Successful architecture and interventions within the urban context often rely on facilitating a multitude of programs, users, and infrastructures at varying timescales. Increased development of static and isolated projects within Bangkok new spaces from the dynamic and sentient qualities of the common Bangkok street. Relics from past real estate booms loom near cranes assembling a new generation of single use generic condominiums and globally franchised retail outlets. With the issues of sea level rise and political instability facing Thailand in the 21st century, new models of architecture interventions need to question existing typologies in order to accommodate a variety of demands and to maintain long term contributions to the city. Long- standing as well as recently inhabited informal settlements within Thailand exemplify adaption and ingenuity to maintain survival through a variety of socio-economic cycles. Located in relationship to a catalog of public infrastructures and land uses within Thailand, can attributes of informal settlements be enhanced to improve their interface with the formal city? This studio employs analysis of the conditions surrounding informal urbanism in Thailand and proposes architectural projects exploring flexibility, adaptation and transformation reacting to those conditions. This studio is part of a collaborative with ETH and the internationally renowned design firm Urban Think-Tank. Students from ETH and principals of Urban Think Tank will attend a workshop with INDA studio members from October 22- 28. Studio Objectives
The semester-long studio will be divided into three segments with specified goals. Part One: Site Research and Analysis Students will begin the project by conducting thorough documentation and research of social and environmental issues pertaining to the Khlong Toei community and other informal settlements in Bangkok. Research and analysis will be documented employing various media such as maps, physical models, digital models, video documentation, and digital animation. Students will work in teams during this phase and will examine multi-scalar systems such as transportation, circulation, infrastructure networks, land use, building typologies, open space typologies, building materials, demographics, economic activities, site history, and social structure. Students will be required to routinely update a studio blog with interim analysis and data visualizations for public comment. Part Two: Program Development and Schematic Design Conventional architectural programs will be challenged based on site analysis. Students will continue with research individually on topics of interest to establish specific intention(s) for the project. Part Three: Design Development The final seven weeks of the semester will allow students to undergo a rigorous design process leading to a site-specific design proposal. Participation in a collaborative workshop with ETH will help to develop a clear conceptual framework to create an architectural intervention at an approved site and allow for feedback from visiting critics and students. Students will undergo pinups with invited reviewers as well engage community members for critical feedback by displaying interim design materials at the site of intervention. A review of the semester’s work will require refined architectural representation of the intervention at a minimum scale of 1:200 including plans, sections, and physical models. Students must pay particular attention to construction methodology, technologies, and phasing of the proposal to reflect on the opportunities of working within the context of informal settlement and studio focus of flexibility.
