The Museum of Modern Aluminum (MoMA) project came about because of a group of ambitious clients who sought to revive the significance of aluminum in Thailand. Thailand was once the largest aluminum manufacturer in Southeast Asia at the end of the twentieth century. Its diverse and abundant aluminum profiles not only satisfied the local market, but were also exported to overseas markets. However, in 1997, the Asian Financial Crisis hit without warning, forcing Thailand’s aluminum industry to sell aluminum at low prices to hardware markets around the country. This, in turn, created a clutter of advertising signs, balcony fences, and ground-floor extensions that make up the present-day Bangkok streetscape.

MoMA is born out of such an environment. It is located at the busiest traffic hub on the outskirts of Bangkok, where heavy traffic has led to a variety of commercial marketing signs lining Ratchaphruek Road, in the hopes of catching the eye of motorists. The main roads lead to The Grand Palace, Wongwian Yai, Bangkok University, and to Ko Kret, the only island in Bangkok. More than a decade ago, fireflies populated Ko Kret, making the island a natural retreat for Bangkokians.