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Published on September 21, 2007

Recently completed, The Room, by Land and Houses in Sukhumvit Soi 79, is offering 343 modest-sized units ranging from 38-60 square metres near Onnuj Skytrain Station.

The condominium development comprises three buildings rising 8 floors over an estate covering almost 4 rai.

One of its selling points is the site's proximity to a mass-transit station. The other is that the project is fully completed, so there is little risk of buying a home that will take two or three years to construct.

Moreover, buyers know exactly what they are getting, as well as what they are not getting.

Although its billboard advertises that the units start from Bt2.5 million, visitors to the site will discover the cheapest unit is now selling for Bt2.68 million, or roughly Bt67,000 a square metre.

In comparison with other new condominiums that also offer fitted units, The Room is not offering much more, and the price is hardly cheap.

Granted that the location is probably more convenient, the overall design of the units is a bit of a disappointment, as they appear a tad too compact, and with the ceiling height at a mere 2.4 metres, its spaces cannot but feel confined.

Even its two-bedroom unit, which starts at 58 square metres, appears stifling. The second bedroom is small, and the bed inside is so stunted that it looks like it is meant for only small children or short people.

In many ways, the one-bedroom is probably better designed.

To be sure, if one compares the units here with the lower-end condos by LPN, The Room units will look inviting indeed, with superior finishes.

The estate is also packed with such amenities as a 20-metre swimming pool and a fitness room that overlooks the covered pool.

But when compared with such leaders in the field as Sansiri or Issara, The Room will be seen as somewhat of a laggard.

Land and Houses may be the leader in detached houses, but when it comes to designing condominiums, it could do with higher-calibre architects who are better skilled at delivering more pleasing space divisions.

For example, the balcony areas for the one- and two-bedroom units are built as if they are meant to hold compressors for the air-conditioners.

Considering that the buyer must pay for this space, would it not be more thoughtful to just drop the terraces altogether?

The strongest point of the estate is the ample staffing of security, administration offices and maintenance team.

The after-sales service of Land and Houses still ranks high, even though the brand has lost some of its lustre, due to stiff competition in the past five years.

The sales team here appears better trained and more polite than earlier contingents at a number of other sites.

The residential floors start from the third level, with the first two levels set aside for parking.

Viewing times are 9am to 6pm daily.

Visitors should note that the Onnuj intersection is one of Bangkok's most stressful sites with traffic congestion made worse by taxis and buses parked below the BTS station, obstructing flows and spewing foul exhaust fumes.

To avoid being stuck in unmoving traffic, take the Skytrain and visit the estate on Sundays when there's no rush hour chaos.

Itthi C Tan

The Nation