Commissioned for a new aluminium museum in Thailand, local architecture firm HAS could have opted for a flat, metal exterior. Instead, the firm came up with the idea of producing a striking facade made up of tens of thousands of individual aluminium pieces.
The Museum of Modern Aluminium, or MoMa for short - as a likely nod to the better-known MoMa in New York - is 400 square metres in size and located on the outskirts of Bangkok. The rich presence of aluminium in Thailand, inspired the porcupine-like design of the building's exterior.
"Thailand was the largest aluminium producer in Southeast Asia at the end of the 20th century," HAS said. "Its many and varied aluminium profiles lent themselves not only to the local market, but also to exports to overseas markets. However, the Asian financial crisis struck without warning in 1997. This forced the Thai aluminium industry to sell aluminium profiles at low prices to hardware markets across the country. The result of this price dump is a jumble of aluminium products, such as billboards and balcony fences in today's Bangkok streetscape.
MoMA’s design process began with a study of aluminium signage commonly seen on the streets. The aluminium components that make up the exterior were first manufactured in a factory and then transported by lorry to the construction site, where they were secured out of sight. Many of the pieces vary in colour, texture and length, and most also feature integrated LED lighting that illuminates at night. This makes the metal façade particularly striking to look at.
The use of aluminium continues inside: the museum is accessed via a tunnel made of aluminium strips, which also features aluminium furniture and light fittings. On the top floor, the metal is used to enclose a roof garden featuring seasonal plants.
