wave-like white forms by onion envelop standard hotel in pattaya beach town

onion translates seaside atmosphere into hotel’s built form

The Standard Pattaya Na Jomtien by Onion is a hospitality project shaped by the environmental and urban conditions of Pattaya, Thailand, a coastal city defined by light, shadow, movement, and beachside activity. These elements inform both the architectural language and the spatial organization of the hotel, translating the atmosphere of the seaside context into built form.

The overall layout is organized around four courtyards, each serving a distinct programmatic and experiential role. Through its courtyard-based layout, material articulation, and response to light and shadow, the project establishes a clear relationship between architecture, climate, and the beachside context of Pattaya.

all images by W Workspace

Four open courtyards organize Standard Pattaya Hotel’s plan

The first courtyard functions as the arrival and drop-off zone, presenting the hotel’s primary facade to guests. The entrance is defined by vertically articulated wave-like forms that frame the approach and guide movement toward the lobby. Overhead skylight structures cast shifting patterns of light and shadow onto surrounding surfaces throughout the day. The skylight glazing transitions in color from transparent to orange, referencing the changing tones of the sunset. The second courtyard forms the lobby space and accommodates shared amenities, including seminar rooms, a fitness area, and a children’s club. From this space, the inner surface of the six-story hotel block is visible. Curved canopies extend from each level, producing wave-like shadow patterns across the building envelope and reinforcing the project’s coastal reference.

At the center of the complex, the third courtyard is enclosed by hotel room blocks ranging from three to six stories in height. The design team at Onion conceives this courtyard as a quieter, landscaped zone, providing greenery and a more contained environment for relaxation away from the busier public areas of the hotel. The fourth courtyard opens directly toward the beachfront and is organized as a large outdoor communal space. Existing pine trees are retained and integrated into the architectural composition, with the building positioned carefully among them. This area includes all-day dining facilities, the main swimming pool, a specialty restaurant, and amenities oriented toward adult guests, such as a bar and mud area. Programmatic platforms are elevated to frame views of the sunset, allowing the architecture to engage directly with the coastal landscape.

the Standard Pattaya Na Jomtien by Onion responds to the coastal conditions of Pattaya, Thailand

light, shadow, wave movement, and beachside activity shape the hotel’s architectural language

the hotel is organized around a sequence of four courtyards

a courtyard-based layout establishes a strong relationship between architecture and climate

skylight structures cast changing patterns of light and shadow throughout the day

skylight glazing shifts from transparent to orange, referencing sunset tones

existing trees and plantation are integrated into the architectural composition

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project info:

name: The Standard, Pattaya na Jomtien
architect: onion | @onion_work

location: Pattaya, Thailand
photographer: W Workspace | @wworkspace

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom