In this unprecedented quarantine period, it is a wake up call for rethinking in the interior and architecture design, inevitably public space, including the public houses, bars, clubhouses that are well recognized as one of the busiest places, particularly in the area of the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. Despite sitting amongst the chaotic bars and restaurants, that are randomly, messily packed by a bunch of noisy partygoers, The Chatrooms offers visitors some social distancing. Within 100 sqm, the bar improves more breathing space than the others, by adding separated seat stalls, a long table layout avoiding the crowd, with a few more space between tables, also a separated meeting room to escape people from the bar, but still in the bar. Key design idea of the project is how to make people stop and stay in the bar longer regardless this very limited space. Juxtaposing different colours and materials are used to disguise actual boundary of the given space, at the same time help defining this certain place. On the façade, using strong colour is not only to distinguish the bar from its neighbourhoods, but also to present calmness as well as amusement. The interior extends a test of formal composition of classical interior design. Traditional cornices make people feel at home, whereas using it with local material such concrete block bring people curiosity. Old telephones at the bar are literally assigned for using as a wired talk inside the bar. Toilet cubicle is design as the telephone booth, whereas the main stage is designed as the bathroom instead, set to encourage visitors to sing or perform on the stage the same way they do at home. Notable chandeliers are also to blind a low ceiling of the interior space, in connection to other decoration that altogether are displayed in different layers to create and develop conversation between people. Interior and architecture design with art-deco furnitures, objects, replica classic paintings help form the atmosphere of the room and its context for people to having a chat, to slowing them down from the outside world a little bit. Allowing people to have a social experiencing in more spacing, more organizing, through the lens of contemporary culture of The Chatrooms.
