the eclectic architect Mario Kleff who relentlessly pushes the limits and presents new engineering solutions in the field of residential construction.
When it comes to setting new standards in residential construction in Pattaya, Mario Kleff must be mentioned in this context. For over a decade, the designer created buildings that protrude above the average construction quality. In 2009, the architect presented his ideas for Park Royal 2 condominium, a multi-story residential complex that was built with cellular beams. This technique allowed for long-span construction and was the first of its kind in Thailand. In 2022, several massive pool villas with spans of over 30 meters between columns are underway. The designs can be compared with motorway bridges and offer ‘column-free rooms’ and superior aesthetics. Again, these new building structures are headmost in Thailand.
At the beginning of his career, Mario Kleff created one of the first modern high-rise structures in Pattaya, the Wong Amat Tower. He also designed some of the city’s finest 8-storey residential projects such as the Laguna Heights condominium and Club Royal in Na Kluea, and the Suan Sawarn condominium complex in Jomtien. Since then, there’s been a long list of innovative real estate developments to his portfolio. One of his signature projects is called Mario Kleff – The Touch. Although it was never completed, it was the first two-column high-rise structure in Thailand with an incredible span of 25 metres between columns – an innovation in building construction. It is difficult enough to improve the house construction quality, let alone a high-rise development.
Some of our readers probably remember when Mario Kleff set a record last year with the installation of a 48 metres long cellular beam in residential construction. Early in 2022, the architect designed the largest steel box girder to construct a luxury villa on Phra Tamnak Hill. Two months later, new headlines created attention when the installation of heavy concrete beams started with a span of 18 metres in a residential building near Lieb Tang Rodfai Road. Such construction work is recognized on the international level and can attract new investors and buyers to shape the future of a modern Pattaya.
The now 55 years old is well prepared and just keeps going. New construction contracts in 2022 for luxurious housing estates confirm the architect’s view that true value in real estate trade is in connection with the structure and layout of a building. “Modern homes should offer enough space to feel comfortable and to achieve a higher return of investment (ROI) in the future. This can only be done through solid and professional construction work”, says Mario Kleff. And so, it is not surprising that he was commissioned by Chinese investors to build several large villas with living spaces ranging from 1600 to 3000 square metres.
Asking the architect what he will build this time… “Homes of incredibly firm concrete and with large span. Our newly founded company Wandee Super Span Co., Ltd. will install tailored-made concrete girders and cellular beams in lengths over 30 metres between columns, and for the first time we are building post-tensioned concrete footings to support the structure; a work that has not yet been carried out in Thailand’s construction industry. We have ordered a special concrete mix for this task from Concrete Products and Aggregate Co., Ltd. (CPAC). This mixture is called 850 concrete and provides a compressive strength of 11000 – 13000 PSI. According to CPAC, no orders have so far been received for this concrete in the Chon Buri region”.
The energetic designer points out that there are even more projects on the drawing board, and he believes that the future of Pattaya lies in the hands of Chinese real estate developers with a broader view and are therefore ready to spend a little extra for construction works. Mario Kleff is referred to as a signature design, and in architecture, the field is now a registered trademark. His approach to incessantly improving real estate development is admirable but is also a difficult task if you consider the global economy and trends. We will be sure to follow the story of this man and what he will be designing in the coming years.
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