The Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra recently introduced its new “home” at the facility of the American University Alumni Association under the Royal Patronage on Rajdamri Road. The original AUAA building was a landmark in Bangkok in the 1960s and 70s, known for its language school, its modern library, and its auditorium. But after 69 years of continual operations, the building was beginning to show its age, and it was demolished to make way for a new, modern facility.

The new AUAA building stands out of the crowd in all its red brick glory, a material that architects felt would convey its interconnection between the western and eastern world. The building not only showcases the nature of selected building materials such as bricks, steel, and reinforced concrete, it also makes the most of natural ventilation and light. It was designed by Asst Prof Pirast Pacharaswate and Asst Prof Sayanee Virochrut of Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Architecture, who led the design team of EAST Architects.

The first and second floors of the seven-storey building are an open hall and an exhibition room; the third and fourth floors comprise a library and an auditorium; the fifth floor is an office space for rent, while the sixth and seventh floors are set aside for the AUA Language Institute. 

As part of the MOU signed with the AUAA, the RBSO will take over the first four floors as a base for the orchestra, providing a centrally located space for musicians to come together for practice sessions, as well as hold small concerts and other activities such as film screenings and flea markets in the auditorium and event spaces.

Having the AUAA building as a home base will be advantageous to the musicians, considering the full programme they have lined up for the 2022 season, with an average of three concerts a month till the end of the year.