Group Building no.11
Scala Theater
depicted item: Outside and inside Scala Theater
source: Parinya Chukaew and Architectural Heritage in Thailand II
date: 2014
1. Identity of building/ group of buildings/ urban scheme/ landscape/ garden
1.1 current name of building: Scala Theater
1.2 variant or former name: Scala Theater
1.3 number & name of street: 184 Soi Siam Square 1, Pathumwan
1.4 town: Pathumwan
1.5 province/state: Bangkok
1.6 zip code: 10330
1.7 country: Thailand
1.8 national grid reference:
1.9 classification/ typology: REC
1.10 protection status & date: operated by Siam Mahorasop company or APEX company and received the Architectural Conservation Awards 2012 from the Association of Siamese Architects Under Royal Patronage
2. History of building
2.1 original brief/ purpose: REC
2.2 date completion: 1969
2.3 architectural and other designers: Colonel Jira Silapakanok
2.4 others associated with building: Lido and Siam theaters. For Siam theater, it was fired in 2010.
2.5 significant alterations with dates: routine maintenance
2.6 current use: cinema
2.7 current condition: fairy good
3. Description
3.1 general description: Mr. Pisit Tunsajja, a founder of APEX company, rented three pieces of land from Chulalongkorn University, the landlord. Three stand alone cinemas were subsequently built each on those lands, namely, Siam, Lido and Scala Theaters. They were constructed by the same construction company, South East Asia Co. The maximum capacity of Scala Theater is about 1,000 seats. Since Scala Theater was opened on December 31, 1969, it has performed its original function.
3.2 construction: reinforced concrete structure with mushroom ceiling
3.3 context: high density of entertainment and shopping facilities of Bangkok
4. Evaluation
4.1 technical: The reinforced concrete ceiling is the most outstanding features of the building. The ceiling loads are transfer to the columns which create the special form like mushroom. Particularly at the foyer of the cinema, the columns stand from the first till the second floors.
4.2 social: Scala Theater has introduced the new life style of entertainment with cinema, restaurants and shops in one place. It is one of single-screen cinemas at that time.
4.3 cultural & aesthetic: The late Modernism architecture, Scala Theater, has the mixture of Art Deco decoration. The main entrance is emphasized by building the steps and arches. On the second floor is the cinema entrance which shows the magnificent reinforced concrete mushroom ceiling with modern Thai art ornaments so called stars. Window frames clearly show the Art Deco style.
4.4 historical: The first movie shown at Scala Theater was the Undefeated on December 31, 1969. In 2008, Scala Theater was only one cinema which showed the good quality movie such as Slumdog Millionaire.
4.5 general assessment: Scala Theater is one of the land marks of Siam Square. The combination of functions as cinema, restaurants and shops make Scala Theater as an unique meeting place of the 20th century life style.
5. Documentation
5.1 principal references: Parinya Chukaew and Waeovichian Abhichartvorapan
5.2 visual material attached: Parinya Chukaew and Architectural Heritage in Thailand II
5.3 rapporteur/ date: June 2014
6. Fiche report examination by ISC/R
name of examining ISC member:
date of examination:
approval:
working party/ref. n° :
NAi ref. n°:
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