Architecture has always been human’ second skin that wraps his personal world while shielding against the wild roughness of nature. Just like putting on sunscreen in the scorching sun, wearing sunglasses in blinding daylight or putting on an extra jacket … Continue reading →
India – Nagaland / somewhere in the village : heard a lot about the beauty of Naga ladies from my mate Oken. see the tribal people and stay away from the headhunters
The journey will go through 12 countries covering 14,292 Km. A constant walking speed of 5 Km/h will take 119 days 13hours (that is 24 hours of walking non-stop) + 33% extra time for sleeping make it a total of 160 days. Google map suggests to “Use caution – This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths, all directions from Satorn 7 to Buckingham Palace precisely elaborated.
One of the novel urban landmark in Bangkok is the overpass walkway at Sathorn -Narathiwat intersection connecting Chong Nonsi BTS station and Chong Nonsi BRT station. The steel construction spans over 30 metres from Sathorn Nua (north) and Sathorn Tai (south) with a luxuriant 20+ metres bay, accommodating 10,000+ commuters on the move.
Before the construction, the rectangular walkway drew model-posing fanatics, professional photographers and international cinematographers especially Bollywood crew for their “running, chasing, hiding & flirting” scenes. The surrounding high-rise “modern” office buildings provide ravishing background setting for their artistic pixels. The new spacious bridge attracts even more of the above but the Bollywood crews tend to use the spacious platform for the choreographed dancing scene more these day :)
Despite the visual excitement, the ponderous structure fails to justify its constitution as a contemporary architecture.
This flying basketball court suffers a mild case of Charles Jencks’ “Monomaniacalmegabuild” syndrome. The intended functions barely full fill its vastitude while the design poorly responds to the prevailing energy crisis. A 20 metres wide bridge connects between two 5 metres wide walkways means that only 25% of its space will be utilized even at the peak hour, yes….accurate feasibility study. The pitch angle of the roof covering side walkways can not protect the pedestrians from the blustering rain on a pouring day, um… how thoughtful…. Furthermore, the oversized platform blocks natural sunlight, permanently creating dark patches underneath which need to be artificially illuminated even during the daytime, absolutelyBRILLIANT!!!
In the current of energy-conscious environmentally-friendly and community-enhancing architectural practice, Thailand’s face of development is still painted by short-sighted designers, greedy contractors and ill-willed bureaucrats. Many projects are far from being sustainable and the conventional top-down process often leaves out the most important issue in development, people.
Thais are trained to wait and receive rather than ask and acquire. Placing an inconsiderately designed public architecture and we are supposed to accept and be forever grateful about it? By constantly being in the end-receiver position makes us forget about what we really need and overlook the quality of what is given. Our very own “Mai Pen Rai”(nevermind)-ness will ultimately tolerate inane visions, inept executions and inferior outcomes.
I can deal with the illogical size which may be the result of maximizing material usage in order to make more profit for the construction company, at least it is finished and functional. I don’t mind getting a little wet while crossing back from BTS station on a rainy day, my house is just a block down. But building an urban shade that will have to be lightened up by my tax money forever, that is a forced robbery!