KASIKORNBANK (KBank) is working with Chulalongkorn University (CU) to redevelop its Siam Square Branch as a flagship branch for the Bank of Sustainability, for both the business sector and society in the ‘5.0’ era. Emphasis will be given to a blend of technology and community engagement in response to the needs of people in the surrounding area. This branch will serve as a learning center that curates new ideas for a better quality of life. To this end, a design contest for the Siam Square Branch has been held to encourage the new generation to actively participate in society and care for the environment. The winning team under the K MOVE Team category, which showcased the most outstanding design, has received an award of merit from the jury while also having the chance to gain hands-on experience with professionals.
Ms. Kattiya Indaravijaya, KBank Chief Executive Officer, said that KBank and CU will remodel the Bank’s Siam Square Branch, which has been in service for more than 50 years now. Situated at Siam Square Soi 7 – one of the landmarks of Bangkok – this branch will be redesigned to be in harmony with the development of a Siam Square walking street which will be home to multiple forms of innovation, in order to deliver a novel customer experience. The two partners aim to develop KBank’s Siam Square Branch to be a flagship branch of the ‘5.0’ era – a themed branch in alignment with customer behavior and community engagement. With the application of technology to match the design and structure of the building, this branch will serve as a center for learning and creativity in the new world under the concept of a “Bank of Sustainability”. Customers will enjoy a new experience in the Siam Square Branch; the remodeling should be complete in December 2021.
Regarding the first step in developing the KBank branch at Siam Square to become a “Bank of Sustainability”, KBank has collaborated with Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Architecture and Faculty of Engineering in the design contest for this branch under the “Sustainable Building” concept. In this contest, university students were invited to propose novel concepts for building design and utilization, with priority placed on benefits and customer satisfaction extending beyond financial services. Such factors will be integrated with state-of-the-art technologies so that utilities in the branch building can meet every lifestyle need. The Siam Square Branch will become a venue for people with an energy-efficient lifestyle to meet, as well.
University students participating in this contest have used knowledge gained from their lecturers and other experts in numerous fields to create interesting building designs which meet the contest’s objectives. Such designs combine their competency and creativity to result in the most outstanding work in terms of engineering structure and interior design, based on conservation of natural resources. Their building designs also include spaces for KBank to promote learning, the sustainable development concept and conservation via numerous activities.
KBank aims to become a Bank of Sustainability which can bring its policies and visions to life through operations that take into account the balance between economy, society and environment, and by providing service, education, engagement and practice based on a shared objective of environmental conservation and development of technology in various fields that enables a harmonious coexistence between lifestyle and conservation.
The awards in KBank’s Siam Square Branch Design Contest under the concept of “Building for Sustainable Development” were divided into three categories, namely the Grand Prize worth 200,000 Baht for the best design and structure, awarded to the K Move Team; a prize for Outstanding Creative Design, valued at 100,000 Baht, awarded to the KLOUD Team; and a prize for Outstanding Creative Structure, valued at 100,000 Baht, awarded to the Kommunity Team.
The K Move Team was selected by the judging committee to win the Grand Prize based on their distinctive interior design and structural engineering – thus creating a work that is wholly consistent with KBank’s concepts. All shortlisted teams whose works strongly reflect the desired design concepts were awarded a cash prize as a token of encouragement for their participation in this contest.