Text by Frame: Quintessential Thai design greatly informs the interior of % Arabica at Bangkok’s CentralWorld shopping mall. For the project, Austria-based practice Studio Precht drew inspiration from the detailed handicraft, potteries and architectural elements characteristic of Thailand. 

The seating topography, for example, references common mural scenes found in the country’s abundant temples: ‘joyful’ conversations taking place in landscapes instead of around tables. Modular repetitions and rectangular terracing – two techniques often found in Thai building – are reflected in the locally crafted tiles and blocks that clad the café. These minimalist, concrete-like pieces are finished with a white glazed frame, each sized at 15 x 15 cm. ‘One tile is a step, three tiles are connected to a 45cm seating, five tiles constitute a 75cm counter,’ explain the designers. ‘[There’s] one simple module for the entire programme.’