PUBLIC INTERIORS
Revealing invisible cities
As starting point of reflection upon public spaces of the city, we will exercise its definition through the depiction of the Invisible Cities. The novel is framed as a conversation between the busy emperor Kublai Khan, who wants to know about the state of his expanding vast empire, and Marco Polo that tells him about the cities he has explored.The study of the cities extends far beyond their exterior landscapes and architecture. Cities are more than just static, exterior built environments. They are comprised of movements and are in
constant motion. Cities consist in flow of people, currency, ideas... We will be focusing on the social space generated in the city: physical or virtual space
where people gather and interact.
Trading city
Esmeralda is the city of water. There are network of canals and a network of streets span and intersect each other. To go from one place to another you have always the choice between land and boat: and since the shortest distance between two points in Esmeralda is not a straight line but a zigzag that ramifies in tortuous optional routes.
Esmeralda's inhabitants are spared the boredom of following the same streets every day. And that is not all: the network of routes is not arranged on one level, but follows instead an up-and- down course of steps, landings, cambered bridges, hanging streets. Combining segments of the various routes, elevated or on ground level, each inhabitant can enjoy every day the pleasure of a new itinerary to reach the same places.
In this picture, the city has explore 3 dimension- all space crossing the boundary of transportation. There are made up of various small passage which link together into one big circular system. The city promote pedestrian, the evening breeze made up of a beautiful landscape. The canal flow like blood, it is what keep the city alive. Zigzagging like those who are invisible to the world hidden and secrets. A map of Esmeralda include the different colored way, solid and liquid. The routes of the swallows who cut the air
over the roofs, shallows bird mean it become to summer season. Below, the rats run in the darkness of the sewers, one behind the other's tail, along with conspirators and smugglers. Coming with other creatures within the city, in the eye of the bird it is one big contract system. Consist of people hireling from one point to the other. Other creatures which physically interact with the ground see it as possible playground with many steps, levels and layers to be explore.
In my point of view, Esmeralda is the concept of relationship between people and the city that reflect in term of passage. However, idea of Esmeralda city also relate to the idea of Bangkok shrine along the Rechaprasong skywalk. In this project, I focus into buddith and hindu mall’s shrine that always settle between skywalk to department store or hotel like gate way. 9 shrine of Bangkok skywalk not only refer to the idea of religious is a past of life in Thailand but also refer relationship between local people and tourism with mall. This is one of tourist’s destination from research of Hong kong traveller. Every mall build shrine not only for religious cause but also to be attention of people when they come to department store. The exclusive of this 9 shrines are the architecture that combine between Thai and hindu but built in form following department store style.
