Landscape Vision for The Conservation and Interpretation of Suphanburi Ancient City Wall Site
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Abstract
The Suphanburi ancient city wall including its moat area is a significant historic monument registered by the Fine Arts Department of Thailand, and constitutes a core element of the old city under the Suphanburi Old City Conservation and Development Master Plan. However, the original role of the wall as a defensive fortification has ended. Today, this over 8.1-kilometer-long stretch of cultural heritage plays a diminished role in the life of the city, with limited engagement with the dynamics of contemporary urban life. As a result, its historical significance is often overlooked, and both residents and visitors remain largely unaware of its value.
This research therefore aims to propose the approaches to conservation integrated with cultural heritage interpretation, through the formulation of a landscape vision and design strategies that reconcile heritage value retention with the public green infrastructure of the city. The study is framed within the concept of Historic Urban Landscape conservation, international best practices on fortifications and military heritage, and principles of cultural heritage interpretation. The research was conducted through data collection, field surveys, and the analysis and synthesis of the physical, functional, and symbolic values of the city wall area, leading to the proposed development of an appropriate conservation and development vision.
The findings indicate that the conservation of the Suphanburi ancient city wall requires an integrated three-pronged strategy: 1) physical conservation, 2) area management and cultural heritage network development, and 3) heritage interpretation and public awareness. To transform the historic site into living public space and learning environment, this research proposes a conservation framework that regards the city wall as a component of the ancient urban fabric rather than an isolated monument, and puts forward an area management model based on public-community partnership. The proposed model is geared towards serving as a strategic one for the sustainable conservation and development of city wall heritage sites in comparable contexts.
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References
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