The Norm Bangkok review

rooftop bar interior with warm wood and Fritz Hansen furniture — Perched on the 42nd floor of Central Park Offices in Bangkok's Silom/Bang Rak district, The Norm is designed to encourage guests to linger (Image credit: Fritz Hansen)

‘This project was quite unusual,’ says Dario Reicherl, CEO of Asia at Fritz Hansen, of the brand's latest project in the region: a new rooftop bar in Bangkok furnished with more than 100 Fritz Hansen pieces. ‘The owner, Turk Sitthan, came in with a very strong vision. He has a genuine passion for iconic Fritz Hansen designs and was clear that the space should be built around the furniture, not the other way around. His thinking was simple: the chair is where guests spend most of their time, so the chair comes first, and the architecture follows.’

It was Arne Jacobsen's ‘Swan’ and ‘Egg’ chairs, specifically, more often associated with hotel lobbies and corporate interiors, that Sitthan used as his starting point.

‘Arne Jacobsen originally designed the “Swan” and “Egg” for public use, for people to sit, stay and interact. In a hospitality context, they make even more sense. They offer comfort, privacy and a sense of occasion at the same time,’ explains Reicherl. ‘In a bar setting, they naturally slow people down, invite longer stays, and create an atmosphere where guests feel both relaxed and slightly elevated. That balance between intimacy and openness is exactly what you want in a space like this.’

Set across 1,200 sq m on the 42nd floor of Central Park Offices in the city’s Silom/Bang Rak district, The Norm inhabits a golden-toned interior by EKAR Architects, designed to encourage guests to linger over leisurely cocktails. On entry, the eye is drawn upwards to the ceiling, where large inverted-gable light tunnels, made from warm-toned timber, rise overhead.

Throughout, the bar plays with different scales: intimate indoor areas, relaxed sheltered outdoor spaces, and open terraces for more social gatherings – each with its own cocktail menu designed to enhance these distinct moods. Variations in height, enclosure and openness nod to Frank Lloyd Wright’s principles of compression and release, and as guests move through the interior towards the terrace, a dramatic skyline panorama gradually reveals itself.

The palette, Reicherl tells us, was driven by warmth and restraint, with materials chosen for tactility and their ability to age gracefully. ‘From the outset, Turk Sitthan wanted to create a welcoming, intimate mood, and the extensive use of timber was a key part of that vision,’ he says. ‘Building on this, we selected leather colours that would naturally complement the wood and reinforce that sense of warmth, rather than contrast against it. The intention was to enhance the iconic shapes without competing with them, using tones that feel enduring rather than trend-led.’

With the bar having formally opened in February 2026, the team notes how the furniture subtly choreographs behaviour, with high-backed chairs like the ‘Egg’ creating moments of retreat and privacy, while more open seating encourages interaction and movement. ‘The layout guides guests without signage or instruction – people instinctively understand where to linger, where to gather, and where to pass through,’ says Reicherl. ‘This is particularly interesting in a city like Bangkok, which is famous for rooftop bars that are largely outdoor, with indoor areas typically designed only for transit. The Norm is quite different. Even though it sits on the 42nd floor, it was conceived as an interior-led experience – a place where guests are encouraged to settle in and stay.’

'At this scale, furniture becomes essential,' Reicherl adds. 'Not as decoration, but as a way of supporting behaviour – people staying longer, talking more, feeling at ease. At The Norm, architecture and design work together to make that possible.'

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Ali Morris is a UK-based editor, writer and creative consultant specialising in design, interiors and architecture. In her 16 years as a design writer, Ali has travelled the world, crafting articles about creative projects, products, places and people for titles such as Dezeen, Wallpaper* and Kinfolk.