TSS Lecture: Bangkok Modern: Architecture of the 1950s-1970s

The speaker, an urban planner, shares his journey into modernist architecture, starting with his studies in Berlin during the fall of the Berlin Wall. He emphasizes how modernism, beyond the Bauhaus, encompassed diverse styles and cultural movements, impacting society's way of living. He notes the UNESCO World Heritage recognition of modernist architecture in Berlin and Brazil.

The speaker contrasts European modernism with the distinct 'hybrid modernisms' found in Asia, influenced by local conditions, materials, and culture. He showcases examples from Phnom Penh, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, and Vientiane, highlighting how factors like climate, scarcity of materials, and historical circumstances shaped unique architectural expressions. He introduces the concept of 'Southeast Asian Vernacular Modernist Architecture,' which blends traditional building practices with modern design principles.

After quitting his urban planning consultant role, the speaker began documenting regional architecture through books. He published photo books and architectural guides on Battambang and Phnom Penh (including English and Khmer versions), followed by a 'COVID baby' project—the Hong Kong modern book. This laid the groundwork for the Bangkok book, for which he started taking photos in 2017 to capture disappearing buildings.

The book, described as a 'hybrid concept' combining a coffee table book with an architectural guide, features over 300 projects from the 1950s-1970s. The speaker's curatorial strategy focused on architectural masterpieces, milestones like the Indra Regent Hotel, and everyday modernist shop houses. He categorizes buildings by characteristics such as minimalist aesthetics, tropical adaptation (open corridors, shading systems, perforated walls), tectonic and structural expressions (like Hamorn Rivong’s pre-cast exoskeleton), and unique material finishes (exposed concrete, ceramic tiles, aluminum panels).

The speaker discusses professor Piya Lada's concept of 'Thainess,' distinguishing three levels: conventional (applying Thai style), tropical (climate-adapted elements with Thai ornaments), and contemporary (interpreting spatial concepts and typologies). He highlights examples like the Xavier Hall chapel, which merges traditional Thai elements with tropical architecture, maintaining coolness without air conditioning. He also suggests 'playfulness' as another aspect of 'Thainess' in Bangkok's architecture.

To compile the architectural guide section, the speaker utilized historical magazines from the 1950s-1980s, old issues of the ASA Journal, academic works from Chulalongkorn University, and social media platforms. He details small profiles of 12 outstanding architects and offices, mapped building locations, and provided historical context for each chapter, rich with historic images. He gives the example of the Dusit Thani Hotel, explaining its design evolution and eventual demolition.

The speaker's motivation stems from witnessing the demolition or defacement of significant buildings like the Scala Theater, Paris Theater, Dusit Thani, and the Robot Building. He touches on the controversial defacing of the Robot Building, calling it an economic and cultural loss. Despite these losses, he highlights positive examples of preservation and sympathetic renovation, such as the Atlanta, Miami, and Montien Hotels, and public sector projects like the Benjakitti Forest Park Museum and the Bank of Thailand Learning Center.

The book aims to connect the past and future by documenting present architecture, sparking reflections, and serving as a historical record. The speaker announces upcoming exhibitions of his work and expresses gratitude to supporters like River Books, Gœthe Institute, Bangkok Design Week, and especially Docomomo Thai for their efforts in raising awareness for recent heritage. He opens the floor for questions, continuing with a discussion on the former Australian Embassy and the challenges of conservation in Bangkok.

The discussion revolves around effective conservation strategies. The speaker suggests that a bottom-up approach, involving public awareness, media engagement, and advocacy, is crucial, even more so than government intervention. He explains that without public understanding and appreciation, heritage buildings are often taken for granted. He acknowledges the difficulty of influencing bureaucrats and politicians, stressing the need to educate them on the value of unique architectural heritage.

The conversation shifts to the Robot Building incident, where the facade was defaced despite its recognized architectural significance. The speaker notes explanations given about environmental standards but hints at other possible reasons, like Feng Shui. An audience member shares his experience with the Hong Kong Heritage Society in the 1970s, detailing challenges in enacting preservation legislation due to government and financial interests, highlighting the political and economic hurdles in conservation efforts.

The speaker poses a question to the audience: Could Bangkok's modernist architecture become fashionable again among the general public, similar to how Hong Kong's unique architecture gained popularity? An audience member responds by highlighting areas in Bangkok like Chinatown, where younger generations are reinvesting in local architecture, including industrial buildings converted into cafes, shops, and boutique hotels, fostering awareness and giving these heritage buildings a second life. The session concludes with a poignant story about an old man's connection to Hong Kong's railway station, underscoring the deep human attachment to architectural landmarks.