By bangkokjam
Robot Building was built to look like a robot, in the 80’s during the crazy Star Wars era. One day while playing with his son, Architect Sumet Jumsai saw a Robot toy and was immediately inspired to sketch a 20 storey building for his upcoming project as his client; Bank of Asia (now owned by United Overseas Bank, HQ) wanted something modern and different.
In later years, Sumet Jumsai became one of Thailand’s best –loved architects and also designed the Bangkok’s Elephant Building orChang Building located onPhahon Yothin Road &Ratchadaphisek Roadwhich was completed in 1997.
Robot building signifies the friendly face of technology, as the whole structure was well-planned with his eyes as the dining and meeting rooms for the executive suites were designed to wink at night along to music called “The Robot Symphony” by Jacques Bekaert, a Bangkok Composer, his eyeballs are made of reflective glass with 2 eyelids as sunshades at 6m in height, his 2 antennae are the communications and lightning rods, a body and legs. On the building’s sides, the Robot Nuts, made of glass-reinforced concrete measuring 3.8m in diameter were the world largest nuts at that time of constructions were. The front and rear of the Robot are tinted in bright blue color as it was the symbol of the Bank of Asia.
When was it built? (Approximate if you must.): 01/01/1985
What is the name of this building?:
Now UOB Bldg. but still called Bank of Asia or just the Robot Bldg.
Recognition:
One of the 50 seminal buildings of the century by Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.
Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design award given to Sumet Jumsai
Stephen Sennott’s Encyclopedia of 20th Century Architecture, the building “enhanced the world’s recognition of modern Thai architecture”
How to get there
191 South Sathorn Road
Silom
Bangkok, Thailand
10120
The Robot Building is on a busy road with a concrete barrier down the middle and a BTS Skytrain Silom line running along Sathorn Road, you can stop at BTS Surasak Skytrain platform to take some pictures.
http://www.uob.co.th/investor/contact-us.htm
GPS coordinates: N 13° 43.242 E 100° 31.614
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