Open House Central Embassy
Level 6, Gucci - Central Embassy 1031 Phloen Chit Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Open House is Bangkok's most convincing argument that a bookstore and a lifestyle space can occupy the same floor without either losing its identity. The book selection covers design, art, architecture, and literary fiction with real editorial taste. The food options are genuinely international. The co-working area fills with people who clearly come back regularly. Built for long afternoons when the heat outside makes staying in the only rational choice.
Open House occupies the entire sixth floor of Central Embassy on Phloen Chit Road, and the ambition of the project is clear from the moment you step off the escalator. The space was designed by OMA, the architecture firm founded by Rem Koolhaas, with Ole Scheeren leading the Bangkok project. The result is an open-plan floor that refuses to behave like a conventional retail level.
The bookstore anchors one large section and earns serious attention. The selection prioritises quality over volume, with strong coverage of art, architecture, graphic design, photography, and literary fiction in both English and Thai. Thai-language titles and locally produced publications receive dedicated shelf space, and the curation reflects an understanding of who actually reads in this city rather than who retail planners assume does.
Co-working desks sit within and alongside the book section, occupied throughout the day by freelancers, students, and professionals who treat the floor as an alternative office. Seating is generous, the WiFi holds, and the presence of a working crowd creates an atmosphere that feels productive rather than performative.
Restaurant and cafe counters are distributed across the floor, covering international options alongside Thai food. The variety means you can spend four hours here and move between coffee, lunch, and an afternoon drink without leaving the level. A children's play zone makes the floor workable for families, and the placement of the play area keeps it from disrupting the quieter reading sections.
Worth a visit on any afternoon when you need a place to read, work, eat, or simply exist comfortably in one of Asia's most thoughtfully designed retail spaces. Lead with the bookstore and stay for as long as the day allows.