mASEANa: Appreciating modern ASEAN architecture is a visually immersive and regionally groundbreaking publication that explores the rich and diverse expressions of the 20th-century architectural heritage of Southeast Asia. Through pictures of 900 buildings accompanied by short essays, the book offers a compelling visual journey through nine cities in eight countries—Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Yangon, Jakarta, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Manila.
Each chapter presents a curated selection of 100 modern buildings per city, accompanied by essays and commentary that reveal the architectural, political, and cultural forces that shaped them. Rather than framing modernism as a singular Western export, the book introduces the concept of "multiple momos"—a pluralistic view of modernity that embraces local adaptations, colonial legacies, post-independence nation-building, Cold War influences, and tropical environmental responses.
Designed for both academic and general audiences, mASEANa serves as a scholarly resource, design reference, and preservation tool. It highlights the urgency of documenting and protecting modern architectural heritage in a region undergoing rapid urban transformation. Whether you are an architect, historian, student, or simply a lover of cities, this book invites you to rethink the boundaries of modern architecture and appreciate the unique trajectories of Southeast Asian urbanism.
The publication is the result of the mASEANa Project, a six-year collaborative initiative launched in 2015 to promote the understanding, appreciation, and preservation of modern architecture in the ASEAN region. The project was led by the DOCOMOMO Japan and the Japan Foundation. Researchers and students from Southeast Asia and Japan worked together to conduct field surveys, compile inventories, and host international conferences, culminating in this comprehensive and visually engaging volume.
Introduction
- The Spectrum of modern architecture in Southeast Asia—From National Histories to Regional Histories
- Towards Multiple momos—Its Meaning, Significance, and Implications
