The Hidden Story of Pak Khlong
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PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project explores the topic of formal symbolism, clashing identities of Bangkok, and how we can reclaim agency for the people of Pak Khlong Talat. Through the investigations of history of the area, popularly known for its flower market, and its royal artifacts, the project unraveled long standing issues of community displacement that still persists today. In addressing these issues, the project argues that the people are indeed the core identity of this area and proposes a design of an interactive pavilion that acts as a bridge between the original and the newly constructed market.
RESEARCH
The investigation began when I arrived at Pak Khlong Talat, one of Thailand's largest flower markets. As I got off at the MRT station, I noticed its Royal Thai-style decorations, which I later discovered were influenced by the surrounding royal artifacts. Walking towards the main street of Pak Khlong, I spotted tiger statues on the Charoen Rat 31 Bridge, which was built by King Rama 6 to facilitate easy canal crossings.
DESIGN ITERATION
As part of my exploration, I embarked on designing a temple dedicated to Indra, drawing inspiration from the architectural principles of Hindu temples. The temple serves as a symbolic representation of the significance of Indra in the history and culture of Pak Khlong Talat.
THE NAGA
Creating the Naga procedurally is a fantastic approach, as it allows you to have flexibility in shaping it into various postures and controlling its movements. This way, you can customize the Naga's appearance and behavior to suit different scenarios or expressions.
FORM GIVING
Based on my intentions to reflect the identity of Pak Khlong Talat, incorporate formal symbolism, and establish a connection between the two sites, I propose the following outcome.
MODEL MAKING
The models have both concave and convex parts, with each being the negative part of the other, to form the mold for the shape of the design with fabric and metal rods.
FUNCTION
Building upon the connections I discovered between the two sites, particularly through the royal artifacts and historical elements like the shrine bridge temple, I can incorporate these connections into the design of the pavilion.
REFLECTING TO THE SITUATION
To further emphasize the connection between the two sites and convey a symbolic critique, I plan to have two duplicate pavilions placed in strategic locations.
The first pavilion will be situated at the foot of the memorial bridge, directly in front of the statue of King Rama I. This placement serves as a powerful statement, symbolizing a critique of the authorities' repeated displacement of the people of Pak Khlong Talat throughout history.
The second pavilion will be positioned in the heart of the new Pak Khlong Talat. This central placement reinforces the importance of the new market and its role in shaping the identity and livelihood of the community.
WAY OF COMMUNICATING
It's a fascinating concept to empower everyone to write their own history and narratives. To achieve this, you have utilized the royal image in the Thai patterns you collected as symbols and a language to encode secret messages, representing an alternative history.
USING THE PAVILION
Hold your phone towards the blinking light on the pavilion. The app will provide a text input field, allowing you to type anything you want to embed on the pavilion. Once you have entered your desired message, swipe up on your phone's screen to send it to the pavilion. Your message will be encoded and projected onto the pavilion's surface for everyone to see.
In the festival of opening the time capsule from the past decade, each sentence will be projected on the ground. As the event unfolds, the sentences will appear one by one, displayed on the ground for all attendees to see. This captivating visual element adds a sense of immersion and excitement to the festival, allowing people to reflect on the messages contained within the time capsule and connect with the memories and experiences of the past decade.
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