ASA Journal 06/57
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ISSN 08<strong>57</strong>-3050<br />
ISSUE <strong>06</strong>.2014<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE ARCHITECTURAL JOURNAL<br />
OF THE ASSOCIATION OF<br />
SIAMESE ARCHITECTS<br />
UNDER ROYAL PATRONAGE<br />
LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA | BIENNALE ARCHITETTURA 2014<br />
LA BIENNALE DI<br />
VENEZIA | BIENNALE<br />
ARCHITETTURA 2014<br />
FUNDAMENTALS: ABSORBING MODERNITY<br />
/ OUTLINE OF THE HISTORY OF MODERN<br />
THAI ARCHITECTURE, 1914-2014 / THE<br />
POLITICS OF THAINESS / THAI FUNDAMEN-<br />
TAL ‘SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT’ / THAILAND<br />
PAVILION / POLICIES AND PRESENTATION<br />
FOR THE VENICE BIENNALE: THE EVOLU-<br />
TION OF THAILAND’S PARTICIPATION /<br />
FUNDAMENTALS / HISTORY, KNOWLEDGE,<br />
AND BACK TO THE ‘FUNDAMENTALS’ /<br />
INTERVIEW: <strong>ASA</strong> & VENICE BIENNALE 2014<br />
<strong>06</strong><br />
2014
THEMES<br />
32 Fundamentals: Absorbing Modernity<br />
36 Outline of The History of Modern<br />
Thai Architecture, 1914-2014<br />
44 The Politics of Thainess<br />
52 Thai Fundamental ‘Schools of<br />
Thought’<br />
56 Thailand Pavilion<br />
66 Policies and Presentation for The<br />
Venice Biennale: The Evolution of<br />
Thailand’s Participation<br />
74 Fundamentals<br />
82 History, Knowledge, and Back to<br />
The ‘Fundamentals’<br />
88 Interview: <strong>ASA</strong> & Venice Biennale<br />
2014<br />
74<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
6 <strong>ASA</strong> CONTENTS
SECTIONS<br />
NEWS<br />
16 Architect Esan 2014<br />
<strong>57</strong> ‘’<br />
20 Lanna Architect 2014<br />
25<strong>57</strong><br />
22 Sathapad Samai<br />
<br />
16<br />
WORKS<br />
IN PROGRESS<br />
24 Honda Showroom Nakornchaisri<br />
<br />
28 RAMA II House<br />
2<br />
28<br />
22<br />
PROFESSIONAL<br />
92 The Challenges of Urban Design<br />
and Development in The 21 st<br />
Century<br />
21 : <br />
<br />
100 DETAILS<br />
104 MATERIALS<br />
1<strong>06</strong> REVIEW<br />
110 PRODUCT NEWS<br />
112 <strong>ASA</strong> CARTOON<br />
8 <strong>ASA</strong> CONTENTS
FOREWORD<br />
ADVISORS<br />
PICHAI WONGWAISAYAWAN<br />
SMITH OBAYAWAT<br />
PONGKWAN LASSUS<br />
ASSOC. PROF. TONKAO PANIN, PH.D.<br />
ANEK THONGPIYAPOOM<br />
ASSOC. PROF. M.L. PIYALADA<br />
THAVEEPRUNGSRIPORN, PH.D.<br />
WIRAT PANTAPATKUL<br />
MAADDI THUNGPANICH<br />
MONGKON PONGANUTREE<br />
EDITOR IN CHIEF<br />
SUPITCHA TOVIVICH<br />
CONTRIBUTORS<br />
ASST. PROF. APIRADEE KASEMSUK, PH.D.<br />
MATHAR BUNNAG<br />
NITIS STHAPITANONDA<br />
ASST. PROF. PIRASRI POVATONG, PH.D.<br />
ASSOC. PROF. M.L. PIYALADA<br />
THAVEEPRUNGSRIPORN, PH.D.<br />
SORAVIS NA NAGARA<br />
SUPREEYA WUNGPATCHARAPON, PH.D.<br />
ASSOC. PROF. TONKAO PANIN, PH.D.<br />
PROF. VIMOLSIDDHI HORAYANGKURA, PH.D.<br />
WORARAT PATUMNAKUL<br />
SPECIAL THANKS TO<br />
BUNNAG ARCHITECTS<br />
FATTSTUDIO<br />
OFFICE AT<br />
CHAT ARCHITECTS<br />
ENGLISH TRANSLATOR<br />
TANAKANYA CHANGCHAITUM<br />
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS<br />
WILAPA KASVISET<br />
MANUSSANIT SRIRAJONGDEE<br />
VANICHA SRATHONGOIL<br />
COVER DESIGN<br />
BUNNAG ARCHITECTS<br />
CO-ORDINATOR<br />
KETSIREE WONGWAN<br />
THE ASSOCIATION OF SIAMESE<br />
ARCHITECTS UNDER ROYAL<br />
PATRONAGE ORGANIZES<br />
248/1 SOI SOONVIJAI 4 (SOI 17)<br />
RAMA IX RD., BANGKAPI,<br />
HUAYKWANG, BANGKOK 10310<br />
T : +66 2319 6555<br />
F : +66 2319 6419<br />
W : asa.co.th<br />
E : asaisaoffice@gmail.com<br />
PRINT<br />
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T : +66 2319 6555<br />
(La Biennale di Venezia |<br />
Biennale Architettura 2014) 14 .. 2014 <br />
()<br />
.. 2554 ‘Spirituality - Freedom and Creativity, a Fundamental in<br />
Thai Architecture’ <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Rem Koolhaas Koolhaas <br />
Fundamentals <br />
<br />
<br />
The annual International Contemporary Architecture Venice Biennale Exhibition<br />
(La Biennale di Venezia | Biennale Architettura 2014) was recently held for the 14 th<br />
time in the year 2014. The Thai booth in the exhibition was designed by Mathar Bunnag,<br />
who was named a National Artist in Architecture in the year 2011. This exhibition<br />
was created under the name ‘Spirituality - Freedom and Creativity, a Fundamental<br />
in Thai Architecture’ and supported by the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture,<br />
Ministry Of Culture, Thailand and The Association of Siamese Architects under the<br />
Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King (<strong>ASA</strong>). The exhibition marked the third time<br />
that <strong>ASA</strong> and others have supported and been in cooperation with the exhibition in<br />
Venice, Italy.<br />
This year, the renowned Netherland architect Rem Koolhaas was responsible for<br />
the planning and curation of the International Contemporary Architecture Venice<br />
Biennale Exhibition which he named under the theme: Fundamentals. This issue of<br />
the <strong>ASA</strong> journal gathers reviews of the event by those who have cooperated with<br />
<strong>ASA</strong> throughout the past year.<br />
10 <strong>ASA</strong> EDITORIAL
25<strong>57</strong> - 2559<br />
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The 14 th International Architecture Exhibition, la Biennale di Venezia <br />
7 23 25<strong>57</strong> 14 <br />
Art Exhibition Paolo Baratta <br />
Rem Koolhaas curator theme Fundamentals<br />
International Pavilions 65 theme<br />
Absorbing Modernity 1914-2014 -<br />
<br />
100 <br />
Elements of Architecture <br />
2 Harvard Graduate School of Design <br />
International Pavilion<br />
Baratta <br />
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Thai Pavilion <br />
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25<strong>57</strong>-2559<br />
12 <strong>ASA</strong> EDITORIAL
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MESSAGE<br />
FROM<br />
THE PRESIDENT<br />
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE<br />
THE ASSOCIATION OF<br />
SIAMESE ARCHITECTS<br />
UNDER ROYAL PATRONAGE<br />
2014—2016<br />
CONSULTANTS<br />
PROFESSOR SURAPON VIRULRAK, PH.D.<br />
SINN PHONGHANYUDH<br />
SATHIRUT TANDANAND<br />
PRABHAKORN VADANYAKUL<br />
PRESIDENT<br />
PICHAI WONGWAISAYAWAN<br />
VICE PRESIDENT<br />
POL.LT.COL. BUNDIT PRADUBSOOK, PH.D.<br />
ANUCHAR YUSANANDA<br />
PRADITCHYA SINGHARAJ<br />
VASU POSHYANANDANA, PH.D.<br />
ASSOC. PROF. TONKAO PANIN, PH.D.<br />
NITIS STHAPITANONDA<br />
SECRETARY GENERAL<br />
PRAKIT PHANANURATANA<br />
HONORARY REGISTRAR<br />
CAPT.ON-USAH CHIENGKUL<br />
HONORARY TREASURER<br />
KARNCHIT PUNYAKANOK<br />
SOCIAL EVENT DIRECTOR<br />
PREECHA NAVAPRAPAKUL<br />
PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR<br />
SURASSADA NIPARIYAI<br />
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE<br />
CHAVALIT TANGMITJAROEN<br />
SUNANTAPAT CHALERMPANTH<br />
GP. CAPT. ADISORN BUNKHACHAI<br />
VINEETA KALYANAMITRA<br />
ASSOC. PROF. M.L. PIYALADA<br />
THAVEEPRUNGSRIPORN, PH.D.<br />
PONN VIRULRAK, PH.D.<br />
CHAIRMAN OF NORTHERN REGION (LANNA)<br />
ADUL HERANYA<br />
CHAIRMAN OF NORTHEASTERN REGION<br />
(ESAN)<br />
ASST. PROF. SUR<strong>ASA</strong>K LOHWANICHAI<br />
CHAIRMAN OF SOUTHERN REGION (TAKSIN)<br />
WIWAT CHITNUAN<br />
The 14 th International Architecture Exhibition, la Biennale di Venezia took place<br />
from 7 th June to 23 rd November 2014. The event, which is held every other year in<br />
turn with the Venice Biennale Art Exhibition, selected Rem Koolhaas as its curator.<br />
Under the main theme ‘Fundamentals,’ the 65 International Pavilions conveyed their<br />
interpretations of ‘Absorbing Modernity 1914-2014.’ With an emphasis being placed<br />
on architectural research and studies, each participating country contemplated<br />
and expressed its own evolving architectural fundamentals of the past century. The<br />
results are exhibitions of incredibly divergent architectural individualities. The main<br />
exhibition, ‘Elements of Architecture,’ is the offspring of a two-year research project<br />
conducted by the Harvard Graduate School of Design and other reputable academics<br />
and practitioners where the content is interestingly interwoven with those of the<br />
international pavilions. One of the main objectives Barratta had hoped to achieve<br />
was to look back into the past developments of architecture and how they have<br />
answered to the concept of Modern Architecture. The intention was to stimulate<br />
and inspire artistic and architectural creations that are being worn down, formularized<br />
and homogenized by new tools and professional methods. The upside of being a<br />
part of this type of event is the chance for us to see ourselves in comparison with<br />
others, knowing what and how to improve. Being able to witness new ideas and<br />
developments of other nations as well as the global tendencies in regards to<br />
architecture is an eye-opening experience, highly motivated and aspiring to every<br />
creative mind.<br />
Last but definitely not least, I express my gratitude for the Office of Contemporary<br />
Art and Culture, Ministry of Culture, the sponsors and the staff of both Mr. Mathar<br />
Bunnag’s team and the association who made the Thai Pavilion to be as successful<br />
as it was.<br />
PICHAI WONGWAISAYAWAN<br />
<strong>ASA</strong> PRESIDENT 2014-2016<br />
14 <strong>ASA</strong> EDITORIAL
NEWS<br />
01<br />
ARCHITECT<br />
ESAN<br />
2014<br />
01<br />
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3-5 25<strong>57</strong> <br />
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‘B.E.S.T’ (Balance) <br />
(Equality) (Sustainable) <br />
(Transfer) <br />
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16 <strong>ASA</strong> NEWS
02<br />
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17 l 80 <br />
l l l 80 -<br />
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TEXT<br />
Worarat Patumnakul<br />
PHOTOS<br />
Courtesy of Architect<br />
Esan 2014<br />
03<br />
The Architect Esan is an event that highlights the<br />
technology of architecture utilized in the northeastern<br />
region of Thailand. In corporation with the Association of<br />
Siamese Architect (<strong>ASA</strong>) under Royal Patronage, The<br />
Association of Siamese Architects Under Royal Patronage<br />
(Lanna) and TTF International Co.,Ltd. the event will be<br />
held at MCC Hall The Mall Nakronratchasrima on 2-5<br />
October 2014 under the theme ‘Esankueng-kak.’ Furthermore,<br />
the programming of the show focuses on the<br />
notion of: ‘B.E.S.T’ : Balance, Equality, Sustainable and<br />
Transfer and will feature a Northeast Thailand or Esan<br />
architecture exhibition, goods for dwelling exhibition<br />
and various architectural projects from different universities.<br />
For the activity centered around the architectural<br />
occupation, this year’s event will feature a talk with<br />
renowned architect Duangrit Bunnag who, along with<br />
Associate Professor Dr. Bundit Chulasai and other<br />
participants, will share their experiences under the topic<br />
of New Urbanism. Moreover, an additional interesting<br />
topic, Vernacular Architecture will be presented by<br />
Kanjana Tansuwannarat.<br />
Furthermore, the event will be composed of a variety<br />
of exhibitions such as the 17 l 80 From Line to Construction<br />
exhibition, Photography Exhibition of Architecture between<br />
both sides of the Maekong River and an exhibition of<br />
sustainable architecture design projects by students in<br />
Northeastern Thailand. Lastly, there are many products<br />
for construction that will be showcased in the event<br />
offering visitors the opportunity to gain access to updates<br />
on new materials as well as products.<br />
18 <strong>ASA</strong> NEWS
02 LANNA<br />
ARCHITECT<br />
2014<br />
<br />
<br />
25<strong>57</strong> ‘ : SAPA<br />
SPACE’ 12-14 25<strong>57</strong> -<br />
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Under the organization of the Association of Siamese<br />
Architects Under Royal Patronage (Lanna), the yearly<br />
event, ‘SAPA SPACE’ will be held from December 12-14,<br />
2014 at the Promenada Chiang Mai Resort Mall. The<br />
event will include the 17l80 From Line to Construction<br />
exhibition, Reconstruction of Temples Affected by the<br />
Earthquake in Chiang Rai exhibition, Designs to Develop<br />
the Area of Kuang-Luang-Wiangkaew Contest exhibition,<br />
Lanna Architect Council of Thailand Office Contest exhibition,<br />
Conservation of Lanna Architecture exhibition<br />
and the design works of the members of the Association<br />
of Siamese Architects Under Royal Patronage (Lanna).<br />
Moreover, there will be a variety of activities such<br />
as an architecture career talk, the presentation of Lanna<br />
architects members works and the works of students<br />
from different universities as well (<strong>ASA</strong> would like to<br />
thank all members for their participation). The event is<br />
primarily targeted at architects, engineers, interior designers,<br />
landscape designers, students and traders who are<br />
associated with the architectural field, however, the<br />
aim is to also provide knowledge and updates in terms<br />
of current architectural knowledge and practices to all<br />
in attendance.<br />
01 <br />
25<strong>57</strong> <br />
‘ : SAPA SPACE’<br />
TEXT<br />
Worarat Patumnakul<br />
PHOTO<br />
Courtesy of Lanna<br />
Architect 2014<br />
01<br />
20 <strong>ASA</strong> NEWS
SATHAPAD<br />
SAMAI<br />
03<br />
01<br />
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9 25<strong>57</strong> <br />
1 <br />
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TEXT<br />
Worarat Patumnakul<br />
PHOTO<br />
Courtesy of<br />
Sathapad Samai<br />
’ <br />
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An architectural academic seminar under the theme<br />
of ‘Sathapad Samai’ was organized by the Faculty of<br />
Architecture, Chulalongkorn University with an aim of<br />
advancing the architectural profession and providing a<br />
platform for researchers and architects to share their<br />
academic research and career projects with the public.<br />
Held on 9 October 2014, the event was initiated in response<br />
to the Architectural Design Major being offered<br />
at Chulalongkorn University for its 80 th consecutive<br />
year and it was decided that the exhibition would be<br />
held annually from this point on. Furthermore, M.R.<br />
Nangnoi Saksri, a national researcher and the associate<br />
founder of the Thai Architectural Design Major, Chulalongkorn<br />
University, also celebrated his 80 th birthday.<br />
Thus, ‘Inherit Thai Architecture’ was deemed the topic<br />
of the seminar.<br />
Talks were given by both the faculty’s instructors,<br />
regarding academic research in the area of Thai architectural<br />
design, and architects who are currently working<br />
to create contemporary Thai architecture within their<br />
practices. Information regarding the history of how the<br />
major in Thai Architectural Design at Chulalongkorn<br />
Univesity came to be was also incorporated into the<br />
exhibition and featured student works, from past to<br />
present, within its presentation. Lastly, the event provided<br />
a great opportunity to republish worthwhile books such<br />
as ‘Reun Luang’ and ‘Architecture in Thailand,’ which will<br />
only be of a great advantage to students and the general<br />
public alike.<br />
22 <strong>ASA</strong> NEWS
WORK IN PROGRESS<br />
HONDA SHOWROOM<br />
NAKORNCHAISRI<br />
OFFICE AT<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
100 2 <br />
3 <br />
<br />
3 <br />
<br />
façade <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
1 <br />
2 <br />
<br />
01 <br />
02 <br />
01<br />
02<br />
24 <strong>ASA</strong> WORK IN PROGRESS
03<br />
1<br />
3<br />
4<br />
2<br />
1<br />
5<br />
1<br />
1<br />
1<br />
The site of the Honda showroom Nakornchaisri<br />
project is located in Nakhon Pathom province. The client<br />
proposed to construct the showroom in a manner that<br />
would allow it to stand out from its setting on Petchkasem<br />
road through its 100 meter elevation length. The architect<br />
designed the building in two main parts, a three-storey<br />
showroom at the front of the building and a repair zone<br />
and car storage area at the back. Furthermore, the façade<br />
of the building is bent in, allowing for it to respond to<br />
the outside view. The front of the building is also lifted<br />
making the entrance space in itself interesting. For the<br />
middle part of the showroom, an opening in the roof<br />
allows for the natural light to filter in and, lastly, the<br />
ramps between the 1 st and 2 nd floors connect together<br />
creating a flowing circulation within the building’s<br />
interior.<br />
03 <br />
5 M<br />
FIRST FLOOR PLAN<br />
1 Parking<br />
2 Showroom<br />
3 Reception Area<br />
4 Office<br />
5 Court<br />
OWNER<br />
Nakornchaisri<br />
Honda automobile<br />
LOCATION<br />
Nakornchaisri ,<br />
Nakornpathom,<br />
Thailand<br />
ARCHITECT<br />
OFFICE AT<br />
INTERIOR DESIGNER<br />
OFFICE AT<br />
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER<br />
Sarawut Yuanteng<br />
SYSTEM ENGINEER<br />
COU CO<br />
BUILDING AREA<br />
10,000 Sqm.<br />
CONSTRUCTION COST<br />
120 Millon Baht<br />
26 <strong>ASA</strong> WORK IN PROGRESS
RAMA II HOUSE<br />
FATTSTUDIO<br />
01<br />
02<br />
2 <br />
<br />
<br />
FATT<br />
STUDIO <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
2 <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Interior designer<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
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<br />
01-02 <br />
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28 <strong>ASA</strong> WORK IN PROGRESS
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courtyard area.<br />
For the programs of the house, the architect designed<br />
the master bedroom as well as the son’s bedroom to<br />
be situated on the 2 nd floor, thus creating more available<br />
space on the 1 st floor that could be later adjusted to fit<br />
the family’s needs in the future. The staircase of the<br />
house might be the highlight of the design, as it has<br />
been pulled out and located in a semi-interior and semiexterior<br />
manner allowing for the client to open up even<br />
more space within the house design. Furthermore, the<br />
landscape outside the building is connected to the space<br />
inside, a feature that can assist with climate change as<br />
well as utilize light and shadow.<br />
MASTER PLAN<br />
05<br />
PROJECT NAME<br />
RAMA II HOUSE<br />
LOCATION<br />
Bang Kradi Road,<br />
Bangkhuntien, Bangkok<br />
DURATION<br />
2015<br />
ARCHITECT<br />
FATTSTUDIO<br />
INTERIOR DESIGNER<br />
AP<br />
LANDSCAPE DESIGNER<br />
Songpol Sukto<br />
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER<br />
Sakkarn Sirisrisak<br />
SYSTEM ENGINEER<br />
Site 83<br />
CONTRACTOR<br />
On Bipping<br />
BUILDING AREA<br />
550 sqm.<br />
CONSTRUCTION COST<br />
30 Million Baht<br />
LIGHTING DESIGNER<br />
FOS Lighting<br />
design studio<br />
03-04 <br />
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05 <br />
30 <strong>ASA</strong> WORK IN PROGRESS
FUNDAMENTALS:<br />
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32 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
Monditalia <br />
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Rem Koolhaas Elements of Architecture<br />
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THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 33
Spirituality – freedom and creativity, a fundamental<br />
in Thai architecture Rem Koolhaas<br />
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Outline of the History of Modern Thai Architecture<br />
1914-2014 <br />
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The Politics of Thainess <br />
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Thai Fundamental Schools of Thought <br />
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Rem<br />
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34 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
BIM Odyssey 4<br />
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OUTLINE OF THE HISTORY OF<br />
MODERN THAI<br />
01<br />
ARCHITECTURE, 1914-2014<br />
TEXT+ PHOTOS<br />
Asst. Prof. Pirasri<br />
Povatong, Ph.D.<br />
. . <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Since the turn of the 21 st century, Thai architects<br />
have been challenged by the dramatic transformation<br />
within Thai society as well as without. While the Thai<br />
society have become extraordinarily complex, with<br />
unprecedented conflicts and dramatic developments,<br />
architecture as well as the architectural profession in<br />
Thailand are in a state of flux, a plurality of voices represented<br />
in various architectural styles. In order to<br />
understand how we get to the present situation, this<br />
essay outlines the genealogy of modern Thai architecture<br />
and their makers, in parallel with momentous changes<br />
in Thailand’s society, economy, and culture of the past<br />
hundred years. Modernity, samai mai in Thai, is defined<br />
here loosely as the sense of a break from the past, with<br />
a yearning, a longing for a better future. As it also entails<br />
a nostalgic desire for the past, the experience of<br />
modernity is always ambiguous, and far from being<br />
‘complete,’ as negotiations between various social groups<br />
worked in conjunction with resistance from vernacular,<br />
‘traditional’ factors, always made the modernization<br />
process incomplete and perpetually in flux.<br />
In outlining this ambiguous history, this essay argues<br />
against the assumption of a linear, homogenous, and<br />
Eurocentric history of Modern Architecture. It is written<br />
upon the assumption that modernity is a worldwide<br />
phenomenon that is at once global and local, as a series<br />
of new awakenings and consciousness of entering a<br />
new age that have been shared by cities and civilizations<br />
not only in the West, but everywhere. Modern experiences,<br />
histories, and cultural transformation were one<br />
mutual project that is shared by every country in the<br />
past hundred years.<br />
Throughout this long century, as they did in centuries<br />
past, architecture and urbanism played a crucial role in<br />
the creation and representation of modernity. In Thailand,<br />
like everywhere else in the world, architecture has always<br />
been strategically implemented as both a powerful<br />
symbol, and an actual instrument of social and environmental<br />
change. Architecture and its creators remain at<br />
the center of this inquiry, as an evidence of the longwinding<br />
and convoluted process of modernization.<br />
36 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
1 THE THRESHOLD OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE<br />
IN SIAM / THAILAND<br />
Modernization in Thailand was a long and slow<br />
progress in the making, constantly and perpetually in<br />
flux. For the centuries prior to the contact with the West,<br />
Thai culture had been remarkably open to foreign influences.<br />
Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and various<br />
Southeast Asian cultures had had their shares in the<br />
shaping of Thai culture. Accordingly, Thai architecture<br />
had always been responsive to both indigenous as<br />
well as external influences.<br />
During the mid-19 th century, however, colonialism<br />
began to exert a strong impact on Southeast Asia. With<br />
luck and diplomacy, Siam maintained her independence,<br />
but the impact of Western modernization was as strong<br />
as that of any colonial state in Southeast Asia. Initiated<br />
by the Siamese elites, modernization was largely based<br />
on the Eurocentric colonial model of the late 19 th century.<br />
As a result, Thai society and culture gradually changed,<br />
and modernization was, to a large extent, Westernization.<br />
During the 1880s, Italian and British architects came<br />
to the Siamese court, using their skills in Neoclassical<br />
and other eclectic architectural styles in the creation of<br />
the ‘civilized’ façade for the modernizing non-Western<br />
kingdom. Bangkok began to look like a modern city, but<br />
without any large-scale industrialization and rationalization<br />
of the West. In architecture, modernity remained<br />
façade-deep, with no real invention in both style and<br />
technique. Neoclassical-style buildings, adapted to cope<br />
with tropical climate, gave the Siamese elite a sense of<br />
the new, ‘civilized’ time. Inevitably, the dilemma of<br />
choosing between the desire to be “modern” and the<br />
need to preserve “traditional” Siamese identity arose.<br />
An example of that predicament was the Chakri Throne<br />
Hall (1882), with the Neoclassical-style body designed<br />
by John Clunis, the Government Architect, topped with<br />
wooden spires in traditional Siamese style, designed<br />
by Phraya Ratchasongkhram (Kon Hongsakul), the royal<br />
master builder<br />
02<br />
01 Wat Benchamabophit,<br />
Bangkok. H.R.H. Prince<br />
Naris, 1900.<br />
02 Temporary crematorium<br />
for King Rama V. Phraya<br />
Ratchasongkhram (Kon<br />
Hongsakul), 1910.<br />
03 Chakri Throne Hall,<br />
Grand Palace, Bangkok.<br />
John Clunis and Phraya<br />
Ratchasongkhram<br />
(Kon Hongsakul), 1882.<br />
04 Mrigadayavan Villa,<br />
Phetchaburi. Mario Tamagno,<br />
1923.<br />
05 Chaloemkrung Theatre,<br />
Bangkok. MC Samaichaloem<br />
Kridakara, 1932.<br />
<strong>06</strong> Central Post Office,<br />
Bangkok. Phra Sarotrattana<br />
nimman (Sarot Sukkhayang),<br />
1941.<br />
In a way, Chakri Throne Hall represented the decline<br />
of traditional building crafts, which were confined to<br />
certain building types for the sake of ‘tradition,’ such as<br />
temples and phra meru, temporary crematoria for royals<br />
During the last decade of the 19 th century, King<br />
Rama V increased his attempt to modernize the country.<br />
Italian architects and German engineers came in droves<br />
to work for the Siamese Government, thus began the<br />
transfer of architectural skills, styles, and techniques to<br />
the Siamese counterpart. H.R.H. Prince Naris (1863-<br />
1947) played a crucial role as a design advisor for King<br />
Rama V, combining his aristocratic aestheticism with<br />
Western architectural representation and techniques.<br />
Working in conjunction with Italian architects, Prince<br />
Naris essentially established a modern Siamese style<br />
in architecture. At the royal monastery of Wat Benchamabophit<br />
(1900), the ancient hall-and-cloister typology<br />
was updated, the design greatly enhanced by innovative<br />
use of Italian marble cladding and stained-glass windows.<br />
The syncretic design was also represented in the<br />
construction of Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall (19<strong>06</strong>-<br />
1917). Mario Tamagno, the chief architect of the Public<br />
Works Department, combined the cruciform plan of<br />
traditional Thai throne halls with Italianate façade, and<br />
modern ferro-concrete technology imported from France.<br />
The scale of construction led to the introduction of local<br />
manufacture of construction materials, especially cement.<br />
Established in 1913, Siam Cement Company has since<br />
been instrumental as the kingdom’s supplier of construction<br />
materials.<br />
By 1914, the elite-led reforms had produced some<br />
sense of modernity, without industrialization or largescale<br />
infrastructural changes. Nonetheless, the society<br />
gradually changed, with the emergence of educated,<br />
urban middle class who would later overthrow the absolutist<br />
monarchy in 1932. The practice of architecture<br />
in the modern sense remained in the hands of the<br />
Italians, Prince Naris, and a few other Siamese elites.<br />
Eurocentric historicist styles reigned supreme, as the<br />
emergence of modernist movements in Europe had<br />
yet to make its presence known to the Siamese.<br />
03<br />
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THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 37
07 Ratchadamnoen Klang<br />
Avenue. Chitrasen<br />
Abhaiwongs, 1940.<br />
08 Rattanakosin Hotel,<br />
Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue.<br />
Chitrasen Abhaiwongs, 1940.<br />
09 Back façade, Ratchadamnoen<br />
Klang Avenue<br />
buildings. Chitrasen<br />
Abhaiwongs, 1940.<br />
10 Wat Phra Sri Mahathat,<br />
Bangkok. Phra Phromphichit<br />
(Ou Laphanon), 1942.<br />
11 Chulalongkorn University<br />
Auditorium, Bangkok. Phra<br />
Sarotrattananimman (Sarot<br />
Sukkhayang) and Phra Phromphichit<br />
(Ou Laphanon), 1939.<br />
12 Ministry of Culture,<br />
Bangkok. Public Works<br />
2 MODERNITY IN TRANSIT : FROM THE END OF<br />
ABSOLUTISM TO THE GREAT WARS (1914-1945)<br />
During the first half of the 20 th century, the country<br />
was dramatically transformed in various aspects. In the<br />
years leading to the Great Depression, the absolutist<br />
monarchy was already in slow decline. During the First<br />
World War, King Rama VI tried to foster the spirit of<br />
monarchy-centered nationalism. Nonetheless, after the<br />
Great Depression, absolutism was overthrown in 1932.<br />
A brief period of democratic rule followed by years of<br />
military dictatorships; in 1939 Siam was renamed<br />
Thailand, and two years later it became an ally of Japan<br />
in the Second World War.<br />
During these tumultuous decades, the modern<br />
profession of architecture was established in Siam. In<br />
1913 Rama VI established the Arts and Crafts School,<br />
with the intention of reviving traditional artistic endeavors<br />
to enhance the kingdom’s economic revenues. The king<br />
and the government began to send Siamese students<br />
to study architecture and design in Europe; with their<br />
returns, the service of the Italian architects would eventually<br />
end by the 1920s. The first formally-trained architect<br />
was MC Iddhidhebsan Kridakara (1889-1929), an École<br />
des Beaux-Arts graduate who returned to Siam in 1916<br />
and became the new Fine Arts Department’s director.<br />
It was for MC Iddhidhebsan that Rama VI coined the<br />
terms sathapanik [architect], and sathapattayakam [archi<br />
tecture], in anticipation of the emergence of the new<br />
profession. Another modern pioneer was Nart Bhodhip<br />
rasat (1901-1954), who graduated from University of<br />
Liverpool’s School of Architecture in 1929. After his return<br />
from England, he established an experimental course<br />
in architecture at the Arts and Crafts School. Subsequently,<br />
in 1933 Nart established the Faculty of Architecture<br />
at Chulalongkorn University, the country’s first<br />
higher education institution in the field of architecture.<br />
The curriculum was thus a mix of Beaux-Arts historicism<br />
and modern British system. Also in 1933, the Association<br />
of Siamese Architects was established by the Britishand<br />
French-educated pioneers, so that the architectural<br />
profession was formally institutionalized.<br />
Notable buildings with a clearly modern aspiration<br />
of the twilight years of absolutist rule include Mrigada<br />
yavan Villa (Mario Tamagno, 1923), a seaside residence<br />
04<br />
05<br />
08<br />
09<br />
38 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
Department, 1952.<br />
13 Bangkok City Hall,<br />
Bangkok. MC Samaichaloem<br />
Kridakara, 1955.<br />
14 Thammasat University<br />
Auditorium, Bangkok. Public<br />
Works Department, 1961.<br />
15 National Theatre, Bangkok.<br />
MC Samaichaloem Kridakara<br />
et al, 1966.<br />
16 Khurusammanakhan,<br />
Korat Institute of Technology,<br />
Nakhon Ratchasima.<br />
Watanyu na Thalang, 1960<br />
17 Sala Phrakiew,<br />
Chulalongkorn University,<br />
Bangkok. MC Vodhyakarn<br />
Varavarn and Lert Urasayananda,1966.<br />
for Rama VI. Prefabrication system was ingeniously<br />
used, in conjunction with a modern interpretation of<br />
traditional Thai houses on stilts, in the design of teakwood<br />
pavilions on graceful reinforced concrete columns.<br />
Another example was Chaloemkrung Theatre (MC Samaichaloem<br />
Kridakara, 1932), a Moderne-style movie<br />
palace that King Rama VII built as a gift to the people to<br />
commemorate the 150 th anniversary of the foundation<br />
of the House of Chakri. The first air-conditioned movie<br />
theatre in Asia, the building’s simplified form with Art<br />
Deco details could be read as the absolute monarchy’s<br />
futile attempt to modernize itself.<br />
After the end of absolutist rule in 1932, architecture<br />
became instrumental as representations of the new<br />
ideologies, especially during the Phibunsongkhram<br />
regime (1938-1941) when the nascent democracy slowly<br />
gave way to autocracy. The sense of the new era was<br />
created by the government in its extensive building programs<br />
that represented state power and chauvinism,<br />
best represented in the monumental public buildings<br />
with simplified Neoclassical details such as the Central<br />
Post Office (1941), designed by Phra Sarotrattananimman<br />
(1895-1950), another University of Liverpool alumni.<br />
A major building program was the development of<br />
Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue, with blocks of 4-storey<br />
buildings designed mostly by Chitrasen Abhaiwongs,<br />
who had received some training at the École des Beaux-<br />
Arts in Paris. Some of the buildings were monumental<br />
with stripped-down details and stark façades, while<br />
others began to play with dynamic arrangement of<br />
volumes and planes. For their part, Prince Naris’ disciples<br />
also had their share in the building programs as well.<br />
Phra Phromphichit (1890-1965), for example, tried to<br />
invent a neo-traditional style that combined Prince Naris’<br />
traditionalism with reinforced concrete construction,<br />
an example of which was the stupa/mausoleum at<br />
Wat Phra Sri Mahathat (1942). Chulalongkorn University<br />
Auditorium (1939), a collaboration between Phra Sarotrattananimman<br />
and Phra Phromphichit, clearly showed<br />
the ongoing dilemma between the desire to be modern,<br />
and the need to preserve national identity.<br />
<strong>06</strong><br />
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10<br />
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THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 39
13<br />
12<br />
14<br />
18 19 20<br />
25 26 27 28<br />
3 THE COLD WAR MODERNITY (1945-1982)<br />
18 Cadet Academy, Bangkok.<br />
Somphop Bhiromya, 1961.<br />
19 Department of Public<br />
Relations, Bangkok. Phichai<br />
Wasanasong and Anand<br />
Krukaeo, 1963.<br />
20 Samila Hotel, Songkhla.<br />
Public Works Department,<br />
1964.<br />
21 Faculty of Science,<br />
MahidolUniversity, Bangkok.<br />
Kritsada Arunwong na<br />
Ayutthaya and Amorn<br />
Sriwong, 1965.<br />
22 Maneeya Building, Bangkok.<br />
Phol Chulasewok, 1963.<br />
23 Siam Intercontinental<br />
Hotel, Bangkok. Joseph<br />
Salerno, 1966.<br />
24 Mandarin Hotel, Bangkok.<br />
Jain Sakolthanarak, 1966.<br />
25 Scala Theatre, Bangkok.<br />
Chira Silpakanok, 1969.<br />
26 Chokechai International<br />
Building, Bangkok. Rangsan<br />
Torsuwan, 1969..<br />
After the end of the Second World War, Thailand<br />
underwent a new phase of modernization, with the<br />
United States as the benchmark of Post-war modernity.<br />
During the Vietnam War, the country’s infrastructures<br />
were extensively modernized, driven by the U.S.’s attempt<br />
to make Thailand the bastion of anti-communism in<br />
Southeast Asia. Industries, education and tourism were<br />
promoted, while the infrastructural basis for national<br />
development was rapidly laid down. Post-war Bangkok<br />
became a tropical metropolis, rapidly growing in all<br />
directions.<br />
During this period, the architectural profession was<br />
also modernized. Increasingly acknowledged by the<br />
public as a profession, locally-trained architects began<br />
to offer their services for both the public and the private<br />
sectors. Through legal means, institutionalization of the<br />
profession was gradually strengthened, with the promulgation<br />
of the Building Construction Control Act (1940),<br />
the Architectural Profession Act (1960), and the<br />
Association of Siamese Architects (<strong>ASA</strong>)’s Standards of<br />
Practice (1963). After Chulalongkorn University, other<br />
institution began to offer degree programs in architecture.<br />
Unlike their predecessor, the majority of Post-War Thai<br />
architects went to the U.S., instead of Britain or France,<br />
to further their education and training. The first generation<br />
of locally-trained architects started their design firms;<br />
some began to experiment with modern architecture<br />
in the International Style, while others were inspired by<br />
Le Corbusier’s principles and forms, Brazilian modernism,<br />
or the Japanese modern architecture.<br />
Under military regimes, political and economic<br />
stability of the 1960s led to a period of construction<br />
boom. The Public Works Department (PWD), now with<br />
all-Thai staff, produced standardized designs for the<br />
much-needed public buildings : ministries, provincial halls,<br />
courts, and museums. There was no invention in design,<br />
yet they represented the ongoing struggle between the<br />
need to be Thai and the desire to be modern, in the<br />
overt use of Thai-style gable roof, together with some<br />
architectural details. Examples include the Ministry of<br />
Culture (PWD, 1952), Bangkok City Hall (MC Samaicha<br />
loem Kridakara, 1955), Thammasat University Auditorium<br />
(PWD, 1961), and the National Theatre (MC Samaichaloem<br />
Kridakara et al, 1966).<br />
At the same time, other pioneers of modern Thai<br />
architecture began to make their bold experiments in<br />
the design of public buildings. Notable buildings include<br />
Khurusammanakhan, an open-air auditorium for a new<br />
technical college in the northeastern city of Nakhon<br />
Ratchasima. Designed in 1960 by Watanyu na Thalang,<br />
a Cornell graduate, the building’s bold use of hyperbolic<br />
paraboloid concrete roof resonates well with the prominent<br />
presence of roof form and well-shaded space<br />
in vernacular Thai architecture. Another great example<br />
40 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
15 16 17<br />
21 22 23 24<br />
30<br />
29<br />
31<br />
27 Indra Hotel, Bangkok.<br />
Chira Silpakanok, 1970.<br />
28 Thai Patthana Bank<br />
Head quarters, Bangkok.<br />
Amorn Sriwong, 1970.<br />
29 Esso Building, Bangkok.<br />
Intaren Architects, 1971.<br />
30 Samsen Railway Station,<br />
Bangkok. Abhai Phadoemchit,<br />
1970.<br />
31 New Suan Amporn<br />
Pavilion, Dusit Palace,<br />
Bangkok. Kritsada Arunwong<br />
na Ayutthaya and Amorn<br />
Sriwong, 1972.<br />
32 Thai Farmers Bank Head<br />
Office, Bangkok. Rangsan<br />
Torsuwan, 1981.<br />
33 Bangkok Bank Head<br />
Office, Bangkok. Kritsada<br />
Arunwong na Ayutthaya,<br />
1982.<br />
34 Siam Cement Company<br />
Headquarters, Bangkok.<br />
Design 103, 1983.<br />
35 Bank of Asia Headquarter,<br />
was Sala Phrakiew (MC Vodhyakarn Varavarn and Lert<br />
Urasayananda, 1966), a student union building with<br />
dramatic gable roof and locally-produced building<br />
materials.<br />
Bold forms with passive solar building design were<br />
other notable characteristics of the 1960s modern public<br />
buildings. Best examples include the Cadet Academy<br />
(Somphop Bhiromya, 1961), Department of Public Relations<br />
(Phichai Wasanasong and Anand Krukaeo, 1963), the<br />
Samila Hotel, Songkhla (PWD, 1964), and the Faculty<br />
of Science, Mahidol University (Kritsada Arunwong na<br />
Ayutthaya and Amorn Sriwong, 1965).<br />
Prominent roof structure, dramatic forms, and passive<br />
solar building design were also characteristic of commercial<br />
buildings built by the private sector as well. Remarkable<br />
buildings include Maneeya Building (Phol Chulasewok,<br />
1963), the Siam Intercontinental Hotel(Joseph Salerno,<br />
1966), the Mandarin Hotel (Jain Sakolthanarak, 1966),<br />
and Scala Theatre (Chira Silpakanok,1969).<br />
The 1970s was a tumultuous period in terms of<br />
politics, with popular uprisings against military regimes.<br />
Nonetheless, the rapid pace of modernization continued<br />
unabated. In terms of design, architects enjoyed a chance<br />
to experiment with a wider palette of structures, materials<br />
and techniques, in response to new needs and requirements<br />
of the modern, urbanized and commercialized<br />
lifestyle. Bangkok’s skyline began to be transformed<br />
by high-rise hotels and office buildings : Chokechai<br />
International Building (Rangsan Torsuwan, 1969), Indra<br />
Hotel (Chira Silpakanok, 1970), Dusit Thani Hotel (Yozo<br />
Shibata, 1970), Thai Patthana Bank Headquarters (Amorn<br />
Sriwong, 1970), and the Esso Building (Intaren Architects,<br />
1971. Reinforced concrete, prefabrication and passive<br />
solar design were central to the design of most of these<br />
buildings, in the perpetual quest to strike a balance<br />
between modernity and national identity. Similar strive<br />
was prominent in the design of public buildings as well.<br />
For the Samsen Railway Station (1970), Abhai Phadoemchit<br />
designed concrete umbrellas that provided not only<br />
shading and ventilation, but also formal unity and drama<br />
in the mundane daily commute. In his School for the Blind<br />
(1971), Sumet Jumsai used prefabricated elements and<br />
bold colors to create an expansive educational space<br />
that resonates well with the spatial and tectonic ideas<br />
of traditional Thai houseon stilts. Another fine example<br />
was the New Suan Amporn Pavilion (1972), a collaboration<br />
between Kritsada Arunwong na Ayutthaya and Amorn<br />
Sriwong. A concrete folded plate roof hovers above a<br />
simple rectangular hall, with lightness and flair.<br />
<br />
THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 41
or the ‘Robot Building,’<br />
Bangkok. Sumet Jumsai, 1986.<br />
36 Baiyoke Tower, Bangkok.<br />
Plan Architects, 1987.<br />
37 The Nation Headquarters,<br />
Bangkok. Sumet Jumsai, 1990.<br />
38 Foundation of Islamic<br />
Centre of Thailand, Bangkok.<br />
Phaichit Phongphanluk, 1983.<br />
39 Ratchamangkhala Pavilion<br />
at Suan Luang Rama IX,<br />
Bangkok. Moblex, 1987.<br />
40 Sukhothai Hotel, Bangkok.<br />
Kerry Hill, 1991.<br />
41 Peninsula Hotel, Bangkok.<br />
Dan Wongprasat, 1993.<br />
42 Suvarnabhumi International<br />
Airport, Samut Prakarn.<br />
Murphy/Jahn Architects, 20<strong>06</strong>.<br />
43 Workpoint Studio and<br />
Head Office, Bangkok.<br />
Ton Silp Studio, 20<strong>06</strong>.<br />
44 Bangkok University<br />
4 CONTEMPORARY THAI ARCHITECTURE<br />
(1982-2014)<br />
During the 1980s, Thai society moved on to another<br />
phase in its history, driven by the end of the Cold War<br />
in Southeast Asia, rapid industrialization and commercialization.<br />
Stipulated by unprecedented foreign invest<br />
ment, Thailand became one of the newly industrialized<br />
countries. For the first time, modernity was matched by<br />
industrialization, but with considerable costs in terms of<br />
the environment and culture. Tourism continued to develop<br />
rapidly and became the kingdom’s major economic<br />
factor. The year 1982 also marked the Bicentennial of<br />
the Chakri dynasty and the foundation of Bangkok. The<br />
celebrations and festivities demonstrated a new interest<br />
in history, tradition, and architectural heritage. The decade<br />
also saw the remarkable influence of Postmodernism<br />
and ad-hoc historicism, unfortunately driven by reckless<br />
commercialization and the need for corporate identity.<br />
The result was an architectural anarchy, with a pluralistic<br />
profusion of styles in the context of globalization. The<br />
situation is best captured in the development of high-rise<br />
buildings. In the early 1980s, large corporations began<br />
to build high-rise towers for their headquarters, often in<br />
the sensible, simple design with climatic and economic<br />
factors in mind. Examples include the Thai Farmers Bank<br />
Head Office (Rangsan Torsuwan, 1981), the Bangkok<br />
Bank Head Office (Kritsada Arunwong na Ayutthaya, 1982),<br />
and the Siam Cement Company Headquarters (Design<br />
103, 1983). Subsequently, Postmodernism and the need<br />
for corporate identity led to the designs of buildings like<br />
the Bank of Asia Headquarter, or the ‘Robot Building’<br />
(Sumet Jumsai, 1986), Baiyoke Tower (Plan Architects,<br />
1987), and The Nation Headquarters (Sumet Jumsai,<br />
1990). After going through a period of ad-hoc historicism,<br />
in the late 1980s Thai architects began to show a more<br />
refined re-interpretation of Thailand’s rich architectural<br />
heritage, and a responsive approach to contemporary<br />
conditions. A particularly interesting example was the<br />
Foundation of Islamic Centre of Thailand (Phaichit Phongphanluk,<br />
1983), a set of reinforced concrete umbrellas<br />
that successfully integrates modern architectonics,<br />
Islam-inspire geometry, and passive solar design for<br />
tropical climate. Other examples are Ratchamangkhala<br />
Pavilion at Suan Luang Rama IX (Moblex, 1987), the<br />
Sukhothai Hotel (Kerry Hill, 1991), and the Peninsula<br />
Hotel (Dan Wongprasat, 1993). The 1990s was another<br />
turbulent decade, beginning with rapid economic growth<br />
in spite of political power struggles, and ending unceremoniously<br />
with the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, the<br />
aftermath of which still lingers on in the present. Thai-<br />
34<br />
32 33<br />
35 36<br />
40 41 42<br />
46 47 48<br />
42 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
Landmark Complex, Pathum<br />
Thani. Architects 49, 2010.<br />
45 Parliament of Thailand,<br />
Bangkok. Theeraphon Niyom,<br />
2012.<br />
46 Wat Phra Dhammakaya,<br />
Pathum Thani. 1982-present.<br />
47 Wat Sothon Wararam,<br />
Chachoengsao. Prawet<br />
Limparangsi, 1987-20<strong>06</strong>.<br />
48 Temporary crematorium<br />
for H.R.H. Princess Galyani<br />
Vadhana, Bangkok. Arvuth<br />
Ngoenchuklin, 2008.<br />
49 Sukhothai Airport,<br />
Sukhothai. Habita Architects,<br />
1999.<br />
50 Wat Khao Phutthakhodom<br />
monastic buildings, Chonburi.<br />
Suriya Umpansiriratana,<br />
1999-present.<br />
land’s economy moved upscale into the more sophisticated<br />
manufacturing and service sector for both local<br />
and foreign consumption. Economic prosperity and the<br />
constant drive towards international acceptance is<br />
reflected in buildings like Suvarnabhumi International<br />
Airport (Murphy/Jahn Architects, 20<strong>06</strong>), Workpoint<br />
Studio and Head Office (Form Architects, 20<strong>06</strong>), Bangkok<br />
University Landmark Complex (Architects 49, 2010),<br />
and the design for the new Parliament (Theeraphon<br />
Niyom, 2012).<br />
In parallel with the strive towards modernity, there<br />
have also been attempts to re-interpret Thai architectural<br />
traditions. Efforts to modernize Buddhist architecture<br />
with modern construction technology resulted in buildings<br />
like the temple complex of Wat Phra Dhammakaya (1982-<br />
present), Wat Sothon Wararam (Prawet Limparangsi,<br />
1987-20<strong>06</strong>), and the crematorium for H.R.H. Princess<br />
Galyani Vadhana (Arvuth Ngoenchuklin, 2008). Sensitivity<br />
to the environment and careful re-interpretation of vernacular<br />
tectonics are also present in various recent projects,<br />
including Sukhothai Airport (Habita Architects, 1999),<br />
and Wat Khao Phutthakhodom monastic buildings<br />
(Suriya Umpansiriratana, 1999-present).<br />
EPILOGUE<br />
Since the turn of the 21 st century, Thai architects<br />
have been challenged by the dramatic transformation<br />
within Thai society as well as without. As the society<br />
has become incredibly complex with conflicting issues,<br />
architecture is, once again, in a state of flux. While the<br />
centuries-old struggles with beauty, identity and construction<br />
are far from over, Thai architects have to contend<br />
with other contemporary issues like green design,<br />
universal design, and the transnational flow of trade,<br />
amidst the uncertainty of the present socio-political<br />
climate.<br />
As represented in this outline, the development of<br />
modern Thai architecture is not a linear, teleological<br />
process. Rather, it is a constantly ongoing development.<br />
The struggle with tropicality, identity, and the balance<br />
between tradition and modernity has always been<br />
present as the driving force behind spaces and forms<br />
of modern Thai architecture. As a transnational project,<br />
modernity emerged out of the contact and transculturation<br />
between cultures, providing the stimulus<br />
necessary to keep modernity a perpetually ongoing<br />
quest for a better future.<br />
38<br />
37<br />
39<br />
43 44 45<br />
49 50<br />
<br />
THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 43
THE POLITICS OF<br />
THAINESS<br />
44 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
TEXT<br />
M.L. Piyalada<br />
Thaveeprungsriporn<br />
PHOTOS<br />
Pussadee Tiptus<br />
M.L. Piyalada<br />
Thaveeprungsriporn<br />
01 The Ordinary Hall, Wat<br />
Phra Srimahathat, Bangkok<br />
(1942), by Phra Prompijitr<br />
ABSTRACT<br />
Architecture has long been recognized as an embodiment<br />
of the very identity and spirit of its dwellers.<br />
As we undergo the extreme flow in the age of<br />
globalization however, the notion of ‘who we are’ as<br />
a direct correlation to ‘where we are’ becomes less<br />
and less distinct. In short, the notion of architecture<br />
as an expression of self and its cultural identity has<br />
never been more in question. Yet, when we look more<br />
closely, we begin to realize the nuances and details<br />
of our daily lives that are still very much culturally<br />
situated. The ‘Thainess’ in us is still at work in various<br />
ways, the very sense which does indeed manifest in<br />
many cultural and artistic outputs. The essay will look<br />
into these various manners in which the poetic of<br />
Thainess unveils.<br />
KEYWORDS<br />
cultural identity, Thainess, symbolic form, spatial<br />
experience, contemporary architecture<br />
The notion of cultural identity in architecture is<br />
nothing new. It has been frequently examined and debated<br />
in architectural discourses over the last 40 years.<br />
Presumably, calls for an architecture with a sense of<br />
identity originally surfaced as a postmodern critique of<br />
the Modern monotonous cityscape. Christian Norberg-<br />
Schulz’s Genius Loci: Towards a Phenomenology of<br />
Architecture (1979) and Kenneth Frampton’s Towards<br />
a Critical Regionalism: Six Points for an Architecture of<br />
Resistance (1983) are but a few leading works that<br />
reflect such a concern over a sense of placelessness<br />
and the uninspiring built environment of the time. And<br />
the notion of place and its cultural specificity have remained<br />
of great value in architectural discourse well<br />
into the new millennium as evident in numerous publications<br />
and symposia during that time. In the Thai<br />
context, cultural identity in art and architecture has always<br />
been a topic of interests, at times more so than others.<br />
Over the last decade, however, such interest seems<br />
to have subsided as local architects became increasingly<br />
inspired by latest works from around the world. Whether<br />
that has anything to do with the sudden proliferation of<br />
design info through web-based architectural publications<br />
requires further investigation. It is clear, nevertheless,<br />
that the relevance of cultural identity in Thai contemporary<br />
architectural design is once again called into<br />
question. In the day and age when, ostensibly, urban<br />
dwellers lead similar lives, eat at similar chain restaurants,<br />
relying on similar global brands, and consuming similar<br />
household products, does cultural identity still mean<br />
anything for contemporary architectural design? Does<br />
it become virtually irrelevant—“We don’t live in the old<br />
days anymore. So Thainess can be anything?” Or do we<br />
dismiss it simply because we are too ignorant to dig<br />
deep into what Thai identity entails? Still, in recent<br />
years, a few exhibitions have rekindled artistic interests<br />
in Thainess—the most relevant being Plod Lock Ekaluck<br />
Thai [Unlocking Thai Identity] in <strong>ASA</strong>’s annual exposition<br />
Architect’11 (2011). Another exhibition, Thai Tay [Cool<br />
Thai], at Bangkok Art and Cultural Center (2012) explored<br />
broader realms of art and culture in contemporary Thai<br />
society. Pracha Suweeranon’s book Attaluck Thai: Chak<br />
Thai Soo Thai Thai [Thai Identity: From Thai to Thai Thai]<br />
(2011) is also a testament to a resurgence of the interest<br />
in Thai identity in advertising and mass media.<br />
With such a renewed interest in mind, this essay<br />
explores the manners in which the poetics of Thainess<br />
is manifest in architecture. Given the broad timeframe<br />
and variety of works to be considered, this is admittedly<br />
an extremely challenging task, one quite risky of oversimplification.<br />
As such, this review should be considered<br />
a mere synopsis of a complex phenomenon. With that<br />
in mind, the first part of the essay will briefly examine<br />
the various expressions of Thai cultural identity in modern<br />
architectural practice (1933-1982), providing an overview<br />
or a historical survey of sort. The second part will then<br />
focus on Thainess as design inspiration for contemporary<br />
Thai architecture.<br />
Pussadee Tiptus<br />
<br />
01<br />
THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 45
TRACES OF THAINESS | A BRIEF SURVEY<br />
(1933 – 1982)<br />
As in many other non-western countries, Modern<br />
architecture in Thailand is hardly a socially inherent<br />
phenomenon, but rather something ‘imported.’ The first<br />
generation of European-trained Thai architects started<br />
their modern professional practice and formed the<br />
Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage<br />
in 1933 and was active in the founding of the first architecture<br />
school in Thailand at Chulalongkorn University<br />
in the same year. At such a time when Modern architecture<br />
was at its peak in Europe and the United States,<br />
it was only natural that Modern thinking and stylistic<br />
influences would disseminate through both these<br />
architects’ practice and involvement in architectural<br />
curriculum at Chulalongkorn. As such, a glaring discontinuity<br />
between tradition and the modern was<br />
inevitable. Studies of the evolution of Thai architecture<br />
from 1933 onward reveal virtually isolated paths between<br />
modern and traditional Thai architectural designs and<br />
practices.<br />
On a closer look, traces of ‘Thainess’—inclusively<br />
defined here as geographical, climatic, socio-cultural<br />
and aesthetic particularities—in architecture emerge.<br />
On the one hand, Classical/ Traditional Thai architecture<br />
practice carried on, continuing its reliance on traditional<br />
formal language, spatial order, symbolism and tectonic<br />
details. Modern materials and construction technology<br />
were well adopted yet still more or less subservient to<br />
traditional forms (figure 1). It is noteworthy that these<br />
traditional buildings mostly served traditional functions<br />
—namely, religious and ceremonial structures.<br />
Presence of Thainess in ‘modern’ buildings was<br />
relatively diverse. Generally speaking, they may be<br />
arranged into 3 categories: 1. Conventional Thai, 2.<br />
Tropical Thai and 3. Contemporary Thai. Closest in<br />
appearance to Traditional Thai architecture, yet not to be<br />
mistaken as one, is Conventional Thai, the most distinguishing<br />
features of which are dominating pitched<br />
roofs, symmetrical building organization and traditional<br />
decorative elements. These features were employed<br />
in a modern structure so as to ‘appear Thai’ as a response<br />
to the then prime minister Field Marshal P. Pibulsongkram’s<br />
‘Thai National Identity’ policies which began in<br />
1938. Essentially, these buildings differ from their<br />
Traditional counterparts in that their ‘Thai’ characters<br />
lie only in the outward appearances—roofs and façades.<br />
The architectonic elements, the spatial order, the tectonic<br />
language and functions are mostly non-traditional—<br />
e.g., schools, governmental offices, to name a few.<br />
Put simply, they are modern buildings with traditional<br />
looking roofs and decorations applied as signification<br />
of Thainess (figures 2-4).<br />
02<br />
03<br />
Pussadee Tiptus<br />
Pussadee Tiptus Pussadee Tiptus<br />
04<br />
46 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
Pussadee Tiptus<br />
<strong>06</strong>-a<br />
M.L.Piyalada Thaveeprungsriporn M.L.Piyalada Thaveeprungsriporn<br />
05<br />
<strong>06</strong>-b<br />
If the Conventional buildings are so purposefully<br />
Thai, those classified as Tropical Thai would therefore<br />
be ‘just’ so. The formal languages of these works are<br />
decidedly modern, yet with characteristic features that<br />
are responsive to the geographical and climatic particularities<br />
of the area. Pitched roofs with broad eaves,<br />
roofs with extra-long overhangs and sun-shading devices<br />
such as louvers, brise soleil, and masonry screens are<br />
featured prominently in these buildings, which belong<br />
mostly to the period between 1958-1972. In contrast<br />
to the deliberate symbolism of the Conventional, the<br />
Tropical’s sense of identity seemed perhaps more<br />
inherent and natural, although the screen designs in<br />
certain cases undoubtedly remind one of traditional<br />
Thai motifs (figures 5-7).<br />
02 Chakkrabongs Building,<br />
Bangkok (1932), by<br />
M.C.Iddhidepsan Kridakara<br />
03 Department of Customs<br />
by Department of Public<br />
Works<br />
04 Main Building, Thailand<br />
Tobacco Monopoly,<br />
Bangkok (19<strong>57</strong>), by Bhol<br />
Chulasewok<br />
05 Montien Hotel, Bangkok<br />
(1966), by Pol.Col.Kasem<br />
Busayasiri<br />
<strong>06</strong>-a - <strong>06</strong>-b Indra Regent<br />
Hotel, Bangkok (1970), by Jira<br />
Silpakanok<br />
<br />
THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 47
According to Vimolsiddhi et al, Conventional Thai<br />
style began sometime around 1938, while works in the<br />
Tropical Thai category appeared mostly during 1958-<br />
1972. The third category, Contemporary Thai, was only<br />
introduced around 1972 onward as a critical reaction<br />
against the allegedly superficial symbolism of the Conventional<br />
Thai style. Its primary goal was to capture the<br />
essential characteristics of traditional Thai architecture<br />
and reinterpret them through the language of modern<br />
design, materials and technology. Contemporary Thai<br />
designs, accordingly, should bear the spirit of Thainess<br />
without simply ‘copying’ from tradition. A few works<br />
in this category from 1970s which were deemed highly<br />
successful—e.g., Xavier Complex by Krisda Arunvongse<br />
(figure 8, 9), Wat Salaloy by Wirote Srisuro (figure 10)<br />
and Baan Parichat by Plan Architects—thus set a strong<br />
new direction for Thai architects today.<br />
M.L.Piyalada Thaveeprungsriporn<br />
Pussadee Tiptus<br />
08-a<br />
M.L.Piyalada Thaveeprungsriporn<br />
07<br />
08-b<br />
48 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
Pussadee Tiptus<br />
M.L.Piyalada Thaveeprungsriporn<br />
10<br />
09<br />
THE CONTEMPORARY SITUATION<br />
But what exactly is this ‘spirit of Thainess’ or the<br />
equally elusive Thai ‘essential characteristics’ that could<br />
be incorporated in Contemporary Thai architecture?<br />
Is there only one correct answer to such a ‘spirit’ or<br />
does it possess certain multiplicity due to the diverse<br />
and complex nature of Thai culture(s) itself? And this<br />
is yet to mention the intricacy involved in successfully<br />
and poetically reintroducing such qualities in modern<br />
design. How does one do it? Through forms, spatial<br />
orders, architectonic details, symbolism, materials and<br />
tectonic or what? The possibilities are endless as it<br />
seems. So it is only reasonable to look into the variety<br />
of contemporary designs to understand how Thai cultural<br />
identity may be manifest. Here the works are grouped<br />
into 2 main categories based on the way Thainess is<br />
achieved—namely, 1. through symbolic forms and 2.<br />
through spatial experiences—each of which contains<br />
sub-categories which will be explained accordingly.<br />
1. Thainess through Symbolic Forms<br />
Among all the Contemporary Thai works, ones which<br />
express cultural identity through symbolic forms seem<br />
most readily recognizable. These may be classified into<br />
two subcategories—those with ‘descriptive’ and ‘interpretive’<br />
references respectively. Descriptive forms belong<br />
to architecture with relatively more ‘direct’ analogy to<br />
those of the past, typically with various degrees of<br />
simplification; they are ‘iconic’ signs of sorts. This may<br />
range from referencing one’s overall design to a traditional<br />
or vernacular architecture—i.e., designing the whole<br />
building or project to ‘look’ or ‘feel’ like the old—to introducing<br />
traditional or vernacular architecture as a part of<br />
whole project—i.e., creating a mixture between the old<br />
and new. Examples of the former are such as Tamarind<br />
Village and Rachamankha Hotel in Chiang Mai (figure<br />
11) by Ongard Satrabhandu, The Four Seasons, Chiang-<br />
Mai by Mathar Bunnag, and Arsom Silp Institute of the<br />
Arts by Arsom Silp, which would be readily recognized<br />
07 Bank of Thailand, Bangkok<br />
(1975), by Chuchawal De<br />
Weger International<br />
08-a - 08-b Xavier Church,<br />
Bangkok (1971), by Krisda<br />
Arunvongse Na Ayudhya<br />
09 Xavier Hall, Bangkok<br />
(1971), by Krisda Arunvongse<br />
Na Ayudhya<br />
10 Salaloy Temple, Nakon<br />
Ratchasima (1977), by Wirote<br />
Srisuro<br />
as ‘vernacular Thai’ yet with discerning eyes one can see<br />
the adeptly integrated modern details and spatial<br />
modification. As for the latter, examples of a mixture of<br />
traditional-looking and modern buildings include Sappaya<br />
Sapa Sthaan, the new parliament building project, by<br />
Arsom Silp and Tonsilp (figure 12) in which the architects<br />
employ tradition both in terms of conceptual symbolism<br />
and formal analogy, and Phuket Gateway by Idin<br />
Architects. Occasionally, traditional parts or patterns are<br />
adopted as thematic decorative elements in highly sleek<br />
modern designs. Noted works in this group include Sala<br />
Phuket by Department of Architecture and Nanda Heritage<br />
by Chat Architects.<br />
On the other hand, interpretive reference entails a<br />
less ‘direct’ and more ‘selective’ or ‘critical’ integration<br />
of tradition in modern design. It may involve both iconic<br />
and symbolic references. In certain cases, it involves<br />
adopting one or a variety of traditional motifs to be<br />
poetically interpreted in modern designs, a fine example<br />
of which is Mathar Bunnag’s The Barai in Hua Hin. Another<br />
example of this appropriation of a single motif, and in<br />
this case single materials, to be applied skillfully to an<br />
intriguing and dramatic effect is Kantana Film and<br />
Animation Institute by Boonserm Premthada. Although<br />
the expression of cultural identity through formal analogy<br />
may seem overtly direct and simple, it is relatively<br />
powerful and hence more readily communicable to the<br />
general public—i.e., those with no prior background in<br />
art and architecture. Simple as it may seem, to successfully<br />
re-create or re-interpret traditional forms in contemporary<br />
language requires in-depth knowledge and understanding<br />
of the traditional contexts and various factors<br />
influencing the aesthetic and architectonic forms, not<br />
to mention the proportion, order, and tectonic details.<br />
In fact, it is quite demanding in terms of aesthetic sensibility,<br />
an aesthetic taste. A slightly ‘off’ proportion or<br />
curve and one can immediately sense something is not<br />
right about the work.<br />
<br />
THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 49
2. Thainess through Spatial Experiences<br />
Beside formal analogy, the sense of Thainess in<br />
contemporary design may also be expressed through<br />
its spatial experiences. Such experiences include the<br />
overall ambiences of the work, or its spatial qualities or<br />
characteristics, which are generated by the orchestration<br />
of the work’s spatial boundaries in particular ways. The<br />
cultural flavor in such cases may be more subtle and<br />
open to interpretation. Examples of works in this<br />
category are loosely divided into 2 groups—namely,<br />
those responding to ‘climatic’ and ‘tectonic’ aspects of<br />
Thai architecture respectively. At the outset, works in<br />
this category may seem to have little to do with anything<br />
cultural, particularly those climate-responsive ones.<br />
Indeed, not all climate-responsive works would project<br />
ambiences that one perceives as ‘Thai.’ Yet the ones<br />
which are successfully so seem to share certain architectonic<br />
features, the most expressive of which is<br />
perhaps the double skin. Notable works in this group<br />
are such as Buddhadasa Indapanno Archives (BIA) by<br />
Arsom Silp (figure 13), Boonlert Residence by BoonDesign<br />
and Patana Gallery by Studiomake. BIA, in particular, not<br />
only features the masonry screens on its façade, but<br />
also makes use of the open space on the building’s<br />
ground level reminiscent of the multipurpose tai toon<br />
space in the traditional Thai house. The screens of Boonlert<br />
Residence and Patana Gallery, although without an overt<br />
reference to tradition, generate lighting qualities that<br />
imbue the interior spaces with a poetic sensibility not<br />
too different from what one may find in a Thai house.<br />
On the other hand, Sun One by Department of Architecture<br />
and I-Canteen by Normal Studio, despite being<br />
unique works with poetic plays of light and shadows<br />
as well as captivating spatial configurations, are with<br />
somewhat less readily perceptible Thai flavor.<br />
The poetics of the making of architecture, the<br />
architec-tural tectonic, has been well celebrated in contemporary<br />
architectural thinking and practice. Yet works<br />
that focus on the tectonic of Thai architecture are<br />
perhaps the trickiest. Few examples are to be found.<br />
Among these are works by Suriya Umpansirirat and<br />
Ten House by CASE (Community Architects for Shelter<br />
and Environment). The latter is quite an interesting<br />
example whose financial constraints strip the work of any<br />
frivolous excess, resulting in a new ‘urban vernacular’—<br />
an architecture which reflects the urban Thai way of<br />
living at its barest, and perhaps purest, form. Meanwhile,<br />
Suriya’s works at Wat Wachirabanphot (Ubasika<br />
Residence, figure 14) and Wat Buddhakodom (Walled<br />
Monk’s Cell) play with the modes of making of spatial<br />
boundaries such as the floors, the walls and the roofs<br />
to a great effect, resulting in unique ‘vernaculars’ with<br />
local flavors.<br />
As mentioned earlier, the notion of cultural identity<br />
or spirit is rather complex. It is no surprise, therefore,<br />
that in many works, more than one ‘techniques’ were<br />
used to establish a sense of identity. Tiptus House by<br />
Pussadee and Bunyawat Tiptus and Pirast Patcharasawate’s<br />
House by East Architects (figure 15) are<br />
outstanding examples of those inspired by traditional<br />
form and spatial organization, while also exploring<br />
tropical design and contemporary tectonic.<br />
11 Rachamankha, Chiang Mai<br />
(2001), by Ongard Satrabhandu<br />
12 Sappaya Sapa Sthaan,<br />
Bangkok (competition 2009),<br />
by Arsom Silp and Tonsilp<br />
13 Buddhadasa Indapanno<br />
Archives (BIA), Bangkok<br />
(2009) by Arsom Silp<br />
14 Ubasika Residence, Chonburi,<br />
by Suriya Amphansirirat<br />
15 Pirast Patcharasawate’s<br />
House, Bangkok (2001), by<br />
East Architects<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
11<br />
12<br />
13<br />
courtesy the architect courtesy the architect<br />
M.L.Piyalada Thaveeprungsriporn<br />
50 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
M.L.Piyalada Thaveeprungsriporn<br />
courtesy the architect<br />
15<br />
14<br />
EPILOGUE<br />
Architecture has long been recognized as an embodiment<br />
of the very identity and spirit of its dwellers.<br />
As we undergo the extreme flow in the age of globalization,<br />
however, the notion of ‘who we are’ as a direct<br />
correlation to ‘where we are’ becomes less and less<br />
distinct. As such, the notion of architecture as an expression<br />
of self and its cultural identity has never been<br />
more in question. At a closer look, however, we begin<br />
to realize the nuances and details of our daily lives that<br />
are still very much culturally situated. Like it or not, the<br />
‘Thainess’ in us is still at work in various ways, the very<br />
sense which manifests itself in many cultural and artistic<br />
outputs. In architecture, the works outlined here are<br />
by no means inclusive. Nevertheless, they help provide<br />
a big picture of how ‘Thainess’ is articulated in contemporary<br />
architectural practice. In general, symbolic forms<br />
still play a significant role as they are most readily efficient.<br />
As such, in projects where cultural identity ‘sells’ or is<br />
particularly valued—resort hotels, government buildings,<br />
for example—symbolic forms are often involved. What is<br />
encouraging is the large variety of cultural references<br />
in use; they are not only limited to classical Thai architecture,<br />
but inclusive of the vernaculars from different<br />
parts of Thailand as well, thus enriching the contemporary<br />
architecture scene with the abundance of design<br />
resources. Also, with various degrees of analysis<br />
and interpretation at work, the outcomes look rather<br />
promising. As for works that focus on the overall spatial<br />
experiences brought about by tropical design and<br />
tectonic considerations, the ‘Thainess’ achieved may<br />
be less ‘guaranteed.’ Yet, they provide alternatives that<br />
are perhaps more spontaneous and contextual. Either<br />
way, what these works seem to share is the architects’<br />
passion to make their works stand out from the rest.<br />
After all, what ‘Thainess’ is may not matter as much as<br />
the way it lends itself as design inspiration.<br />
<br />
THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 51
During the first half of the twentieth century, architecture<br />
in Thailand, although largely productive, partly<br />
suffered from the lack of theoretical inquiry. Architecture<br />
was championed as a practical and political art. While<br />
this approach has made architecture open, democratic<br />
and socially concerned, it has also created an attitude<br />
in which making and doing architecture become more<br />
important than inquiring and understanding what it is<br />
that is being done. Such approach implies a triumph<br />
of pragmatic doctrine over theoretical inquiry. In other<br />
words, Thai architectural discourse during the first half<br />
of the twentieth century simply de-emphasized the<br />
thinking while underscored the making process.<br />
However, during the second half of the twentieth<br />
century, architectural practice in Thailand has shifted its<br />
emphasis and given priority to questioning again what<br />
architecture is, how it may be defined, how it is created,<br />
and what are its aspirations. As these questions are<br />
set as the basic premises of architectural practice, it<br />
enables architects to understand buildings in relation to<br />
socio-cultural specificities of their places. This explains<br />
why the last twenty years have seen tremendous<br />
changes in the discipline of architectural theory and<br />
practice. As graduate programs in architecture have<br />
multiplied, publishing houses specializing in architecture<br />
and related disciplines have also rapidly blossomed.<br />
Number of architectural publications went from scant<br />
to overwhelming.<br />
THREE MODES OF PRACTICE: FROM AUTONOMY<br />
TO ENGAGEMENT<br />
Throughout the twentieth century, Thai architectural<br />
discourse had been a matter of questioning about basic<br />
premises in architectural thought and practice, whether<br />
cultural, social, political, aesthetic or symbolic. In response<br />
to modern globalization, the practice of ‘making’<br />
and ‘understanding’ buildings in Thailand have been<br />
approached from various points of view. For example,<br />
one can assume and argue for architecture’s autonomy;<br />
that its form and geometry can be understood in their<br />
own right, as testimony of a designer’s intelligence or<br />
invention. Architecture is, then, approached as the subject<br />
matter of aesthetic delight not unlike the way we view<br />
paintings or appreciate music. On the other hand, one<br />
can disavow the supposed autonomy of form and discover<br />
behind a building’s dimensions, geometry and<br />
overall appearance the influence of broader cultural<br />
conditions, whether technological, social, or economic,<br />
not unlike the way we view political arguments and<br />
choices. On this second account, architecture is not an<br />
autonomous discipline but one that is fully engaged in<br />
many aspects of culture. Between these two approaches,<br />
architecture can also be considered as communicative,<br />
conveying various meaning inherent in its spatial and<br />
formal configuration as well as its interaction with human.<br />
In our own process of absorbing modernity, these<br />
three ‘schools of thought’ have influenced Thai architectural<br />
discourse over the past hundred years and<br />
have shaped ways architects and theorists see buildings.<br />
Although there have also been other variations, perhaps<br />
these three schools of thought are among the most<br />
prevalent ways of practicing architecture, showing us<br />
how our built environments can be variously interpreted,<br />
either within the process of the erasure of national<br />
characteristics or the survival of unique national<br />
mentalities.<br />
AESTHETICS OF SPACE AND FORM<br />
This mode of architectural practice simply concerns<br />
with the way things are formed and appear. The pivotal<br />
architectural debate of the nineteenth century concerned<br />
the interplay of artistic symbolism with the new materials<br />
and constructional technology of industrial culture.But in<br />
the twentieth century began, similar questions reemerged<br />
as new materials and scientific analyses of<br />
living habits revolutionized building construction and<br />
appearance. While this had encouraged architectural<br />
production based on the characteristics of a public<br />
technological society, artistic theories also cultivated<br />
an aesthetic of private subjectivity. The result was the<br />
attempt to understand and order modern built culture<br />
through both technological rulings and the individual<br />
imagination. Central to the investigation of modern<br />
identity was the creation of spaces, forms, and surfaces<br />
of the buildings.<br />
THAI FUNDAMENTAL<br />
‘SCHOOL OF<br />
THOUGHT’<br />
52 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
In general, modes of experience by which one<br />
comes to terms with reality can be distinguished as<br />
perceptual and conceptual cognition; the former is based<br />
mainly on visual experience, while the latter is arrived<br />
at through a process of abstraction, the conceptual<br />
ordering of perceptual data. If the intellect operates<br />
through the faculty of concepts, perception take place<br />
in the realm of visual imagination or ideas. But unlike<br />
the nineteenth century approach that sometimes<br />
regarded the perceptual world as inferior to conceptual<br />
or abstract cognition, this mode of practice saw that<br />
bias toward conceptual thought could lead to the difficulty<br />
for anyone to develop the perceptual faculty. Thus this<br />
mode of practice sought to coordinate the objective<br />
rules and the subjective imagination.<br />
While this mode of practice appeared at the<br />
beginning of the 20 th century through the ‘strokes of<br />
geniuses’ of design masters, it reappeared again towards<br />
the end of the century in a completely different form.<br />
Objective rules were used to replace subjective imagination.<br />
The methods of diagrammatic analysis and<br />
mapping that lead to the generation of architectural<br />
spaces and forms can be seen as a result of this effort.<br />
Analytical diagrams or maps, which can be originated<br />
from multidisciplinary issues, act as a pretext to conceptual<br />
framework that creates architectural forms. In<br />
other words, before any spaces and forms take shape,<br />
designers need to analyze existing sets of information<br />
before they transform them into their own set of concepts<br />
and tools. Among many design methods, one example<br />
of this approach can be found in an adoption of biological<br />
theories to generate rule-based aggregated forms which<br />
can be manipulated and transformed by the designer’s<br />
conceptual framework. Through such process the link<br />
between objective data and subjective imagination is<br />
formed. This represents an argument in which architecture<br />
is described on a continuum between physicality<br />
and conceptuality, appearance and inner structure. Yet,<br />
this mode of thinking aims mainly at the generation of<br />
architectural spaces and forms. When architecture is<br />
addressed primarily through its perceptual and conceptual<br />
quality, it is seen an autonomous discipline revolving<br />
within its own internal affairs of designing, making and<br />
building.<br />
SEMANTIC MEANING OF BUILDINGS<br />
As the first mode of architectural practice focuses on<br />
how the building is formed and appears, the second<br />
mode turns to its semantic quality.<br />
Among its many facets, this mode of thinking can<br />
be characterized by its search for meaning. In other words<br />
the emphasis on the appearances was replaced by the<br />
search for the inner meaning of things. We may recognize<br />
what lies before our eyes as an object, but such object<br />
may suggest something beyond its appearance. In other<br />
words, an architectural or art form may carry within its<br />
externality an internal symbolic meaning that a trained<br />
eye can decipher. In order to discuss its meanings, art<br />
and architecture was inevitably related to other cultural<br />
discourses such as literature, anthropology or sociology.<br />
More often than not, this approach partakes not only in<br />
TEXT<br />
Assoc. Prof. Tonkao<br />
Panin, Ph.D.<br />
the meaning of forms but also of actions. The meaning<br />
of drawings, models or buildings, for example, lies in<br />
their subject matters as much as in ways which they<br />
are represented. While figurative objects in architectural<br />
drawings convey stories, various methods that the<br />
drawings are made also convey the mentality in which<br />
the stories are portrayed. Both the objects and the<br />
methods can be seen as two interrelated systems of<br />
symbolism in architectural and artistic production.<br />
With this mode of thinking, everything means<br />
something and nothing means nothing. Unlike the<br />
conventional semantic research that focused on the<br />
scholastic reading of meaning that usually requires<br />
knowledgeable interpretation, this mode of practice<br />
also leads to the semantic approach of environmental<br />
study. If artistic creation can be read through its figurative<br />
and methodic aspects, architecture and our environment<br />
are also communicative that only through a semantic<br />
study of environment we can discover the means of<br />
discoursing in our building. In other words, people are<br />
only aware most obscurely of the forces working in<br />
them, forces which are fed on memory and association.<br />
Not similar to ways figurative paintings are read, but<br />
people feel rightly that those forces can only propitiated<br />
and purged through objects which carry some reference<br />
to which they may respond in the very moment of<br />
perception. In other words, every moment of perception<br />
contains a whole personal and collective past, our body<br />
is the incarnation of that past; and with every moment<br />
of perception this past is reordered and revalued.<br />
This search for meaning is thus translated into two<br />
interrelated levels of analysis, the first aiming at an<br />
understanding of inherent meaning each and every object<br />
convey, while the second sets goal to understand<br />
the larger structure of a place or built environment.<br />
Such thinking, when employed in architectural design,<br />
is often translated into the process of syntactic analysis<br />
of both the design object and the context. In order for<br />
any design objects to be developed, the kernel of their<br />
forms needs to go through analogical transformation<br />
based on the meaning they are to convey. Moreover,<br />
every object has to be read and re-read in relation to<br />
the structure of the place in which it is belonged. Architecture<br />
and built environment in this sense, is seen as<br />
a language with inherent syntax that may vary according<br />
to specific circumstances and goals. Examples of<br />
this mode of production lies not only in memorial designs,<br />
but also in other architectural constructs that see themselves<br />
as a part of a larger social and cultural context,<br />
including works of contemporary urban analysis. Instead<br />
of asking how things appear like in the first mode of<br />
critical theory, it asks why things appear the way they do,<br />
and what may result if things are organized differently.<br />
If for the first mode of practice, human perception<br />
is the center of architectural experience, it is only located<br />
in the here-and-now moment that prevent such perception<br />
to be related to any meaning beyond its physical<br />
present. But for this second approach, human perception<br />
does not begin and end in itself. Perception always<br />
contains a past in the present depth, allowing us to<br />
understand the meaning of all things.<br />
<br />
THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 53
.. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
IDEOLOGIES, CULTURE AND POLITICS<br />
During the second half of the twentieth century in<br />
Thailand, political stances as well as economic situations<br />
became the major issues that penetrated most educational<br />
discourses. Questions are; in a society that<br />
fundamentally changed, can architecture continue to<br />
derive its meaning from the same strategies as elaborated<br />
during the first half of the century, or should a<br />
new definition of architectural practice be developed?<br />
As social and cultural preoccupations shifted and different<br />
questions were being asked, it became irrelevant to<br />
seek for meanings within the closed discipline of art<br />
and architecture. Thus architects and theorist were<br />
obliged to disavow the supposed autonomy of form<br />
and discover behind a building’s dimensions, geometry<br />
and overall appearance the influence of broader cultural<br />
conditions, whether technological, social, or economic,<br />
not unlike the way we view political arguments and<br />
choices. Architecture was no longer an autonomous<br />
discipline but became one that was fully engaged in<br />
many aspects of culture. Architecture thus responds to<br />
broader cultural issues outside its own aesthetic and<br />
semantic preoccupations.<br />
While the semantic mode of architectural practice<br />
tries to read the meaning of architectural production,<br />
this ideological mode is concerned with social, political,<br />
economic as well as intellectual contexts that would<br />
provide a broad understanding of the type of representation<br />
that shaped the entire era. In other words, it is<br />
ot the representation itself that this mode of thinking<br />
is preoccupied with, but the context which produced<br />
such representation. Among the arts, architecture has<br />
a special position. Painting and sculptures, for example,<br />
are autonomous works of art that can be enjoyed in<br />
the isolated atmosphere of the museum.But such is<br />
not the case for architecture for it is only partially related<br />
to the world of artisans. Primarily it produces a technical<br />
and social product, as buildings perform a function<br />
within any given society. Thus for this mode of critical<br />
theory, architecture will always contain a tension between<br />
ethics and aesthetics. Architects may have to let go<br />
parts of their artistic and formal ambitions and focus<br />
on the possibilities offered by society.<br />
This mode of thinking is often characterized by<br />
projects that press great emphasis on the subject<br />
matters and their transformation into built products.<br />
Such subject matters are often framed by broader social<br />
and cultural issues rather than architectural functions,<br />
aesthetics or symbolic meanings. Architectural programs<br />
are vital as a vehicle where it is most possible to work<br />
between theory and practice, allowing students to<br />
develop conceptual thinking to critique or to reinvent<br />
the brief itself. Writings of various fields are often set<br />
as pretext to each project in order to create architecture<br />
that not only ‘appears’ and ‘means’ but also ‘fits.’ In<br />
other words, the production of architecture is not only<br />
to generate forms and meanings but has to be considered<br />
in relation to social and cultural framework of the<br />
place and time. As for theoretical research, approaching<br />
it from this mode of thinking differs from conventional<br />
history/theory method in a way that sites or subjects<br />
of study are not only investigated and researched, but<br />
they are often critiqued and intervened in order to find<br />
relevant implications in current architectural design issues.<br />
ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE AND INTER-<br />
DISCIPLINARITY<br />
Dividing Thai architectural practice during the 20 th<br />
century into three different modes does not mean that<br />
they were being practiced and taught separately. The<br />
three modes of aesthetic, semantic and ideological<br />
approaches may also work together to create a new set<br />
of questions. Yet, despite their differences, these modes<br />
of practice were transformed at the beginning of the<br />
21 st century into something common which lies in their<br />
interdisciplinarity. In most academic context, the terms<br />
mutidisciplinarity and interdisciplinarity are often interchangeable.<br />
Yet at the core of their methods, the two<br />
notions are different. Mutidisciplinarity refers to a way<br />
of working where a number of disciplines are present<br />
but maintain their own distinct identities and ways of<br />
doing things. Interdisciplinairy, on the other hand, allows<br />
individuals to move between disciplines and in so doing<br />
question the ways in which they work. In other words,<br />
it is more of a collaboration that the emphasis is less<br />
on disciplinary distinctions and more on how different<br />
disciplines work together towards end points through<br />
mutual consent.<br />
While contemporary Thai architecture still rests<br />
within aesthetic, semantic and ideological modes of<br />
practice, multiple disciplines are much more engaged,<br />
whether artistic, scientific, anthropological, social, cultural,<br />
political or economic. This means current architectural<br />
practice in Thailand requires a mode of thinking that is<br />
not restricted to only one professional field. It occupies<br />
a place in-between where movement or methodology<br />
between theory and practice cannot be linear. Thus,<br />
practice can be seen a three dimensional web of relationship<br />
between disciplines that call into questions<br />
what we normally take for granted. At times, this web<br />
of interdisciplinarity may require that we question our<br />
methodologies, the way we do things, our terminologies.<br />
Each historical moment offers a particular set of<br />
conditions, depending on their own circumstances,<br />
and each person takes a different point of view. In many<br />
ways, the emerging practice of critical theory may unite<br />
theory and practice as a transformative, although<br />
difficult, way of working which is rigorous, reflective,<br />
creative, productive as well as critical.<br />
Understanding these different architectural<br />
approaches may help us understand the forces that<br />
have helped shape the history of Thai architectural<br />
discipline. Both theory and practice characterize the way<br />
others performed architectural thinking in the past, which<br />
is indispensable in shaping our future. They are at a<br />
distance to us in that their historical context becomes<br />
essential to understand them. Yet, they are present in<br />
that they stand in front of us as partial answers to the<br />
questions we ask ourselves today.<br />
54 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
56 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
THEME <strong>ASA</strong> <strong>57</strong>
58 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 59
60 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 61
62 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 63
FUNDAMENTALS<br />
ARCHITECTURE NOT ARCHITECTS<br />
14 INTERNATIONAL<br />
ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITION<br />
VENICE, ITALY 2014<br />
EXHIBITION DESIGNER<br />
LEK MATHAR BUNNAG<br />
DESIGN PRODUCTION AND INSTALLATION<br />
BUNNAG ARCHITECTS INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANTS BANGKOK, THAILAND<br />
TEAM MEMBERS<br />
LEK MATHAR BUNNAG, LOUISA KA FUNG BUNNAG, NOOK THAWEE KHAMKITI,<br />
AON PANDARI PHUTHARARAK, KORN NARAKORN THANAKHUN, THAT SUTHAT PHONPUAK,<br />
SRI BOONSRI KAMCHAN, AIKE AIYARIN JANTANKAEW, PUN PUNIKA CHAIYAWAT,<br />
ARM YOTSARET BANCHAKORN, SAWIT PHANNARANGSRI, BOM PHAKAPHOL CHINBURI,<br />
JAI SEMONE BUNNAG, SOMMAI TUBTHONG, THONGDANG MEEPO, PORNPIMON PIUMPONGSUK<br />
COMMISSIONERS<br />
ASSOCIATION OF SIAMESE ARCHITECTS UNDER ROYAL PATRONAGE (SMITH OBAYAWAT)<br />
OFFICE OF CONTEMPORARY ART AND CULTURE, MINISTRY OF CULTURE (KHEMCHAT THEPCHAI)<br />
CURATOR<br />
LEK MATHAR BUNNAG<br />
DEPUTY CURATORS<br />
TONKAO PANIN, M.L. PIYALADA THAVEEPRUNGSRIPORN, PIRASRI POVATONG<br />
COLLABORATORS<br />
PRAWEEN CHUSILP, STRUCTURAL ENGINEER<br />
ASSISTANTS OF THE COMMISSIONERS<br />
VIMOLLUCK CHUCHAT, SOMPORN PHANTHONG,<br />
PORNPAS SIRICURURATANA, THRERAYUT SWITASHART, SALILA TRAKULVECH<br />
WITH THE SUPPORT OF<br />
TCC CAPITAL LAND LIMITED<br />
SCG BUILDING MATERIALS CO., LTD<br />
SIAM PIWAT CO., LTD<br />
SIAM SINDHORN CO., LTD<br />
WEBSITE<br />
WWW.THAIARCHVENICE.ORG<br />
CONTACT<br />
FORIEGNAFFAIRS@<strong>ASA</strong>.OR.TH<br />
THAIARCHVENICE@GMAIL.COM<br />
WWW.<strong>ASA</strong>.OR.TH<br />
WWW.OCAC.GO.TH<br />
64 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
01<br />
POLICIES AND PRESENTATION<br />
FOR THE VENICE BIENNALE<br />
THE EVOLUTION OF<br />
THAILAND’S PARTICIPATION<br />
TEXT<br />
Asst. Prof. Apiradee<br />
Kasemsuk, Ph.D.<br />
PHOTOS<br />
01, 03, 05<br />
Chanida Lumtaweepaisal<br />
02, 04<br />
Nuttinee Karnchanaporn<br />
<strong>06</strong><br />
Asst. Prof. Apiradee<br />
Kasemsuk, Ph.D.<br />
<br />
-<br />
<br />
‘’<br />
12, 13 14 <br />
( )<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
-<br />
<br />
<br />
The Association of Siamese Architects under Royal<br />
Patronage in partnership with the Office of Contemporary<br />
Art and Culture, Ministry of Culture, has selected works<br />
representing Thailand to be shown at the International<br />
Architecture Exhibition over several years i.e. 12 th , 13 th<br />
and 14 th in Venice, Italy which is hereafter called the<br />
Venice Biennale. In these three exhibitions, each participating<br />
work and presentation was totally different.<br />
This was probably the result of implementation policies<br />
and the way each work was developed to fit with the<br />
situation at each time. Therefore, the interrelationships<br />
between the policies and the presentations of the exhibitions,<br />
including the history of the exhibition implementations,<br />
should be recorded here for the benefit of the<br />
future organizer of this exhibition.<br />
66 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
12 .. 2010 :<br />
Director Kazuyo Sejima & Ryue Nishizawa<br />
12 <br />
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( <br />
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8 <br />
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80 <br />
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1, 2 3 <br />
5 <br />
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<br />
(<br />
<br />
) (<br />
) <br />
<br />
01 12<br />
.. 2010<br />
<br />
8 <br />
<br />
-<br />
(<br />
) <br />
-<br />
2-3 <br />
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8 8 <br />
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-<br />
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1, 2 3 <br />
<br />
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30 <br />
<br />
THE 12 TH EXHIBITION IN 2010<br />
PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SIAMESE ARCHITECTS I<br />
<br />
THAWEEJIT CHANDR<strong>ASA</strong>KH I <br />
VICE PRESIDENT I <br />
CHALAY KUNAWONG I <br />
DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF CONTEMPORARY ART AND CULTURE I<br />
<br />
PRISSANA PONG-TADSIRIKUL I <br />
CURATORS I <br />
APIRADEE KASEMSOOK AND NATTHINEE KACHANAPORN I <br />
<br />
CURATING TEAM I <br />
CHARTCHALERM KLEOPATTINONT, KOMKRIT THANAPET AND SOMPIT FUSAKUL<br />
I <br />
<br />
THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 67
THE 12 TH EXHIBITION IN 2010 :<br />
DIRECTOR KAZUYO SEJIMA & RYUE NISHIZAWA<br />
The 12 th Venice Biennale International Architecture<br />
Exhibition was the first time that the Association of<br />
Siamese Architects (<strong>ASA</strong>) had been involved in its organization.<br />
The exhibition was not well-known among<br />
architects (which was different from the Venice Biennale<br />
International Art exhibition which was well-known among<br />
artists). Therefore, in organizing this exhibition, the <strong>ASA</strong><br />
encouraged various Association members to participate<br />
and to use this event as a stage to provide opportunities<br />
and to introduce young architects to international architecture<br />
standards.<br />
As a means of organizing the event, the <strong>ASA</strong> chose<br />
a competition, organized into two rounds. In the first<br />
round, competitors designed a concept. Eight concepts<br />
were selected from the competition entries and each<br />
of these received funding to develop their concept for<br />
the second and final round. In this final round, competitors<br />
presented a scale model that could actually be used.<br />
This was the basis for the final judging at the <strong>ASA</strong> event.<br />
Each of the two rounds had the same judging panels<br />
with the final round including an additional expert who<br />
joined the panel. This expert had prior experience in<br />
organizing the Venice Biennale Art exhibition and was<br />
therefore invited to be the president of the judging panel.<br />
The Association appointed a subcommittee to be responsible<br />
for the organization of the exhibition.<br />
On this occasion, the competition attracted around<br />
80 participants, but the final judging committee considered<br />
that only a limited number of quality entries were received<br />
in terms of concept and the possibility in realizing these<br />
into models. This was partly explained by most of the<br />
entries being works from young architects, many of<br />
whom rarely had working experience, and also the fact<br />
that the participants did not fully understand the rationales<br />
of the Venice Biennale Architecture Exhibition. Additionally,<br />
the quality of materials used in making the models for<br />
the final contest were not of a high enough standard,<br />
which could be a result of the entrants having received<br />
limited funding from the <strong>ASA</strong>. However, the judging<br />
panels selected the winners for 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd prizes as<br />
well as five other entrants who were awarded merit prizes.<br />
Freighting costs were a key issue, as was the tight<br />
time frame for dispatching the works to the exhibition<br />
in Italy. Airfreight costs were very high and sea freight<br />
would require more than three months time. The large<br />
size of the works would command even higher costs<br />
if they were to be dispatched by airfreight. After discussion,<br />
the exhibition subcommittee agreed that they needed<br />
to revise the plan for sending all eight pieces of physical<br />
works to be displayed at the exhibition. Instead, it was<br />
decided to substitute exhibiting the works with a short<br />
film. Each of the eight pieces of the final works were<br />
set up in a venue in Bangkok which the owners of the<br />
works believed would express their concept at its best.<br />
For the convenience of shooting, each work was mixed<br />
with computer graphics showing the relationships and<br />
the changes between the locations. Each short film was<br />
about 2-3 minutes in length.<br />
02 13<br />
.. 2012<br />
03 12<br />
.. 2010<br />
These eight short films were presented at the<br />
actual exhibition through eight monitors with a map of<br />
Bangkok functioning as a base to connect the eight films<br />
together. There was also a map of Bangkok and the title<br />
of the exhibition which functioned as a background.<br />
The entrance for the exhibition was located at the front,<br />
so that the films could be viewed continuously or each<br />
film could also be viewed individually. Overall, the display<br />
was rather modest as befitting for a small country that<br />
was participating in the exhibition for the first time.<br />
However, the exhibition looked bare because of its nature<br />
which displayed the works with monitors. Also, the<br />
organizer decided to situate the main walkway directly<br />
in the middle of the exhibition layout and this divided<br />
the exhibition into two sections.<br />
The winners of the 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd awards received<br />
funding to visit the Venice Biennale and participate in the<br />
opening of the exhibition; thus, about ten architects could<br />
experience the Venice Biennale International Architecture<br />
exhibition. At the exhibition opening, the number of<br />
press and media representatives and audience members<br />
exceeded expectations. This may have been in response<br />
to the occasion being the first time that some countries<br />
had participated in the event, or could also have been<br />
partially due to the fact that Thai food was also served.<br />
An estimated 30 Thais and Thai architects visited the<br />
exhibition during the show.<br />
68 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
THE 13 TH EXHIBITION IN 2012<br />
PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SIAMESE ARCHITECTS I<br />
<br />
SMITH OBAYAWAT I <br />
VICE PRESIDENT I <br />
TONKAO PANIN I <br />
DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF CONTEMPORARY ART AND CULTURE I<br />
<br />
CHAI NAKORNCHAI I <br />
CURATORS I <br />
APIRADEE KASEMSOOK AND NATTHINEE KANCHANAPORN I <br />
<br />
CURATING TEAM I <br />
KHAISRI PAKSOOKCHAROEN, TONKAO PANIN, WIRAT PANTHAPANKUL AND<br />
NARONGWIT AREEMIT I <br />
<br />
13 .. 2012 :<br />
Director David Chipperfield<br />
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THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 69
13 TH EXHIBITION IN 2012:<br />
DIRECTOR DAVID CHIPPERFIELD<br />
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200 <br />
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04 13<br />
.. 2012<br />
05 12<br />
.. 2010<br />
The rationales of the Association of Siamese Architects<br />
(<strong>ASA</strong>) in organizing this exhibition was to encourage<br />
various groups to participate, to show the variety of<br />
architecture work in Thailand and to establish a partnership<br />
to financially support the organization of this exhibition.<br />
Four groups of architects participated in this exhibition<br />
to show their works. The first group was a well-established<br />
architectural firm whose group of partners fully<br />
supported the financial expenditure of dispatching their<br />
works. This group consisted of nine firms, each of which<br />
submitted one piece of work. The second group was<br />
a group of five young architectural firms who were<br />
finalists in the Design competition ‘Plaza’ in honor of<br />
His Majesty the King. This second group of partners<br />
contributed one third of the costs for dispatching their<br />
work to the exhibition and exhibited their works in a<br />
set, each set having three pieces relating to the design<br />
contest. The third group was from the Faculties of<br />
Architecture from eight state and private universities<br />
both in Bangkok and outlying provinces. This group of<br />
partners also financially supported the costs for dispatching<br />
their works to the exhibition. Each faculty<br />
submitted one piece of work. The fourth group was<br />
comprised of a selection from the entries of the design<br />
concept competition. The Architectural Association<br />
underwrote the dispatch costs for the selected works,<br />
but the group had to cover their own costs for making<br />
their works.<br />
The subcommittee set a limit on the size and weight<br />
of each work using the standard dimensions of international<br />
airfreight packaging. This became necessary,<br />
as there were many works and limited funding for<br />
the freighting, installation, exhibition and electricity<br />
costs as well as the fees for security and flood safety<br />
insurance.<br />
The exhibition format involved the displaying of<br />
works on plinths with overhead lighting and the subcommittee<br />
discussed various styles of exhibition layout.<br />
Eventually, it was agreed that setting a standard size<br />
and display format might limit creativity but could help<br />
to control the quality of the work. Although the quality<br />
still varied, it was superior to that of the previous<br />
exhibition.<br />
For viewing, the exhibition frontage was opened<br />
up to a width of over ten meters with the wall of the<br />
building serving as a background for the exhibition.<br />
This made it easier for spectators to view and access<br />
the exhibition. The content of the exhibition was varied<br />
and clearly reflected the set policies. As many works<br />
were displayed, some audience members chose to view<br />
only some of the works. The organizer had improved<br />
the layout of the space and instead of dividing the<br />
exhibition space into two sections by the walkway as<br />
in the previous year, the exhibition space was set in a<br />
singular space. This allowed for every work to be shown<br />
together, and made the overall exhibition space seem<br />
bigger.<br />
70 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
Apart from this, the number of participants increased.<br />
This was the direct result of the increased number of<br />
Thai architects participating in the event. This made the<br />
exhibition from Thailand more exciting and lively. Having<br />
many partners involved in the project also brought a<br />
large audience to the exhibition stemming from both<br />
the participants themselves and their friends. It was<br />
estimated that up to 200 attendees came to the exhibition.<br />
This showed that the exhibition met the policy aims of<br />
publicizing the Venice Biennale International Architecture<br />
Exhibition to Thai architects and to the members of the<br />
Association of Siamese Architects. However, the impact<br />
of the exhibition still did not reach expectations.<br />
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THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 71
14 TH EXHIBITION IN 2014 :<br />
DIRECTOR REM KOOLHAAS<br />
THE 14 TH EXHIBITION IN 2014<br />
PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SIAMESE ARCHITECTS I<br />
<br />
SMITH OBAYAWAT I <br />
VICE PRESIDENT I <br />
TONKAO PANIN I <br />
DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF CONTEMPORARY ART AND CULTURE I<br />
<br />
KHEMCHART THEPCHAI I <br />
CURATOR I <br />
MATHAR BUNNAG I <br />
CURATING TEAM I <br />
TONKAO PANIN, M.L.PIYALADA DEVAKUL THAVEEPRUNGSRIPORN AND PIRASRI<br />
POVATONG I <br />
This year’s policy was to show works of National<br />
Artists in Architecture. The Association of Siamese<br />
Architects invited Mr. Mathar Bunnag to manage the<br />
exhibition, who served as both the curator and an artist<br />
as well. The subcommittee helped in coordinating the<br />
project and the exhibition was unified and consistent.<br />
The composition and lighting control was well done<br />
(but for this writer was rather dim). Moreover, with content<br />
focused on the abstract, some of the audience who<br />
had not read the catalogue beforehand may not have<br />
been able to understand the exhibition. Furthermore,<br />
as the exhibition was rather confined, some people<br />
might reluctant to enter. However, the features of the<br />
exhibition were much different from other exhibitions<br />
making it ‘easier on the eye’ than the heavy content<br />
of other exhibitions.<br />
There were many invited guests from Europe<br />
and a group of students and alumni from the Faculty<br />
of Architecture, Silpakorn University and from the Faculty<br />
of Architecture and Design of King Mongkut’s University<br />
of Technology, Thonburi in attendance. This made for a<br />
lively opening similar to the opening of the 13 th exhibition,<br />
but it is uncertain whether a greater number of Thai<br />
architects attended the exhibition than the previous<br />
year during its display period. (This year the exhibition<br />
was extended up to six months, which was double the<br />
usual duration).<br />
The details of these three exhibitions reflect the<br />
relationships between the policies and presentations<br />
of the exhibitions organized by the Association of Siamese<br />
Architects and their success through the numbers of<br />
Thai audience members who participated and attended.<br />
The question is, what direction should the policy direction<br />
of the Architectural Association take for the organization<br />
of the 15 th exhibition? The aim would be to create more<br />
impact in publicizing the importance of the Venice<br />
Biennale International Architecture exhibition to both<br />
the association’s members as well as the overall society,<br />
and also to encourage more participants and audience<br />
members to participate in the exhibition.<br />
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<strong>06</strong><br />
72 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
964 4 <br />
30000<br />
T. +66 44327<strong>06</strong>1 / +66 861465089<br />
F. +66 44327239<br />
E. buafoam@gmail.com<br />
www.e-d.co.th / www.buabau.com<br />
ELITE DECOR<br />
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EPS <br />
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FUNDAMENTALS<br />
01<br />
TEXT<br />
Asst. Prof. Pirasri<br />
Povatong, Ph.D.<br />
PHOTOS<br />
Giorgio Zucchiatti<br />
Francesco Galli<br />
Italo Rondinella<br />
Courtesy la Biennale<br />
di Venezia<br />
8 .. 2013 <br />
.. 2014 <br />
Rem Koolhaas <br />
OMA<br />
.. 2014<br />
<br />
.. 1914 <br />
Rem Koolhaas (theme)<br />
Fundamentals<br />
() <br />
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Rem Koolhaas<br />
.. 2014 <br />
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2 <br />
Absorbing Modernity: 1914-2014 Elements of<br />
Architecture<br />
On the 8 th January 2013, the committee of la Biennale<br />
di Venezia 2014 chose Rem Koolhaas, thesuperstar<br />
architect, contemporary architecture academician and<br />
the founder of architectural firm OMA (Office for Metropolitan<br />
Architecture) to serve as the curator of this 2014<br />
International Architecture Exhibition. This celebrated<br />
exhibition has been held continuously in Venice, Italy<br />
since 1914, making this year the centennial occurrence<br />
of the celebrated event. That being so, Koolhaas decided<br />
that the main theme for this latest Venice Biennale<br />
exhibition should be ‘Fundamentals’ under the hypothesis<br />
that, in the last 100 years of globalization, architectures<br />
that were once specific and local have become<br />
interchangeable and global due to the clashing of cultures<br />
along with the fast growth of technological advancements,<br />
resulting in a new architectural language for<br />
modern and contemporary architecture that is exhausted<br />
and unimaginative. Koolhaas therefore wanted the<br />
Venice Biennale 2014 to function as a form of research<br />
and present information on said phenomenon that<br />
have occurred over the past 100 years in two aspects<br />
defined as ‘Absorbing Modernity: 1914-2014’ and<br />
‘Elements of Architecture.’<br />
74 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
01 Central Pavilion<br />
02 Giardini<br />
ABSORBING MODERNITY: 1914-2014<br />
Koolhaas <br />
<br />
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-<br />
(universal,<br />
modern language of architecture) -<br />
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<br />
Koolhaas <br />
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‘’ (pavilion) <br />
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Koolhaas <br />
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Elements of<br />
Architecture Koolhaas <br />
<br />
Koolhaas <br />
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<br />
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<br />
( <br />
) <br />
Koolhaas <br />
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‘’ <br />
<br />
(modernization) <br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
Koolhaas<br />
02<br />
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THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 75
ABSORBING MODERNITY: 1914-2014<br />
For the first aspect of the exhibition, Koolhaas has<br />
specified that each country should study and present<br />
information regarding the transformation of architecture<br />
throughout the past century under the hypothesis<br />
that, during the last 100 years, it once made sense to<br />
talk about how a specific characteristic of any nation’s<br />
architecture has developed into a universal, modern<br />
language of architecture with similar terms and glossary<br />
as well as an interchangeable universal aesthetic.<br />
The globalization process is also the cause of significant<br />
encounters resulting in the clashing of cultures<br />
across the world. Koolhaas intended to point out this<br />
keystone under the context of the Biennale exhibition<br />
that will be exhibiting pavilions from multi-nations<br />
under said hypothesis that the architectural identity of<br />
every nation has been blurred and fused into a new,<br />
modern architectural language. Koolhaas is interested<br />
in the formation of this modern architectural language<br />
that has been analyzed and explained through his<br />
study and curation of the most significant aspect of<br />
this year’s Biennale, the ‘Elements of Architecture’<br />
exhibition. In other words, Koolhaas is not primarily<br />
concerned with how each country will present the<br />
story of their development in architecture, because he<br />
has already concluded that, in the end, architects from<br />
all around the world are using the same architectural<br />
language, the same set of forms, structures, systems,<br />
and the same architectural elements (such as the floor,<br />
the wall the roof, the door, windows, toilet, stairs,<br />
elevators, ramp, etc.).<br />
Furthermore, Koolhaas is very aware of the complexity<br />
within the evolution of the modern architectural<br />
language and has emphasized that each country<br />
should focus on this intricacy. The battle between national<br />
identity and the “desire for modernity,” cultural<br />
exchange, technological developments and modernization<br />
in the architectural field is a phenomenon that<br />
began worldwide simultaneously. Each country has<br />
its own historical context, politics and different rates<br />
of development; however, they all end with the same<br />
outcome which has, according to Koolhass, later<br />
become known as contemporary architecture.<br />
03 Balcony<br />
04 Introduction<br />
05 From book for<br />
architects<br />
<strong>06</strong> FaÇade<br />
03<br />
76 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
05<br />
04<br />
ELEMENTS OF ARCHITECTURE<br />
Koolhaas -<br />
(elements)<br />
15 <br />
(façade) <br />
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Koolhaas <br />
(micro histories)<br />
<br />
‘’ <br />
Koolhaas <br />
‘’<br />
<br />
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Koolhaas <br />
‘’ <br />
‘’ <br />
‘’ <br />
<br />
Elements of<br />
Architecture Koolhaas <br />
-<br />
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Koolhaas <br />
-<br />
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<br />
(linear progression<br />
of history) <br />
-<br />
Elements of Architecture<br />
<br />
‘’ <br />
<br />
(infographic) <br />
Koolhaas <br />
<strong>06</strong><br />
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THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 77
ELEMENTS OF ARCHITECTURE<br />
For this aspect of the exhibition, Koolhaas<br />
proposed that architectures of the present day are<br />
composed of a total of around 15 elements including<br />
the floor, wall, ceiling, roof, door, windows, facade,<br />
terrace, path, furnace, toilet, stairs, escalator, elevator,<br />
and ramp. Throughout the past millennia, humans have<br />
invented an immense amount of these architectural<br />
elements even though the cultural context, economy,<br />
or the technical sciences may differ between different<br />
regions. According to Koohaas, all architecture is<br />
essentially composed of these basic elements. Therefore,<br />
he focused the first aspect of the exhibition on<br />
the study and analysis of the micro histories of each of<br />
these elements, hence returning to ‘fundamentals’ of<br />
architecture at a radical scale. The approach satisfies<br />
another wish of Koolhaas for the exhibition to take a<br />
more holistic approach toward architecture rather than<br />
focusing on specific architects’ works, especially internationally<br />
renowned architects who are often given<br />
the opportunity to design buildings and participate in<br />
these kinds of exhibitions. Koolhaas saw that these<br />
elements are the ‘fundamentals’ of architecture from<br />
each era and are comparable to ‘words’ in languages<br />
that architects must learn in order to understand. By<br />
bringing these ‘words’ together, they can be arranged<br />
in the format of the story that they wish to tell.<br />
Keeping that objective in mind, the ‘Elements of<br />
Architecture’ exhibition Koolhaas has curated is more<br />
about gathering an enormous amount of information<br />
regarding these fundamental architectural elements<br />
and focusing on the diverse, complex and long, recurring<br />
evolutionary process of architecture. Additionally,<br />
the approach taken also points out the important<br />
function that these elements will play in further<br />
contributing to the advancement of architecture in the<br />
new age. The information about all the elements has<br />
been presented in a disorderly fashion, as intended<br />
by Koolhaas, in order to reflect the complexity of<br />
the evolution of architecture throughout history. The<br />
spread of this influence in modern architecture was<br />
reminiscent of a wave, resulting in different responses<br />
being made and the subsequent history of architecture’s<br />
fundamental repertoire becoming confusing and<br />
chaotic. Unlike early writings regarding the history of<br />
architecture that seem to describe the content in a<br />
solely linear progression moving from era to era and<br />
presenting information in a format that while easy to<br />
comprehended is incapable of describing the highly<br />
complex development of modern architecture, the<br />
‘Elements of Architecture’ exhibition is reminiscent of<br />
a giant construction materials store or an exhibition<br />
about construction materials from around the world<br />
with no specific content or ‘message’ but rich with an<br />
abundance of information and attractive infographics<br />
signature to that which Koolhaas is known for.<br />
08<br />
78 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
07 Window<br />
08 Floor<br />
09 Toilet<br />
07<br />
09<br />
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THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 79
Elements of Architecture<br />
‘’ Koolhaas <br />
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‘’ <br />
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(uniqueness) <br />
<br />
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Koolhaas <br />
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Koolhaas <br />
2 (material side) <br />
(mechanical side) <br />
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12<br />
80 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
10 Ramp<br />
11 Stair<br />
12 Roof<br />
13 Wall<br />
. . <br />
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11<br />
10<br />
In conclusion, the ‘Elements of Architecture’<br />
exhibition accomplishes in passing on the ‘message’<br />
that Koolhaas intended to deliver, one aspect being<br />
about the direction in which construction materials<br />
and new building components, all of which seem to<br />
get more and more advanced each day, is moving<br />
toward, as well as considering how the combination<br />
of digital and technological developments are rapidly<br />
becoming an important component in an intelligent<br />
building. The second aspect focuses on the ways in<br />
which modern technology has had a significant impact<br />
on the movement of creativity and design in contemporary<br />
architecture and is much more than simply a<br />
‘tool’ for designing forms and space. While design<br />
theory is circling around the same ideas in regards<br />
to form and space, advanced technology, and digital<br />
technology especially, have aided tremendously in<br />
the development of structural and systematic works<br />
to a point where the architects’ abilities can no longer<br />
be reached. While architects are so concerned about<br />
creating a ‘unique’ design, they seem to be unaware<br />
that the architectural elements created by someone<br />
else are integrated into their own designs and fail to<br />
question or rethink the theory of arranging architectural<br />
elements in a new or better way. In other words,<br />
Koolhaas saw that architecture has a tendency to grow<br />
rapidly in terms of technical and systematic works in<br />
order to fulfill today’s needs for convenience, safety<br />
and sustainable development. However, in Koolhaas’<br />
opinion, there are two sides to architecture of the<br />
present day - the ‘material side’ and the ‘mechanical<br />
side,’ both of which seem to be advancing at an astonishing<br />
rate even though very few architects pay much<br />
interest to or acknowledge the study of these aspects<br />
within the field’s advancement.<br />
13<br />
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THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 81
LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA |<br />
BIENNALE ARCHITETTURA 2014<br />
HISTORY, KNOWLEDGE,<br />
AND BACK TO THE<br />
‘FUNDAMENTALS’<br />
01<br />
82 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
Unlike any other year, this year’s Architecture<br />
Biennale is exceptionally informative as the event falls<br />
under the supervision of Rem Koolhaas as its curator.<br />
The direction of the exhibition has shifted from giving<br />
magnitude to renowned architects and looking forward<br />
into contemporary architecture of the future to looking<br />
back at how far we’ve come in terms of architectural<br />
advancement over the past 100 years. This shifted<br />
direction was reflected clearly across the exhibitions<br />
where Fundamentals and Monditalia are located<br />
as well as the National Pavilions (exhibitions from<br />
different nationalities) under the theme ‘Absorbing<br />
Modernity: 1914-2014. In short, Fundamentals, which<br />
was situated in the Central Pavilion area at Giardini,<br />
delved into the fundamental elements of architecture<br />
ranging from the floors, walls, ceiling, roof, doors,<br />
and windows to other elements. At the center of the<br />
exhibition at Arsenale is Monditalia, a projection that<br />
displays different dimensions of architecture through<br />
minor exhibits stemming from more than 41 research<br />
projects. These dimensions of architecture are<br />
fascinatingly presented and offer insight into many sub<br />
topics such as urbanization, social science, economy,<br />
geology and cultures of different regions both in Italy<br />
and Europe.<br />
TEXT + PHOTOS<br />
M.L. Piyalada<br />
Thaveeprungsriporn<br />
01 Brazil | Modernity<br />
as Tradition<br />
02<br />
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02<br />
<br />
THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 83
US pavilion OfceUS<br />
‘’ -<br />
<br />
‘’ <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
In the Real World <br />
100 <br />
<br />
‘’ <br />
-<br />
<br />
<br />
‘’ <br />
/ Swiss Pavilion <br />
Hans Ulrich Obrist Herzog & de Meuron <br />
‘’ <br />
<br />
100 <br />
<br />
(interior) <br />
<br />
03 ‘There is Modernism<br />
in Latvia’<br />
04 Belgium | Interiors,<br />
Notes and Figures<br />
05 Indonesia |<br />
Craftsmanship<br />
04<br />
84 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
03<br />
The ‘National Pavilions’ exhibition that was made<br />
under the same theme called ‘Absorbing Modernity:<br />
1914-2014’ is exceptionally captivating, especially for<br />
those interested in the evolution of contemporary<br />
architecture due to the fact that, as said earlier, Rem<br />
Koolhaas would like the audience to gaze into the past<br />
100 years of architectural history and understand the<br />
slow process of development into the new architectural<br />
language. A hundred years ago, architecture was<br />
once full of unique character and identity but it came<br />
down to the same modern architectural language of<br />
indistinguishable buildings that we see at present. It is<br />
hypothesized that the First World War was the beginning<br />
of this complex modern globalization process.<br />
This process is the clash between cultures, traditions,<br />
innovation, technology and the imperceptible ways of<br />
remaining “national” or, to conclude shortly, it is the<br />
process each country undergoes to brace itself into<br />
modernity.<br />
The given theme has made the national pavilions<br />
in this year’s exhibition particularly ‘informative’ as<br />
they are not limited to contemporary architecture only,<br />
such as previous years, but also include aspects of<br />
actual historical knowledge regarding the architecture<br />
of the past as well. Actually, Rem Koolhaas’ aim was<br />
for this year’s pavilions to function as a knowledge<br />
center, educating people about architecture across<br />
the world and offering a holistic view of the past 100<br />
years. One could say that the Architecture Biennale<br />
came back to its roots and gives weight to research<br />
and archiving like it used to for many years time.<br />
Furthermore, even though designed under the<br />
same theme, the pavilions appeared to be quite<br />
diverse making the exhibition even more interesting.<br />
A certain amount of these pavilions seemed to design<br />
strictly under the given subject and express the story<br />
quite clearly, although with a little design, of course.<br />
The countries that stood out in this style of presentation<br />
were The United States, Japan, Nordic countries,<br />
and Croatia to name a few. The US pavilion, or<br />
OfficeUS takes on the role of an ‘exporter’ of modern<br />
architecture for a renowned architect’s office as a<br />
prominent point and made an exhibition in the form of<br />
an ‘office’ exhibiting a database of architect’s offices<br />
and other buildings into a file that is displayed on the<br />
surrounding wall while the area in the middle emerged<br />
as an operating office, researching and collecting data<br />
simultaneously. The Japanese pavilion, ‘In The Real<br />
World’ was designed in the form of a warehouse storing<br />
information regarding architecture of the past 100<br />
years and focusing especially on the manners in which<br />
many architects embarked on solving issues that were<br />
affecting the ‘city’ of Japan.<br />
Another group of pavilions chose to present the<br />
modernization process by interpreting the message<br />
they want to pass through the ‘design’ of the pavilion<br />
itself, and not presenting the ‘information’ directly.<br />
Some of the exhibitions in this type of presentation<br />
include the works of superstar architects and artists<br />
such as the Swiss Pavilion by Hans Ulrich Obrist and<br />
Herzog & de Meuron. Other exhibitions chose to<br />
‘summarize’ modernity through a captivating display<br />
such as the pavilion from Belgium that captured the<br />
shared traits of the spaces inside homes over the<br />
last 100 years in a powerful presentation or the Spain<br />
Pavilion that chose to present the interior space as a<br />
medium that holds and integrates modernity and<br />
tradition together.<br />
The most commonly seen types of pavilions were<br />
those that drew upon both the use of information and<br />
design equally to tackle the topic. They came in many<br />
different styles, however, and some chose to<br />
disintegrate the information components from the<br />
symbolic structure and display them side-by-side clearly,<br />
such as the pavilion from Kosovo where one side of<br />
the wall is pasted with postcards sharing information<br />
about local architecture of Kosovo while the other<br />
side is a space formed by a 3-legged wooden horse<br />
representing the sense of simplicity that exists among<br />
a chaotic change. Is it possible that new creations will<br />
be created from old and simple objects such as those<br />
of wooden horses.<br />
The French, German, Serbian, Brazilian, and Indonesian<br />
pavilions were other great examples, for these<br />
pavilions fused content and design together very well.<br />
This group captured the core information of their own<br />
individual modernization processes and brought forth<br />
the information through design. The various ways of<br />
exhibit made these pavilions quite interesting and<br />
exciting. Other pavilions also used new technology to<br />
present their information in many new dimensions,<br />
creating a new experience under an unfamiliar space<br />
like a pavilion from Estonia called ‘Interactive Interface.’<br />
Information-wise, each country interpreted the<br />
perspective of ‘modernity’ in very unique and distinct<br />
ways. Some countries chose to present the appearance<br />
of modernity as something that tried to sneak<br />
into the sacred territory of traditional culture while<br />
countries in Western Europe, the United States and<br />
Japan didn’t criticize the modern condition to harshly,<br />
but presented it as an ordinary phenomenon that just<br />
happens. For example, the viewpoints of a stylistic<br />
leader such as the United States or that of Bahren that<br />
impressively chose to unfold the process that Islamic<br />
modern architecture has undergone. At last, the<br />
pavilion from Mexico seems to have taken a notable<br />
standpoint which views modernism as an inevitable<br />
process that is a part of a change that occurs due to<br />
both internal and external forces, not something that<br />
happens from a will nor something that tries to sneak<br />
in either.<br />
For the Thai pavilion, the designer chose to present<br />
the sense of Thai ‘spiritual’ through empty space<br />
and shapes that were delicately created as if softly<br />
criticizing the modern condition. However, as an architect,<br />
it is hard to deny that the past 100 years of Thai<br />
architectural history is a wealth of essential knowledge<br />
much needed in order to understand our own identity.<br />
Whether or not we are against or embrace that which<br />
comes with international architecture, at the end of it<br />
all, The Biennale Architettura 2014 under the curation<br />
of Rem Koolhaas causes one to notice those roles that<br />
were almost forgotten.<br />
05<br />
<br />
THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 85
-<br />
interactive interface<br />
<br />
‘’ <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
‘’ <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
100 <br />
<br />
<br />
Biennale Architettura 2014<br />
Rem Koolhaas <br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>06</strong> Finland | Re-creation<br />
.... <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>06</strong><br />
86 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
INTERVIEW:<br />
<strong>ASA</strong> & VENICE BIENNALE 2014<br />
NITIS STHAPITANONDA<br />
TEXT<br />
<strong>ASA</strong> Team<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
WHAT ARE THE MEANS OF CONSIDERATION AND<br />
MAIN OBJECTIVE OF <strong>ASA</strong>’S PARTICIPATION IN<br />
THE VENICE ARCHITECTURE BIENNALE 2014?<br />
NITIS STHAPITANONDA : As the association’s Vice<br />
President of International Affairs, the first thing I looked<br />
into was the nature of the event. The second thing was<br />
the exhibition we would curate and how it could be<br />
designed to suit the event, what would be the advantages<br />
and disadvantages. If we are able to understand<br />
all those, we will be able to prepare ourselves for our<br />
best participation in the event, and consequentially<br />
improve the exhibition to be even better. It will also<br />
allow for the association to carefully consider whether<br />
the budget is appropriately managed and speculate<br />
future expenses. The third issue involves the suitability<br />
of the participation, thinking about how it benefits the<br />
country and the members of the association, including<br />
the tendency for us to join the event the next time.<br />
Venice is a spectacular place in itself. The beauty of its<br />
intriguing architecture and urban context earn Venice<br />
over 20 million visitors a year. Holding an exhibition about<br />
architecture here has the potential to be effortlessly<br />
successful not to mention the fact that the event is considered<br />
to be the most prestigious international exhibition<br />
of architecture. The Venice Architecture Biennale was<br />
first organized 39 years ago and it has been held every<br />
other year in turn with the contemporary art exhibition,<br />
the Venice Biennale. Each time it is held, the Venice Architecture<br />
Biennale invites a globally renowned architect<br />
to serve as the curator of the event.<br />
WHAT WAS THE 2014 VENICE ARCHITECTURE<br />
BIENNALE LIKE?<br />
NS : With Rem Koolhaas invited as the curator, the Venice<br />
Architecture Biennale was given the theme ‘Fundamentals.’<br />
The main exhibition is, to me, better than last year’s.<br />
In the past, it tended to focus specifically on the development<br />
of architecture in the present time and in the future,<br />
but this is probably the first time that the highlight has<br />
been placed on the past and essences of architecture.<br />
Understanding the past makes the next steps you’re<br />
going to take in the future glorious and successful. But<br />
it’s not easy to profess such an idea for the world to<br />
acknowledge and understand. Koolhaas presented 15<br />
architectural elements such as the door, window, bathroom,<br />
stairs, etc. and offered in depth studies about<br />
each of them with the hope that the research would<br />
bring about further discussions and the ramification of<br />
architectural developments.<br />
88 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
Venice Biennale ?<br />
: Venice Biennale Rem<br />
Koolhaas ‘Fundamentals’<br />
<br />
Venice Biennale<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Koolhaas <br />
15 <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(pavilion) <br />
?<br />
: <br />
‘Fundamentals’ <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Venice Biennale <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
HOW ARE THE PAVILIONS OF THE COUNTRIES<br />
PARTICIPATING IN THIS YEAR’S BIENNALE?<br />
NS : They were interesting for their different interpretations<br />
of the notion ‘Fundamentals’ when it came to<br />
each country’s architecture. If you think the main exhibition<br />
is challenging to comprehend, the exhibitions of<br />
the individual countries demand even more from spectators.<br />
Curators and designers must have a full understanding<br />
of the theme, choosing the most distinctive<br />
architectural element that would be able to best represent<br />
the architecture of their countries. There are also several<br />
limitations in terms of transportation, installation and<br />
demolition of the exhibition to think about. What has<br />
to be contemplated significantly are the main ideas, in<br />
which each country must creatively elaborate categorically<br />
through its architectural history, architectural elements,<br />
materials and architectural creations, in the past, present<br />
and future. Other mediums that are completely irrelevant<br />
to architecture were also presented. I think only a few<br />
countries managed to deliver successful end results,<br />
but I would have to give every country full points for<br />
their efforts and endeavors.<br />
<br />
THEME <strong>ASA</strong> 89
(pavilion)<br />
?<br />
: <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
() <br />
<br />
2 <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
World Expo <br />
<br />
Venice Biennale <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Venice Biennale<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Venice Biennale<br />
?<br />
: <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
HOW WAS THAILAND’S PAVILION?<br />
NS : The association picked Mr. Mathar Bunnag as the<br />
curator. I think what Mathar was trying to convey is<br />
different from others. He aspired to explain the spirit of<br />
Thai architecture through light and shadow. If spectators<br />
spent enough time with our exhibition, they should be<br />
able to understand what the message he was trying to<br />
send out really was. After seeing almost every part of<br />
the Biennale myself, I remember feeling like I was at a<br />
European or American architectural event. It seemed<br />
like everyone there knew each other. People would<br />
show up at the opening of each pavilion, one after another,<br />
mingling after 2 years of not seeing each other. For Asia<br />
and Africa, we did have openings but those who came<br />
were the people organizing the exhibitions and there<br />
were some passersby who joined but I think they just<br />
happened to walk past while there was an opening.<br />
The vibe was not as enthusiastic as the European<br />
pavilions. However, the scale of the event was so grand.<br />
It’s the World Expo of architecture and every architect<br />
should come and experience it if they have a chance.<br />
I was here about 10 years ago and not that many Thai<br />
people knew about the Venice Biennale back then. As I<br />
was roaming the event from one exhibition to another,<br />
I remember thinking to myself ‘Why didn’t Thailand join<br />
and how proud I would be for Thai architects to be a part<br />
of something like this, representing our own country.’<br />
If others could come, Thailand could come. It’s the manifestation<br />
of the existence and ability of our country and<br />
our architects to the world. The participation in the Venice<br />
Biennale is the association’s contribution for the country<br />
and society we live in; a chance for our art and culture<br />
to be presented as a part of the global dialogue. What<br />
Thai architects can gain from this is how the participation<br />
has created a place for them to stand in the international<br />
arena with great pride and integrity.<br />
WHAT IS THE ASSOCIATION’S FUTURE PLAN FOR<br />
THE VENICE BIENNALE?<br />
NS : At the end, the association’s participation in the<br />
event has to be further discussed, but I have to say that,<br />
as a member of the committee, I fully advocate this<br />
activity. As for problems and obstacles taking place<br />
along the way, the team and the committee will have<br />
to confer about how to achieve new improvements in<br />
the future.<br />
90 <strong>ASA</strong> THEME
PROFESSIONAL<br />
TEXT<br />
Prof. Vimolsiddhi<br />
Horayangkura, Ph.D.<br />
<br />
. <br />
<br />
()<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
THE CHALLENGES OF<br />
URBAN DESIGN AND<br />
DEVELOPMENT IN<br />
THE 21 ST CENTURY<br />
21 :<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(rapid urbanization)<br />
(development) <br />
(urban design) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
7,000<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(urban sprawl) <br />
<br />
21 <br />
‘Urban Century’ (Brown, Dixon and Gillham, 2009:<br />
102-112)<br />
(urbanization)<br />
<br />
1 <br />
<br />
(megacity) <br />
<br />
92 <strong>ASA</strong> PROFESSIONAL
(livability)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(amenities) <br />
<br />
(walkable sidewalk) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
( , 2547) 2<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(Urban Planning<br />
Authority) <br />
(zoning) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
.. 2556 ( , 25<strong>57</strong>: 41-88) <br />
<br />
<br />
(FAR bonus) <br />
The notion of an urban community is a matter that<br />
one must pay great interest to. As cities continue to<br />
expand, innumerable problems emerge and these<br />
urban phenomena affect the lives of us all. For many<br />
developing cities in the Eastern world that are going<br />
through rapid urbanization, developments must be<br />
initiated and implemented alongside urban design, for<br />
a multidisciplinary approach can result in holistic and<br />
sustainable solutions. It is necessary that we overcome<br />
conventions and traditions we have familiarized<br />
ourselves with in order to enter the new realm where<br />
innovations are conceived from the collaborative<br />
integration of physical, social and economic factors.<br />
This is how we can lead ourselves into the era of a<br />
sustainable urban community.<br />
This article does not only bring out the essence of<br />
what an urban community is, but also points to the<br />
factors that are behind that essence, looking at causes<br />
and structures in the hopes of creating a rightful understanding.<br />
INTRODUCTION<br />
The term ‘Urban Community’ refers to a human environment.<br />
The number of people living in cities continues to increase, and more<br />
than half of the total of seven billion are recorded to be living in urban<br />
areas. Cities are becoming highly populated and show no signs of<br />
stopping their expansion, the results of which are often instances of<br />
unorganized urban sprawl. Such phenomena and problems concerning<br />
rapid urban growth are the true challenges of the 21 st century or<br />
the ‘Urban Century’ (Brown, Dixon and Gillham, 2009: 102-112).<br />
Within the process of urbanization, urban characteristics are<br />
determined by the numbers of a population living in a certain area,<br />
not structural construction or architecture. People come together<br />
and form a community, from small to large-scale urban societies to<br />
cities and megacities, as the expansion continues boundlessly. The<br />
urban sprawl brings complexity, and ultimately dilemmas, to the city,<br />
consequentially resulting in a difference in the level of livability. This is<br />
because ‘livability’ of an urban community is conceived in accordance<br />
with the environment and people’s living and commuting behaviors,<br />
for instance demands for public parks, city squares, infrastructures<br />
and other amenities, such as bicycle lanes, walkable sidewalks, etc.<br />
Living behavior involves people’s access to and consumption of<br />
information, their understanding of the value of creative initiatives<br />
as well as environmental management for the sake of sustainable<br />
developments (Vimolsiddhi Horayangkura, 2547).<br />
<br />
PROFESSIONAL <strong>ASA</strong> 93
BTS ‘skytrain’<br />
<br />
(subway) <br />
<br />
<br />
‘’ 3<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
‘urban design’ <br />
‘urban designer’ <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
‘Urban Design’<br />
<br />
‘urban design’<br />
‘discipline’<br />
<br />
‘Urban Design’<br />
‘Urban design’ ‘traditional<br />
urban design’ ‘place making’<br />
<br />
<br />
(Horayangkura, 2012:<br />
3-7; Freedman, 2012: 27-66)<br />
<br />
-<br />
<br />
<br />
(scale)<br />
(<br />
) <br />
() //<br />
/ () <br />
<br />
(urban<br />
FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS OF<br />
URBAN COMMUNITY OPERA-<br />
TIONAL PROCESSES<br />
A city, despite its history or background, needs to be concretely<br />
planned, designed and developed under a proper development<br />
plan. However, in terms of the holistic view, the city does not have<br />
an official host who has the sole and direct responsibility over its<br />
operations. In the meantime, urban planning authorities still busy<br />
themselves with zoning in an aim to control land use and density that<br />
consequentially leads to legal reinforcement. Bureaucratic obstacles<br />
result in the slowndown of the process, making operations ineffective<br />
and insufficient to the scale and speed of urban expansion and<br />
often conflicting with the initiatives of real estate developers, for<br />
instance, the obligations fostered by ministerial regulations for<br />
the city of Bangkok to use the Comprehensive Plan 2013 (Sopon<br />
Pornchokchai, 2014, 41-88), etc. The works of governmental urban<br />
planners, such as the increase of the FAR bonus, are perceived as<br />
controlling measures rather than creative initiatives.<br />
In the past, the general development of the city has been driven<br />
more so by necessities rather than a good urban planning approach,<br />
as can be seen in the case of the BTS skytrain construction in Bangkok’s<br />
inner city area - a plan which manifests a great deal of peculiarity<br />
compared to other big cities around the world where the railway<br />
system is integrated by locating a subway system in inner city areas<br />
with the use of ground level trains for outer city areas.<br />
The responsibilities of urban designers and developers within<br />
the ‘urban design’ profession under the control and regulations of<br />
the Architect Council of Thailand are somewhat confusing, both in<br />
terms of terminology and related roles, while the notion of such<br />
professions are still fairly new to Thai society. In this article, the term<br />
‘urban design’ is used in a sense that refers to the design of an urban<br />
community while an ‘urban designer’ is cited as the universal notion<br />
of the profession. It is the duty of a professional association and<br />
involved educational institutes to try to clarify to the society the roles<br />
and boundaries of the profession and what benefits can be accounted<br />
for due to their contributions. This article takes the opportunity to<br />
execute such tasks by stating its position and viewpoints regarding the<br />
problems of modern-day urban communities, as well as the tendency<br />
and direction for future developments.<br />
THE PERIMETER OF ‘URBAN<br />
DESIGN’ TO TANGIBLE<br />
DEVELOPMENTS<br />
For over half a century, ‘urban design’ has prominently grown into<br />
an actual ‘discipline’ with academic courses and curriculums in higher<br />
education studies using the term to refer to titles of the degrees they<br />
award.<br />
‘Urban design’ has surpassed its convention as ‘traditional urban<br />
design,’ which is focused primarily on ‘place making,’ into a discipline<br />
which encompasses every scale of the urban environment resulting<br />
in comprehensive solutions to complex urban dilemmas (Vimolsiddhi<br />
Horayangkura, 2012: 3-7; Freedman, 2012: 27-66).<br />
Theoretically speaking, a city has to be planned and designed<br />
right from the beginning in order to suitably maximize the benefits of<br />
urban community areas. The notion of urban design involves choosing<br />
the right location, specification of infrastructure and other factors,<br />
whereas consideration has to be taken into account at all scales<br />
from national scales (for example, the emergence of communities<br />
94 <strong>ASA</strong> PROFESSIONAL
management) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(Urban Development Authority /<br />
Corporation) <br />
<br />
<br />
‘’ <br />
3,192 <br />
() (.) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(commuters’ transit) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(. 4.73 <br />
4 <br />
39 ) <br />
(social inequality) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
‘urban regeneration’ <br />
(revitalization) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
‘urban design’ <br />
along the high speed train route) to regional and metropolitan scales<br />
(the vicinity areas included) as well as localities, districts, neighborhoods,<br />
villages, streets, roads, alleyways, etc. Everything has to be<br />
designed and developed under proper urban design and development<br />
where resources, budget and investment are integrated systematically.<br />
Such contributions will result in the city’s livability and culturally vibrant<br />
charm, embellishing its potential as a tourism and investment destination<br />
allowing for consequentially sustainable economic and social<br />
development. It is, therefore, essential for the city to have its own<br />
Urban Development Authority / Corporation that initiates and implements<br />
both development plans and budget as well as coordinates with<br />
other involved parties to turn project plans into realities. The ‘Airport<br />
City’ project located on the vast 3,192 Rai piece of land is going to<br />
be a challenging task for the Thailand Airport Authority that will prove<br />
whether or not having a development authority can result in the<br />
substantial success of the project.<br />
THE COMPLEXITY OF<br />
PROBLEMS, THEIR ORIGINS<br />
AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE<br />
AMENDED.<br />
The enormous number of people living in urban areas is the<br />
cause of many issues to follow. Among the prominent ones is the<br />
mass commuters’ transit system that transports people between<br />
CBD areas and the suburbs. The system often follows western<br />
conventions of urban planning, which prioritize the categorization<br />
of land use. There are also matters concerning the people’s quality<br />
of life and the lack of green public space (Bangkok’s average green<br />
space is 4.73 square meters per person, which is considerably far<br />
from the international standard of 39 sqm. / person), population<br />
health and social inequality caused by drastic wealth gaps with very<br />
few accumulate most of the wealth while the majority are considerably<br />
poor, especially in the northeastern and northern regions of the<br />
country. Furthermore, people with low incomes have less access to<br />
education, career and housing opportunities, etc. The urban poor face<br />
problems that need to be resolved.<br />
<br />
PROFESSIONAL <strong>ASA</strong> 95
(climate change) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(sustainable state)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(bottom-up) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
3 <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
3 <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(Community<br />
Organization Development Institute) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
“<br />
” <br />
<br />
‘’ GPS<br />
GIS ( , 2556)<br />
The urban community naturally grows and changes over time and<br />
through cycles of development and the improvement of some of the<br />
deteriorating areas must be done following the ‘urban regeneration’<br />
approach that contributes to the revitalization of local communities<br />
through economic and social activities under the development of a<br />
suitable environment. The old city areas with historical value are<br />
particularly vulnerable to economic development, especially when<br />
the land prices are continually on the rise, such as is the case with<br />
Hanoi and Shanghai. Urban design also includes natural disaster<br />
mitigation due to the increasing severity of climate change.<br />
To achieve the solutions of the aforementioned problems requires<br />
a collaborative approach between every sector of the society. This<br />
naturally counts urban design and development as a key player in the<br />
fabrication of the city’s physical, social and economic environment.<br />
If successful, the solutions will potentially bring about a truly livable<br />
urban community. Physical, economic and social factors are the<br />
essential elements of future development and if balanced rightly, the<br />
city will be able to provide a good quality of life, economic efficiency,<br />
security and social equality, all of which will ultimately lead to a<br />
sustainable state.<br />
PROJECT PARTICIPATION<br />
Urban design and development, including urban regeneration<br />
projects, require a great deal of participation from community members. If<br />
it is not the locals themselves who take on a bottoms-up approach<br />
and initiate a project, they should participate by being a part of the<br />
public hearing and decision-making process, for instance, the elevated<br />
road project which is a part of the Asoke Montri inner belt, Dindaeng<br />
Public Housing renovation project, etc. In the meantime, the involved<br />
authorities are also obligated to listen to what the locals have to say.<br />
A project should consist of at least three sectors: the governmental<br />
sector as the official owner of the land, the private sector as the project’s<br />
owner/investor/entrepreneur and the public sector or the locals who<br />
live in the area and are affected by the project, both positively and<br />
negatively. The massive urban development projects such as the<br />
Makkasan Complex exemplifies, however, how the excessive number<br />
of participants can become an obstacle for the progress and operation<br />
of the project.<br />
In another dimension, the Community Organization Development<br />
Institute, a public organization under the Ministry of Social Development<br />
and Human Security, upholds a significant role in encouraging<br />
the locals’ participation, particularly in terms of land management and<br />
ownership issues. The founding of the national network of local<br />
communities and land management aims for its operations to take<br />
place along with those of human resource development initiated by<br />
local communities and involved authorities with an emphasis being<br />
placed on the making of a ‘community life plan,’ offering comprehensive<br />
information and tools such as GPS and GIS (Mek Sayasevi, 2013).<br />
96 <strong>ASA</strong> PROFESSIONAL
(multidisciplinary)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
‘urban design and<br />
development’ <br />
‘multidisciplinary approach’ <br />
<br />
<br />
‘traditional urban design’ <br />
<br />
21<br />
(sustainable development)<br />
‘Rio Earth Summit’<br />
1992 <br />
21 21 (Agenda 21) <br />
<br />
<br />
(viable urban model) <br />
<br />
<br />
(Gauzin-Muller, 2002: 13)<br />
<br />
(planning) <br />
(design) <br />
(compact city) (Jenks & Burgess, 2000; <br />
, 2545: 318-320) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH<br />
IN URBAN DESIGN AND<br />
DEVELOPMENT<br />
Since complications in the problems of urban community must<br />
be considered a part of the urban design and development process,<br />
different sciences and disciplines should be integrated in order to<br />
comprehensively encompass the involved physical, social, cultural,<br />
economic and technological factors, etc. This does not only include<br />
the planning and design processes, which are done in three dimensions,<br />
but also the development process that relies on efficient management<br />
skills and knowledge. It explains why a multidisciplinary approach is<br />
essential for successful urban design and development.<br />
Educational institutes, despite their different educational focuses<br />
(architecture, urban planning, environmental management, etc.) cannot<br />
deny the multidisciplinary approach of ‘urban design and development’<br />
studies. Such academic nature allows learners to obtain comprehensive<br />
fundamental knowledge and grasp the potential for both design and<br />
practical implementation consequentially resulting in their ability to<br />
overcome ‘traditional urban design,’ which only revolves around<br />
conceptual presentation, whereas the mechanism that leads to the<br />
actual execution is absent.<br />
URBAN COMMUNITY OF<br />
THE 21 ST CENTURY<br />
The sustainable development notion is a result of the continual<br />
impact of 1992’s Rio Earth Summit. The event drew up a development plan<br />
for the 21 st Century according to Agenda 21, which is ‘a comprehensive<br />
plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations<br />
of the United Nations System, Governments, and Major Groups in<br />
every area in which humans impact the environment.’ The plan also<br />
came up with a ‘viable urban model’ for developing countries as<br />
sustainable development has become the key notion that places great<br />
emphasis on the merging of ecological, social and economic factors<br />
with an aim to reduce environmental risks (Gauzin-Muller, 2002: 13).<br />
The sustainable development concept also significantly considers<br />
the importance of urban planning and design, especially in compact cities<br />
(Jenks & Burgess, 2000: Duangchan Apawatcharut Charoenmuang,<br />
2545: 318-320) where effective land use results in efficient daily<br />
commutes and the development of the environmental dimension of<br />
urban community through the management of green space, both<br />
horizontal and vertical (on buildings and roofs). The attempt aims to<br />
reduce the Urban Heat Island effect, which does not only cause the<br />
city’s temperatures to rise but also brings about other succeeding<br />
impacts of global warming (Ritchie and Thomas, 2009: 17). The future<br />
urban community, therefore, looks towards green, low-energy, and<br />
low-carbon cities as its models.<br />
In addition, there is a great possibility that the future city is going<br />
to be a slow one. The phenomenon is already happening in Italy (following<br />
the Cittaslow Movement) and South Korea with an aim to reduce the<br />
hasty way of life of the present society (Tanapon Panthasen,<br />
2013: 4-5).<br />
<br />
PROFESSIONAL <strong>ASA</strong> 97
(Urban<br />
Heat Island) <br />
<br />
(global warming) (Ritchie and Thomas, 2009:<br />
17) (green<br />
city) (low-energy city) <br />
(low-carbon city) <br />
(slow city) <br />
( Cittaslow Movement) <br />
( ,<br />
2013:4-5)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(smart city) <br />
‘smart city’ <br />
<br />
<br />
(cultural tourism) <br />
(creative city) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(primate<br />
city) <br />
-<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
-<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
3 ‘<br />
’ <br />
( , 2518:<br />
115-120)<br />
In the digital era, where the potentials for communication and<br />
information technology management are as exceptional as ever, the<br />
world now has the ability to come up with a genius energy saving<br />
system for urban communities that will eventually lead to the initiation of<br />
smarter cites. Boulder, Colorado, in the United States is one example<br />
of a city that uses a smart grid system to enable and optimize<br />
efficient use of distributed energy resources for households.<br />
The future city also encompasses aspects of cultural tourism that<br />
follow the creative city’s initiatives. Local authorities must take on a<br />
leading role in the planning, design and creation of public spaces that<br />
answer to the nature of the city’s local identity. As for the case of<br />
Bangkok, seeking collaborations and support from educational institutions<br />
such as local universities or Urban Design and Development Programs<br />
of the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Thammasat<br />
University, etc. can be an effective alternative.<br />
With Bangkok as the country’s primate city, Thailand needs to expand<br />
its development to other cities in different regions. According to the<br />
Urban Planning Act, the Department of Public Works and Town &<br />
Country, as the central authority and other local authorities, are to<br />
serve as the policy implementation units. It is also important for every<br />
involved party to have a correct and comprehensive understanding<br />
of urban design and development in order to improve the overall<br />
quality of life and economic condition. As urban growth is effectively<br />
decentralized, the local communities will gain sufficient income for<br />
future developments. In the meantime, the central urban planning<br />
authority has to come up with a proper public transportation and<br />
utility system to facilitate decentralization to other areas of the<br />
country. The notion was proposed three decades ago in the article,<br />
‘The Coordination Plan for Urban and Regional Solutions’ published<br />
in Social Studies Review <strong>Journal</strong> (Vimolsiddhi Horayangkura, 2518:<br />
115-120B).<br />
CONCLUSION:<br />
MOVING TOWARDS SUSTAIN-<br />
ABLE URBAN DESIGN AND<br />
DEVELOPMENT THROUGH<br />
A MULTIDISCIPLINARY<br />
APPROACH<br />
The traditional notion of ‘urban design’ encompasses the discipline<br />
as a 3 dimensional model that exists as a part of a local community<br />
and the city’s fabric. As a result, it is unable to help improve the city’s<br />
livability and people’s quality of life because the solution is spatially<br />
conceived and specific. We need to overcome the conventional definition<br />
of ‘urban design’ and ‘place making’ and collectively integrate physical,<br />
social and economic factors for the sustainable future of livable cities.<br />
Urban designers and developers have to be visionary, perceptive<br />
with understandings and participative in working out the genesis<br />
of the problems as well as the complications behind the growth or<br />
deterioration of cities and regions. Identifying the true causes of the<br />
problems can lead to effective and sustainable solutions.<br />
The urban design and development education must take on a<br />
multidisciplinary approach, integrating design and urban development<br />
studies as a part of its multidimensional creations and solutions,<br />
which ultimately result in holistic outcomes and true sustainability.<br />
Following the aforementioned observations, various courses in<br />
urban planning education will become a foundation that can significantly<br />
contribute to the production of qualified urban designers and developers<br />
in the future.<br />
98 <strong>ASA</strong> PROFESSIONAL
: <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
‘Urban Design’ <br />
3 <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
‘urban design’ <br />
‘place making’ <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
‘urban design and development’<br />
(multidisciplinary)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(sustainability)<br />
<br />
(urban planning) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
1 Brown, L. J., Dixon, D., & Gillham, O. (2009).Urban Design for an<br />
Urban Century. Hoboken, NewJersey: John Wiley & Sons. <br />
Chapter 5: Principles for an urban century, 102-112.<br />
2 Demographic Year Book.(2005). Definition of ‘Urban’. <br />
HYPERLINK ‘http://unstat.un.org/unsd/demographic/sconcerns/<br />
densurb/definition_%20urban.pdf’ ( 14 2555).<br />
3 Freedman, M. (2012). What is Urban Design and Why Do We Need<br />
It Now?. In Horayangkura, V., Jamieson, W., and Mallikamarl, P., The<br />
Design and Development of Sustainable Cities. Bangkok: Faculty of<br />
Architecture and Planning, Thammasat University, pp.27-66.<br />
4 Gauzin-Méller, D. (2002).Sustainable Architecture and Urbanism:<br />
Concepts, Technologies, Examples. Boston: HYPERLINK ‘http://www.<br />
springer.com/birkhauser/mathematics?SGWID=0-40292-0-0-<br />
0’Birkhà-user, 2002.<br />
5 Horayangkura, V. (2012). Urban Design: The Development and<br />
Challenges of Sustainable Cities. In Horayangkura, V., Jamieson, W.,<br />
and Mallikamarl, P., The Design and Development of Sustainable<br />
Cities. Bangkok: Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Thammasat<br />
University, pp.1-24.<br />
6 Jenks, M. and Burgess, R. (Editors). (2000). Compact Cities: Sustainable<br />
Urban Forms for Developing Countries. London: Spon Press.<br />
7 Ritchie, A. and Thomas, R. (2009). Sustainable Urban Design:<br />
An Environmental Approach. London: Taylor & Francis.<br />
8 ‘Urban’ Oxford Dictionaries. April 2010. Oxford University Press.<br />
http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/unban.<br />
( 14 2555).<br />
9 . (2545). <br />
(Sustainable Cities: Concepts and Experiences of the<br />
West). : .<br />
10 . (2555). ‘’ 4 ‘’ .<br />
, 31 2555, 25.<br />
11 . (2013). (Slow City). Thai Appraisal Foundation,<br />
Vol.12, No.1, January – February, pp.4-5.<br />
12 . (2556). : ‘<br />
’. : <br />
().<br />
13 . (2518). .<br />
13 1 -, 115-120 .<br />
14 . (2547). +: <br />
(The Creation of Architecture and<br />
Urban Environment: Behavioral Perspectives under Globalization). <br />
(). …<br />
… , 3-12.<br />
15 . (2555). . : <br />
.<br />
<br />
1. ‘urban’ ‘urbs’ 1) <br />
(a minimum of population size) 2) <br />
(density) ‘urban’ ( Oxford Dictionaries<br />
(April 2010) Demographic Year Book (2005)).<br />
2. (2547: 11) <br />
3 <br />
(sensory dimension) (symbolic dimension) <br />
(sustainability dimension).<br />
3. ‘’ ‘urban design’ ‘urban<br />
architecture’ ‘’ <br />
‘urban designer’ ‘urban architect’ <br />
<br />
4. . (2555). ‘’ 4 ‘’ .<br />
, 31 2555, 25.<br />
<br />
PROFESSIONAL <strong>ASA</strong> 99
DETAILS<br />
KENKOON<br />
FURNITURE GALLERY<br />
CHAT ARCHITECTS<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8<br />
9<br />
1 4x4 <br />
2 4x4 <br />
3 <br />
4 2x4 <br />
5 2x4 <br />
6 kenkoon<br />
7 2x4 <br />
8 <br />
9 2x4 <br />
Kenkoon <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
-<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Kenkoon -<br />
<br />
<br />
Kenkoon <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
15x20 <br />
38 <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
01<br />
100 <strong>ASA</strong> DETAILS
1 6 <br />
2 2x4 <br />
3 kenkoon<br />
4 5 <br />
5 Swage external thread end<br />
6 2x4 <br />
7 Hexagon nut<br />
3<br />
1<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
2<br />
7<br />
BUILDING TYPE<br />
Furniture showroom<br />
LAND AREA<br />
Indoor showroom 300 sq.m.<br />
Garden showroom <strong>57</strong>0 sq.m.<br />
DURATION<br />
2012-2013<br />
CLIENT<br />
KENKOON outdoor<br />
furniture<br />
LOCATION<br />
Bangkok, Thailand<br />
ARCHITECT<br />
CHAT architects<br />
CONTRACTOR<br />
KENKOON craftsmen<br />
02<br />
01-02 <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Kenkoon is known for their renowned manufacturing<br />
of teakwood furniture that is outstanding for outdoor<br />
usage. This factor contributed to the company’s location,<br />
an old house in the Thonglor area surrounded with plenty<br />
of trees that takes on a semi-outdoor, semi-indoor<br />
approach. The most distinctive characteristic of the<br />
Kenkoon furniture showroom housing is the texture of<br />
the new building enfolded within the old, a characteristic<br />
reminiscent of the furniture designs themselves.<br />
The trait that connects all of the designs together<br />
is the line structure of the teakwood. As it is used in<br />
the design of the Kenkoon chair, the architect thought<br />
that this line structure of teakwood could be referenced<br />
as an element within the architecture as well. Teakwood<br />
was used as the material on the facade of the building<br />
bringing a new aspect to the architecture. At the same<br />
time, this overlapping structure assists in filtering the<br />
sun that penetrates through the building. For the detail<br />
of this structure, the architect designed each piece of<br />
teakwood to overlap and weave together with one<br />
another creating a neat, continuity of texture over the<br />
huge folded sheet of architecture. Furthermore, this<br />
design corresponds to late modern architecture that<br />
emphasized funnel staircases. The design of this lath<br />
facade slowly embraces the funnel staircase creating<br />
a vertical opening for light while also establishing a<br />
connection between the exterior and interior.<br />
102 <strong>ASA</strong> DETAILS
MATERIALS<br />
3M F<strong>ASA</strong>RA<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
50 <br />
99% <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
2 Transparent<br />
Silver <br />
2 <br />
Silver Illumina <br />
Transparent Silver Illumina <br />
Gradient<br />
wassaduapp.com<br />
METILES<br />
Metiles <br />
<br />
<br />
100x100 10 <br />
<br />
<br />
100% <br />
<br />
<br />
osisu.com / innocomposite.com<br />
HONEYCOMB SHADES<br />
<br />
(Honeycomb) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
‘’ (air-gap) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
inhabitat.com / decorview.com<br />
104 <strong>ASA</strong> UPDATE MATERIALS
REVIEW<br />
HANDMADE<br />
URBANISM<br />
FROM COMMUNITY<br />
INITIATIVES TO PARTI-<br />
CIPATORY MODELS<br />
Alfred Herrhausen Society<br />
(AHS) (CSR)<br />
<br />
Urban<br />
Age Conference 20<strong>06</strong> Urban Age<br />
Program AHS London<br />
School of Economics (LSE) AHS Wolfgang<br />
Nowak <br />
<br />
<br />
-<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Urban<br />
Age Award 2007 <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
100,000 <br />
<br />
2014 <br />
<br />
Handmade Urbanism <br />
Urban Age Award <br />
<br />
Marcos L.Rosa<br />
& Ute E. Weiland <br />
5 <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
01<br />
TITLE<br />
Handmade Urbanism<br />
From Community<br />
Initiatives to Participatory<br />
Models<br />
WRITER<br />
Marcos L.Rosa & Ute E.<br />
Weiland, Ana Alvarez,<br />
Lindsay Bush, Demer<br />
Mutman, Priya Shankar<br />
PAGE<br />
224 pp.<br />
LANGUAGES<br />
English<br />
ISBN<br />
978-3-86859-225-2<br />
01 Handmade Urbanism<br />
<br />
Urban Age Award <br />
Alfred Herrhausen Society<br />
(AHS) <br />
5 <br />
<br />
1<strong>06</strong> <strong>ASA</strong> REVIEW
3 <br />
Urban Age Program Wolfgang<br />
Nowak <br />
‘The Community’ Richard Sennett<br />
LSE <br />
New York University <br />
Sennett <br />
Together: the Rituals, Pleasures, and Politics of<br />
Cooperation 2012<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Timeline <br />
3 <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
5 <br />
02<br />
. <br />
-<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
02 <br />
<br />
4 -<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
03 <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
1) 2) 3)<br />
<br />
4) <br />
5) <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Urban Age <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
DVD Urban Future<br />
Olaf Jacobs <br />
5 Deutsche Bank Urban Age<br />
Award <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Handmade Urbanism <br />
-<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
03<br />
<br />
REVIEW <strong>ASA</strong> 107
MEMBERSHIP<br />
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• <br />
2 <br />
• <br />
<br />
1 <br />
• <br />
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• <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
WEBSITE<br />
• asa web <br />
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110 <strong>ASA</strong> PRODUCT NEWS
2 nd edition<br />
out now
CARTOON<br />
SRV<br />
112 <strong>ASA</strong> <strong>ASA</strong> CARTOON