The New Hopewell Project
The project is on the leftover concrete infrastructure in Bangkok, known as Hopewell Project or Thailand's Stonehenge, which located in Vibhavadi district,
The Hopewell Project was built since 1997 in order to develop Bangkok elevated road and train system to solve the problem of traffic congestion. After the project was cancelled because of the corruption, the project left over the concrete pillars standing more than 6 km. horizontal along Vibhacadi road.
Consequently, the project was left behind and unused effectively, the potential in the Hopewell project is not only to re-design an un-use infrastructure to be able to use most efficient but also aim to improve the urban quality to respond to the street tourism as well.
The context site locates in the Metropolitan area in Bangkok which there are lots of government and private company organizations, local residents, hospital, temple, local school, and gallery in the area.
As well as there are many public transportation services; 2 train station, 1 sky train station, Don-Meung Airport, Tollway road, and many bus stop stations.
The project currently left over for 6 kilometres of the infrastructure, which is divided into 6 parts each 1 kilometre to design the possibility of the programs which relate and respond to the context.
The chosen part is at the intersection of Vibhacadi and Ngarmwongwan Road.
This area provides most variety programs around the context. There are the Residential area, art gallery, badminton court, Vibhavadi hospital, Kasetsart University, and company organizations.
" The design project proposes the New Hopewell Project to design an architecture on the existing never use infrastructure as a tool to provide a legal space for the diversity of street activities and also to give a worth experience for the tourist to be closer to Bangkok street life. "
There are total 3 levels of the New Hopewell Project;
The residential area
The commercial area
The public area.
Part I. The Residential Area
Vibhavadi district is one of the areas in Bangkok that mostly flood once a year, the period between late of August till November in the average heigh at least 0.5 meters to the maximum height at 2 meters.
The local who work or sell the market can buy the house int he project in lower price which they can build or expand their house convenient then they want to expand more space to support the increasing of their family member.
On the other hands, the street tourism can visit and stay with the local people which they can choose the privacy in each of house they live.Thus they can get an experience more about Thai culture and Bangkok street which locates adjacent to where they live.
Part II/III. The Commercial Area/ The Public Area.
1.) The Urban Farming
locates in the local residential area opposite to the Vibhavadi Hospital
Level 1-2: Vegetable Farming/ Flower/ Vine
-slope farming system
-vine vegetation for temperature control, cool ventilation, shading protection
-water system provided
Level 3: Fresh vegetable and flower market
-Local: can rent space and plants their own organic resource for selling
-Visitor: can visit the farming and enjoy the space to see the process of organic plant growing
and selling market.
2.) Public Art Space
locates in the Gallery area opposite to the Kasetsart University
Level 1: Art Supersession
-slope farming system
-Public open art gallery created by local and visitors for local and visitors to paint their own art graffiti
-Adjustable art pieces
Level 2: Art Workshop & Exhibition
-Art Workshop: collective or individual space for any kind of art and performance.
-Art Exhibition: Temporary events for people to show their skill to the public.
Level 3: Street Art Market
-Art market flexible for any artist to sell and show their workpieces.
3.) Public Screen
locates next to the Art Gallery and opposite to the Company Organization
Level 1: Public Screen
-Public screen for free movie
-the structure is flexible and adjustable to add more particular activities or events, for instance, stage performance
in particular event or local festival.
Level 2: Street Fashion Market.
-Scaffolding structure is provided for the local to sell their garment.
4.) Children Playground
locates in the Badminton Court area and next to Laksi school
Level 1: Children & Adult Playground.
-Children playground integrate with the existing tree, providing climbing mesh and playground slide
-Adults exercise area, providing public sports equipment and public mesh for relaxing.
Level 2: Street Food Market.
-Providing parking for street vendor in the area, public electric use system, and people individually
use space by themselves in the project.
1 kilometre of the New Hopewell Project
Street Tourism
The analysis of street in Bangkok explains life routine in one day in the different type of street in Bangkok. They can be categorised into 3 typologies: the street located in rural area, the street located in a suburb area, and the street located in the urban area of Bangkok.
Each of typology has a different kind of activities, people, and also the timeline routine.
The catalog of street activities in Bangkok which can be categorized into 6 types: Vehicle, Handicraft, Trade, Wellness, Cuisine, and Artistic.
The 360 VR perspective reproduces the environment and atmosphere of Bangkok street people and activities in day and night.
