Adaptive Community Center Design for the Budget Constraints of Low-Income Communities: Lessons from the Pathum Thani Model

Abstract

Low-income communities often face financial constraints in developing communal facilities and public spaces. This limits their ability to establish community centers that support social interaction, community management, and local economic activities. This research aims to investigate and propose an adaptive community center design approach for low-income communities with limited budgets by focusing on the Pathum Thani Model, Thailand, as a case study.

The study employed a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach and Participatory Design approaches. Data were collected through participatory workshops and design development activities. The collected data were analyzed to identify design approaches that address both community needs and financial constraints. A total of 77 participants, including community members, representatives from the Community Organizations Development Institute (CODI), Thammasat University’s instructors and students, were involved in the design process.

The findings revealed that the community required various functional spaces. However, budget limitations and residents’ financial capacity significantly influenced design decisions. As a result, flexible design strategies were adopted, including multifunctional spaces, efficient space utilization, and a three-phase construction plan that allows gradual development in accordance with the community’s financial readiness.

The study suggests that community centers for low-income communities should not be specified as fully completed buildings from the outset. Instead, they should be developed through adaptive ongoing processes flexible for expanding and remodeling  in response to community needs and financial capacity over time. The proposed approach bridges the gap between community aspirations, resource limitations, and implementation feasibility, contributing to the development of financially adaptive community center design strategies for low-income communities.