From Sprawl to Compact Primary City

Abstract

Bangkok, the primary mega-city of Thailand, had once been driven by water-based development until car mobility was introduced. Since then, the development has been gradually shifted to land-based. The dispersed roads and highways stimulated the urban sprawl where suburban gated communities are built in the outskirts, inaccessible by public transportation, and encourage private motorization. To cope with the congestion, the government is developing public rail transport throughout the metropolitan area. However, the current market-driven development triggers the proliferation of urban gated communities around the emerging stations, resulting in transit-induced gentrification and leaving insufficient spaces for the public. Social segregation and unlivable environments posed by these unplanned phenomena need to be responded. Simultaneously, the water network is disregarded and home to the impoverished citizens, which hinders the performance of stormwater management in this flood-prone metropolis. Regardless of how extensive the network is, only a few
waterways are used for public transport. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is readjusting the land-use plan to align with the expansion of mobility networks, considering the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) and Compact City. Since the concepts have been predominantly applied in the Global North, they need to be comprehensively studied to be adapted to Bangkok properly. This project investigates
Bangkok’s current spatial, social, and institutional conditions on multiple scales to seek the development potentialities. On the macro-scale, it proposes potential canals to be utilized for waterborne transport and prospective TOD locations. Ramkhamhaeng is selected
as the pilot project to apply patterns translated from the metropolitan-scale vision and strategy in four layers; enhancing collective and public space, integrated urban mobility, density configuration, and revitalizing water systems. On the micro-scale, design intervention showcases the contextualization of the principles and explores the built forms compromising to the surroundings. Lastly, to realize the project, it suggests the planning systems that engage all stakeholders to ensure the inclusive and efficient operation and implementation, which resulting in the aimed livable and socially diverse environments.