BUNKER

WHAT EXACTLY CAUSED THIS FRESHLY LAUNCHED RESTAURANT IN SOI SATHORN 10 TO CALL ITSELF BUNKER?…

Kevin Lim of LUMP Co., Ltd., the architect of the project, explained the concept of the restaurant and how it was conceived from the mixed vibes of Silom and Sathorn and their long history as two of Bangkok’s most vibrant neighborhoods. His intention is for BUNKER to be a space hidden from the chaos of Sathorn 10 and 12. The charm tucked away in this 3-unit shophouse is the result of the meticulously materialized interior program whose entrance, bar and rooftop deck are designed to look and feel spacious, friendly and intimate.

Bunker by Lump Co., Ltd. Photo by Ketsiree Wongwan

What BUNKER aims to be is a place for urban dwellers to dine or stop by for a fun night of hanging out. Before BUNKER, Lim and LUMP Co., Ltd. were the minds behind the design of many restaurants on Silom and Sathorn roads, most of them being renovation projects of old residences and shophouses. Lim and his design team said that they personally love the story and history of this type of space, particularly the shophouses built in the Brutalism era whose aesthetic identity was purposefully contrived. The design team incorporates such quality into the design of BUNKER with its steel façade, texture of precast concrete and parts of the wall that are left to reveal the rugged surface after the tiles were removed, reflecting the designer’s intention to exhibit Brutalism’s truth to materials tenet. These elements are used to bring diversity, merging the two prominent streets of Bangkok to Bunker’s interior space. This helps explain why the ‘obvious choices’ that today’s architects seem to favor, be they the cladding of a building’s façade with modern materials or use of striking graphic patterns, are not remotely close to Lim’s interests of aesthetic approach. 

Bunker by Lump Co., Ltd. Photo by Ketsiree Wongwan