Heritage Building in Danger! Save Bangkok’s Robot Building

[webfact]

 

Bangkok’s landmark “Robot Building” on Sathorn Road is under threat. The heritage building erected in 1987 is likely to see its internationally acclaimed design come to an end if its current owner continues with ongoing renovations.

 

An alliance of cultural, urban design, and building conservation organizations have expressed their disagreement with the Robot Building’s owner United Overseas Bank (UOB)’s renovation of the iconic Robot Building, once the headquarters of Bank of Asia.  The group said at its press conference on Friday that the renovation would bring an end to the unique design of national artist Sumet Jumsai na Ayudhya.

 

SCONTE (the Society for The Conservation of National Treasure and Environment), Docomomo Thai,  an NGO dedicated to the documentation and conservation of buildings, sites, and neighbourhoods of the modern movement,  and a group of people who love the Robot Building jointly held the press event to release a statement that calls for an end to the ongoing renovation that will harm the Robot Building.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/heritage-building-in-danger-save-bangkoks-robot-building/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-05-01

 

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[rwill]

Maybe the people who love the robot building should make the owner an offer for the property.

 

Anyway once it is gone no one will remember it.  Humans have this resistence to change thing.

[hotchilli]

Looks like a Lego building.

[Pink Mist]

Troll post removed.

[Pink Mist]

Looking at the linked story provides this insight.

 

"Sumet designed the building to represent computerization in the world of banking as requested by former owner Bank of Asia. He was inspired by his son’s plastic robot toy.  The 20-storey building narrows on certain floors to create the robot’s body. Circular windows on the top floors depict lidded eyes where the meeting room was located. The eyes were also the windows for looking out at the view of the Sathorn-Silom area. The sides of the building are decorated with robot-like components such as nuts and bolts."

[fuehrio]

On 5/1/2023 at 5:32 AM, rwill said:

Humans have this resistence to change thing.

We call it heritage

Edited May 2, 2023 by fuehrio

[SAFETY FIRST]

On 5/1/2023 at 2:46 AM, webfact said:

that will harm the Robot Building.

No harm should come to any Robot. 

 

[John Drake]

It's been a couple of years, but the last time I drove by that building it didn't look anything like that picture. It was covered in stains, mold, with "discolored" eyes. Hideous. Ought to junk it. The Elephant building looks terrible too.