ASA JOURNAL 06/59

02
The air was filled with a good vibe and warmth on
the open-house day in the Mahakan Community and
was paired with overwhelming interest from volunteers
of different professional backgrounds, media and people
who were eager to participate in the Co-Create Design
Workshop : Mahakan Living Museum held from the
17 th – 18 th of September 2016. The activity welcomed
collaborative participation from several different institutes
and professions including ASA-CAN and the Conservation
Committee (through the VERNADOC activity which will
be held in the later part of the year), the Association of
Siamese Architects and Arsom Silp Institute, representatives
from Mahakan Model, volunteer architects and
urban planners and a network of academics from different
institutes and professional fields. The objective of the
workshop was to brainstorm and design a master plan
for the development of the Mahakan community through
a participative approach. The project also granted
opportunity for experiences and opinions between
different networks to be exchanged. The operators from
different disciplines of professions acted as the mediator
and facilitators for the community members by materializing
their ideas into tangible results that would be
used in the development and conservation plan for the
area in the future. The two-day duration of the activity
gave the results that coincided with the name ‘alleyway /
home/ fort: enjoy Mahakan – walk – sightseeing – talk –
experience – eat’ where the activities taking place
within the community included performances, exhibitions,
conversations with the locals and the tasting of
delicious foods.
01 กลุ่มเยาวชนร่วมคิดและนำา-
เสนอแนวทางการอนุรักษ์และ
พัฒนาชุมชนของตนเอง
02 การแบ่งกลุ่มย่อยทำางานของ
ภาคีที่หลากหลายประกอบด้วย
ทั้งชาวชุมชน เครือข่ายชาวบ้าน
สถาปนิก นักวางผังเมือง ร่วม
ด้วยภาคีนักวิชาการหลากหลาย
สถาบันและสาขาวิชาชีพ
TEXT
ASA-CAN Team
PHOTOS
Arthit Tangtatsawad
The sub-groups explored the six following topics
1) Living Museum: a brainstorming between community
members, networks of locals and professionals for
the design of a sightseeing route that would guide
visitors to ancient residencies and interesting pieces
of architecture in the area as well as facilitate the locals
collaboration toward the improvement of the actual
sights included in the route. They also took charge of
cleaning and decorating the route with flags, which not
only beautified the community but also provided proper
direction while the houses’ wooden surfaces were
polished and recoated using simple tools like sand paper
and candle wax. The long-term plan proposes and links
different areas in the community into a beautiful and
safe green space that will be open for public access.
2) Public spaces were cleaned while the landscape was
improved and prepared for future sightseeing and bicycle
routes. Signage and maps were made to properly guide
visitors through the routes. 3) Local residences provided
basic knowledge in ancient wooden house conservation
and improvement of public utilities. 4) A general management
and creative economy approach toward the making
of local maps ‘Mahakan Eating Map’ to attract tourists
and generate income for the community and its members
was also implemented. (A fund was established with
portion of the profits being used to help the locals
make a better living by providing them with occupational
opportunities). 5) The old town development plan:
collectively looking into the consequences of gentrification
that cause old communities to disappear.
6) Local youths: photography activities were initiated to
capture and showcase the characteristics of the community
from the children’s points of view. There is also
a plan to establish a fund for the children, in which the
money can be used toward the organization of future
activities including a young tour guide training session.
26 ASA NEWS วารสารอาษา