Robot Building, Bangkok, Thailand (1986)
Bangkok’s twenty-story Robot Building opened as the Bank of Asia headquarters. Its Mimetic form was less about blatant advertisement and more about capturing the eye of the world. Its design was meant to demonstrate the bank’s commitment to modern technological innovation. It marked the rise of economic prosperity in the 1980s, and innovations in postmodern design in Asia. But the state of the iconic building is currently in flux. The Robot Building is undergoing a change, but there has been little said about its plans. The building’s owners say they are going to modernize the building, opting for sustainable features while respecting the building’s original design. Hopefully, this means a bright future for Bangkok’s robot, but the future is unclear. Plans shown to the original architect, Sumet Jumsai, were met with dismay. He has sent pleas to current owners UOB Thailand to reconsider their plans “before it’s too late.”
