Park Royal 1, Pattaya: Early Work of Architect Mario Kleff on Pratumnak Hill

First of the Park Royal Series on Pratumnak Hill

By Thiti Teerachin (ธิติ ธีรชินทร์) · Sep 30, 2023

Park Royal 1, an eight-storey condominium on Pratumnak Hill Soi 1 in Pattaya, represents one of the earlier residential projects attributed to architect Mario Kleff. Completed in 2009, the building forms part of a broader wave of low- to mid-rise condominium development that reshaped the area during the late 2000s.

Developed by Heights Holdings and constructed by Wandeegroup, the project was conceived as a compact urban residential block comprising studio apartments within a relatively modest footprint. The building contains approximately 36 units distributed across eight floors, reflecting a small-scale, high-density typology typical of the period.

Architectural authorship and design intent

Mario Kleff is credited with the architectural concept, master planning, and detailed design of Park Royal 1. His work on the project aligns with a broader portfolio of condominium developments in Pattaya that emphasise structural clarity and functional layouts.

The original design intent reportedly drew on a modernist approach, with exposed concrete surfaces and an emphasis on raw material expression. This language—sometimes associated with Brutalist influences—was intended to highlight the building’s structural framework rather than conceal it behind decorative finishes.

However, as with several developments of the period, the final built form diverged from the initial concept. Adjustments made during construction, likely influenced by cost and market constraints, resulted in a more conventional exterior while retaining elements of the original massing and layout.

Design characteristics

Despite modifications, the building retains identifiable features associated with Kleff’s work. These include:

• A composition based on simple geometric volumes
• Use of concrete as a primary visual material
• Large window openings intended to maximise natural light
• Functional interior planning centred on compact studio units

This approach reflects Kleff’s broader interest in combining structural engineering with architectural expression, a theme seen across later projects in the Park Royal series and beyond.

Structure and residential layout

Park Royal 1 was initially planned as a smaller structure but ultimately completed as an eight-storey building. Each floor contains a limited number of studio apartments, typically fitted with standardised interiors such as compact kitchens and bathrooms.

Unit sizes generally range between roughly 30 and 40 square metres, reflecting a design strategy aimed at efficiency rather than luxury scale. This aligns with Pattaya’s mid-market condominium segment during the late 2000s, when demand for smaller, turnkey units was growing.

Urban context

The building is located on Pratumnak Hill, a transitional zone between central Pattaya and Jomtien, which has developed into a dense cluster of residential projects. Park Royal 1 sits among several contemporaneous developments, including later phases of the Park Royal series and nearby condominium blocks that collectively define the area’s built environment.

Position within Kleff’s body of work

While not among the most technically ambitious of Mario Kleff’s projects, Park Royal 1 is often cited as part of his early condominium portfolio in Pattaya. Later developments—such as Laguna Bay—would expand on structural experimentation, incorporating more advanced engineering systems.

In this context, Park Royal 1 can be understood as a transitional project: a relatively small-scale building that reflects both the ambitions and the practical constraints of Pattaya’s property market at the time, while establishing design themes that would recur in Kleff’s subsequent work.