“…I need some leisure time for myself, and to enjoy my family, and want access to some GREEN PARKS, to the arts, and to traditional social or religious festivities.
I want clean air to breathe and clean water to drink…” (The Quality of Life), Puey Ungphakorn.
Puey Ungphakorn Artistic Park project has been initiated in the occasion of 100th birthday of Prof. Dr. Puey Ungphakorn, the Master of Truth, Esthetic, and Virtue, the model of commoner who made benefits to the nation and society. The project has been inspired from the article “The Quality of Life of a Southeast Asian - A Chronicle of Hope from Womb to Tomb” and the demand for “Welfare State” in Thai society by Prof. Dr. Puey Ungphakorn, October 1973.
Talad Noi, “Birthplace” of Prof. Dr. Puey Ungphakorn is an old Chao Phraya riverside community located in Samphanthawong district.The area is continued from Yaowarat, a long-time important business district in Bangkok. It is a part of natural feature which reflects the settlement in the beginning of Rattanakosin era with 750 metres-long riverbank.
Currently Talad Noi is“Xiang Gong district”, where is the market place for spare parts and used machinery. It is a historic area which has been founded by Chinese immigrants even before World War II. Talad Noi has its beautiful sceneries with pleasant shadings blended in the community area but it still lacks of efficient use considering the site potential and urban green area development for better life quality of the society.
Collaboration Architecture for Change
Arsomsilp Community and Environmental Architects has done fieldworks at Talad Noi in collaboration with community members. Seeing problems and potentials of the area, as architects who intend to make some changes to the society, along with the community members they pushed for the initiation of the project.
The objective is to create a pilot project that changes the use of closed area in an old machine shop, turning it into green space along Chao Phraya River which becomes beneficial to public by using participatory process. This project has been presented to Ministry of Finance and supported by the minister at that time who later suggested The Treasury Department to be in charge of it as the landowner. This project created from the cooperation of all parties and the sacrifice of Tenant of the Treasury Department land.
Architecture for the Community Empowerment and Well-Being
To turn once-closed area on half of the area of the old machine shop which is a space along the Chao Phraya Riverinto an open area for exercises, recreations, meetings and activities of Talad Noi community members and public. The architectural design process is used to create the collaboration by acquiring the community hearing method to define the usable area within the project. The project is aimed to reflect the identity of the community and truly serve the need of uses, led to the pride and the strength of the community.
Public Space for Learning
Talad Noi Community Museum – To introduce the story of Talad Noi community, an old Chao Phraya riverside community, “Xiang Gong district” the market place for spare parts and used machinery founded by Chinese immigrants with long history before World War II, selected community products, pride of TaladNoi, biography of Prof. Dr. Puey Ungphakorn, the Master of Truth, Esthetic, and Virtue, the model of commoner who made benefits to the nation and society, and notable person of Talad Noi,for the learning of community members, students, and those who are interested Multi-purpose area for community activities to provide the space or meeting, gathering, or festive activities for the community members.
The architectural space attracts the green context into the building
Taladnoi is densely populated community and lack of space for community activities. The project intent to preserved all of existing trees on site.The architectural space design attracts the green context into the building .And maximize the project potential of greenness despite its small land area of 858 sq.m. to turn it into the powerful green space for exercises, recreations, meetings and activities of Talad Noi Community leading to a well-being community.
Sharing prosperity
One of project targets is to achieve the shared prosperity that all has an equal opportunity to access green and fresh air, have a good wellbeing, increase learning skill as well as improve a quality of life. These are the human rights, civil rights and social welfare rights that all people should deserve in their life.
