Bangkok is one the most traffic jam city in the world. People usually travel with their own vehicles and spend time 1.6 hours per day on the road. The number of road and expressway are increasing in contrast with green and open spaces. The expressway is one of the solutions for solving the traffic jam but in the same time it also creates the problems by separation the area between districts in the city. And the area below the expressway become abandon and unutilized.
Bangkok shaded line is located in Urupong district, center of Bangkok. The area of the site used to own by 5 communities, Klongsompoi Bankruatai Bankruatawantok Bankruner and Watboromniwat, but the development of the expressway separate 5 communities from each other.The area of the site is 22,400 sq m most of it covered by the expressway and Phrayanak road is cut through the site in the middle divided the area into two pieces, North and South.
This project is initiative by King Bhumibol Adulyadej with the thought of developing the human resources is to have a good health and mentality by using the sports as the equipment to connect and empower the people in community. The project is supported by the corporation of many government and private parties.
The concept of Thai basement (Larn-barn-larn-din) are used to refer the expressway as a house and designed the space to connect the relationship between the communities.
Connect site connect people, the design aim use site as a platform to connect 5 communities around the site. Main gate in south side and north side are the key to connect both side together. Other gates are linked the communities to communities and the communities to public infrastructure.
Larn-barn-larn-din is one of the element in Thai traditional house. This area is under the house on the ground level that use to gathering the member of the house and it can be and outdoor living room. Larn-barn-larn-din can be refer in landscape element as the space that connect the relationship between the communities. The shading from the expressway create the atmosphere of the space under Thai house like Larn-barn-larn-din.
Grouping activities and identify the location, grouping active activities on the north side, more concrete surface and under the shade of the expressway, and passive activities on the south side, soil surface. Created the boundary in shape of horseshoe between the sports activities such as futsal, basketball for safety but it is still can connected on one side. Sports activities can play in daytime by using the shade from the expressway.
Green filter as the boundary of the site, trees and shrubs are planted on the boundary of the site because of the shading from the expressway and it works as the green filter to absorb the dust and the pollution from the street. Native plants and plants that absorb the pollution are selected to plant on the boundary of the site. Yellow flowering plants are selected as the symbol of the king. Edible garden is planted as one of the activity that came from the workshop. Plants that can be used in weaving business are also planted to relate the history of the site.
Existing structure as the new infrastructure, existing column can be used as the new infrastructure such as lighting, seating and green wall. Lightings are attached on the existing structure and new structure to create the general lighting in the park.
Material concept, local materials are selected in this project such as concrete and steel. Larn-din is mean soil terrace so brick is used to refer to soil material. Pattern of the brick can also refer to the technique of weaving which very famous in Bankrua community.
During the construction process some events are created to let the local communities to be in the part of the park such as plant some area of the shrubs, paint the wall of the badminton building and paint the floor on the playground. This process is created sense of belonging to the local communities.
After construction completion, local communities must select their representative to become the committee to manage the park with the representative from the government parties. By this local communities can easily ask for the permission to use the park for their annual events.