ADS-C 2019 Davisi Boontharm Studio

More than a market
Design for sustainable place making of Chatuchak market, Bangkok

Market place is an oldest and most rudimentary form of trade that persist through the development of human settlements. Market is the center of human activities which gathers people and create social encounter. Market supports local economy and expresses the culture of that particular place.
For Bangkok, Chatuchak weekend market is a unique urban phenomenon. It has been featured as one of the biggest weekend markets in the world, with 15,000 market stalls and over 200,000 visitors/day, the size is equivalent to a small town. It became Bangkok’s biggest pedestrian friendly precinct with shoppers walking through hundreds of small lanes and a large circular street. However, the success of this market is not about any design, but it is to do with the density of stalls and the intensity of diverse experiences through lanes and the encounters with innumerable variety of products. Despite its mono-functional activity, this market contributes greatly to the urbanity of Thai capital.
However, the site is far from perfect, throughout its existing since 1982, many problems have emerged. The authority has addressed them point by point but never have an overall strategy for its future. It is challenging to rethink about the role of architecture and urban design in this particular context.
How design of various scales should address the complex phenomena of this place without compromising its existing experiential quality? What kind of design interventions does Chatuchak need to make it truly sustainable and enhance the existing quality of spaces and lives?
This design studio will focus on a responsive architectural and urban design for Chatuchak market which address the issues of sustainability.