Sarasatr: Journal of Architecture and Design

Humans, Wildlife, and Urban Spaces: Species Differences and Coexistence in Shared Environments

2024-08-15T09:10:40+07:00

This article presents the causes of conflict between humans and wildlife in urban areas through a literature review on the subject. It employs the conceptual framework of the Anthropocene, which highlights the inseparable relationship between humans and wildlife in urban spaces. This framework reflects the issue of anthropocentrism, where humans place themselves at the center of all things and attempt to exclude elements deemed unsuitable for coexistence. By applying this concept, the article seeks to address human-wildlife conflicts in urban areas, proposing ways to foster coexistence. The goal is to shift the human perspective on animals, viewing them as integral components of society rather than as alien entities to be removed. This perspective change is crucial since wildlife in certain areas hold significant roles, such as symbolizing the city's identity, representing religious beliefs, and featuring in local narratives. The article suggests creating urban green spaces as a solution for coexistence, promoting biodiversity, and potentially fostering more positive attitudes toward wildlife. Such measures may contribute to reducing conflicts between humans and wildlife.

The Uses of Landscape Architecture in Shopping Centers as Semi-public Spaces: A Case Study of Shopping Centers in Bangkok Metropolitan Areas

2024-10-21T09:11:20+07:00

Shopping centers are one of the popular destinations that people in Bangkok usually go to spend their leisure time. This preference arises because these centers offer a comprehensive range of services, reflecting a shift from earlier times when public space was limited. As a result, shopping centers in Bangkok have evolved into privately owned public spaces (POPs) which are privately managed properties that function as public areas, not only shopping destinations. This similar trend of usage also appeared in academic research internationally. Despite this, there remains a limited amount of research focusing on the landscape architecture of shopping centers, indicating a research gap in this field.

This study aims to study the usage characteristics in the area of landscape architecture within shopping centers and to compare usage characteristics between shopping centers in different areas of the Bangkok metropolitan region. The methodology is a multiple-case study research method, comparing and analyzing the data from a systematic data collection, on-site observation, and evaluation that adapted from a literature review about the study of public spaces and public activities.

The study found that the landscape architecture of shopping centers in the Bangkok metropolitan region is being used as a semi-public space. The usage and activities appeared is comply with a particular usage regulation of each property which is not as free as a public space. Each category of activities is related to not only the physical quality of the space but also the location and surrounding context. The activities are also not affected by only the publicness of the area, yet the physical quality of space resulted in the increase of optional activities and social activities which also resulted in higher usage density and higher customer traffic in shopping centers. The location and surrounding context also affected the user’s density and characteristics of user groups which affected the characteristics of activities as well.

The Relationship between Space and Space Use Pattern of Multi-use Public and Semi-public Spaces in Central Business District Areas

2024-10-04T15:42:52+07:00

Central business districts often have high density land uses and traffic flow at their full potentials. The intense development usually make open spaces be replaced by buildings, mostly of commercial uses. However, public spaces, particularly sidewalks, are mainly used for infrastructure despite their crucial role in pedestrian flow. The project owners often make an effort to integrate their spaces with public spaces especially sidewalks to attract more pedestrian flow into the buildings. These spaces are referred to as “semi-public spaces”. The success of public and semi-public spaces in term of behaviorism is defined by their role as multi-use spaces with mix types of people, activities during mix times of use. This research aims to examine the relationship between spatial patterns and space usage in central business districts that leads to multi-use public spaces by comparing the study of western and eastern theories and research, based on urban design concepts, to propose a framework for establishing guidelines and incentives that encourage the development of quality public and semi-public spaces. The findings reveal that multi-use public and semi-public spaces in CBDs potentially engage these following spatial characteristics: 1) diverse land uses and building uses; 2) high degree of visual connection and accessibility between internal and external building spaces; 3) seamless continuity of pathway levels and materials; 4) adequate street furniture; 5) all-time accessibility and 6) highly spatial integration to the urban surrounding network. These space patterns are likely to foster vibrant multi-use public and semi-public spaces, thereby attracting mix types of people, activities in mix times.

Prosthetic Architecture: Lingering for Nostalgic Futurism

2024-09-17T13:35:36+07:00

This article explores prosthetic architecture, a concept that combines nostalgia and futurism to reimagine the conservation of architecture in everyday life. Inspired by the idea of architecture as a "prosthesis" that extends and adapts to modern needs, the objective is to propose an alternative approach to architectural conservation — one that not only preserves cultural and historical value but also integrates new infrastructure and functions to align with contemporary lifestyles. By reviewing key theories, such as Sigmund Freud's views in Civilization and its Discontents and Mark Wigley's Prosthetic Theory: The Disciplining of Architecture, this research builds a theoretical foundation for understanding how architecture can serve as both a bridge to the past and a path to the future.

A significant part of the analysis focuses on Anosh Nadeem Butt's work, which is directly based on the principles of prosthetic architecture. His designs are reviewed to highlight how architectural interventions can serve as "prostheses" that respect the past while providing new functions and identities. This review forms a core part of this article’s argument, showing how these concepts can be translated into practice. The research methodology involves a comprehensive review of theoretical texts and practical case studies, examining both real-world and conceptual projects that embody the principles of prosthetic architecture.

The case studies explore the historically innovative use of iron in restorations as an early form of architectural augmentation, built projects that focus on contemporary design adding new layers to existing structures, and a couple of projects of paper architecture, which examines speculative designs that challenge the limits of architecture and urbanism. By analysing these cases through the lens of Wigley’s theories and Butt's application, the article demonstrates how new architectural interventions can reintroduce relevance, enhance usability, and provoke thought about our relationship with the past and the future.

The findings suggest that prosthetic architecture can offer a viable framework for future architectural practices. It combines theoretical insight with practical applications, presenting a model for how we can think about preserving architectural heritage while embracing innovation. Ultimately, this research aims to establish the principles of prosthetic architecture and propose how these can be applied to create sustainable, meaningful, and adaptive urban environments.

Improving Interior Learning Spaces in Preschool Through 7 Spatial Layers: A Case Study of The Creative Kid Preschool in HCMC, Vietnam

2024-09-13T07:25:00+07:00

As one of four important elements of human development, school plays an important role in children’s holistic growth. Preschool children spend most of their time in the indoor environment compared to other environments, especially, in the classroom where they learn through discovering and exploring the surrounding environment.Interior learning space, therefore, exerts a significant impact on children’s developmental needs and designers should be aware of the importance of indoor spatial components for preschool children. The primary aim of this study is to explore a conceptual framework for understanding key factors in interior design for preschool classrooms in responding to children's development. The study constructs a conceptual framework for the interior design of preschool classrooms to emphasize the interconnected relationship between interior architectural space, preschool children, and pedagogy through exploring and understanding important spatial variables. The paper focuses on preschool classrooms for children from 3 to 6 years old. This paper employs grounded theory to adjust the interior spatial layers, utilizing existing literature and design documentation, and visual analysis to interpret and to analysis the spatial aesthetics and design elements. The scope of this research is to establish a framework for a pilot study that describes the existing environment of The Creative Kid Preschool in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and analyzes how the application of seven interior spatial layers links to pedagogical practices and supports children's development through observation and interviews with educators. The outcomes of this study have valuable insights for interior designers, architects, educators, and preschool teachers, and for parents who care about children's space design, providing them with a deeper understanding of the young children's learning environment. In future research, the conceptual framework of design for preschool classroom interior space and concept of 7 interior spatial layers can be a guideline for user application and it can be developed by conducting experimental methods on each variable to examine in response to children’s development adapting to socio-cultural, environment and time context.

Art Toy Design Project Based on Journey to the West Literature for Dhamma Philosophy Study Motivation

2024-08-13T14:50:47+07:00

The impetus of this research is based on the ancient Chinese Mahayana Buddhist literature - Journey to the West, especially the character of the mythical monkey Sun Wukong. The research aims to re-create three-dimensional art toys that narrate this story. Journey to the West incorporates Buddhist philosophy through storytelling as well as characters, which symbolizes vice and virtue within Buddhist beliefs. It was found that, through time, such a character as Sun Wukong, has been worshiped as a deity in Chinese shrines. These deity statues exist in contexts and environments that make people feel distant and sometimes frightened. This resulted in new generations losing interest in them. It should be noted that, through time, Journey to the West literature and its characters have also been interpreted and presented through other media until they became toys and art toys, which are fields of creative work that are now growing in popularity. The research therefore proposes that if we adopt art toy design techniques from successful designers, a new series of art toys based on Journey to the West can be successfully created. These questions are as follows. 1) Is it possible to use art toy techniques to help the ancient story reach out to younger people? 2) Will these art toys be able to raise more awareness in Buddhist philosophy among more people?

This research also involved how various ancient characters could have been reinterpreted in Pop culture and contemporary design. This includes other media such as movies. The research also involved studying the definition of art toys and art toy design techniques, studying Journey to the West literature, by focusing specifically on the characters of Sun Wukong. The researcher used the life path of Sun Wukong to visualize the Mahayana Buddhist philosophy that this researcher wanted to convey. Important episodes that were turning points in Sun Wukong’s life path were selected to design 4 major pieces of the researcher’s art toys. Then the success or failure in communicating the narrative and underlying philosophy was measured by interviewing viewers of the researcher’s art toy exhibitions both in Thailand and Japan. There were 929 visitors in total; and a sample group of 391 people were interviewed. This set of data was published online, with totally of 8710 people participating through online comments. Four experts related to Journey to the West and art toys were interviewed.

The research resulted in a series of three-dimensional art toys based on ancient literature. It was found that these art toys could help the story and philosophy behind it reach younger generations of people much more easily and help motivate them to be interested in Buddhist philosophy. It should be, however, noted that this success also relies on textual and verbal communication within the exhibitions. Discussions and written descriptions are very crucial additional parts for viewers to understand the hidden meanings of Journey to the West.

The Development of Digital Twin Datasets to Assess Building Usage: A Case Study of Overseas Building of the Department of Consular Affairs

2024-07-02T13:36:55+07:00

Good space management can make various areas within the building achieve their full potential and be used in a cost-effective manner. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has offices located around the world. There are a lot of physical resources that need to be looked after. The Property Management Office is responsible for taking care of its assets, which can be divided into the real estate and the movable property which always need maintenance. The objective of this research is to study and develop the data sets required by digital twin technology for space management. The Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for taking care of Thai people living in that country, thereby making it a very important part. The consular area can be divided into 3 types: public area, semi-public space and personal areas. These 3 areas have problems arising from 2 main issues: the physical issues and management issues. In this research, an approach was developed to find the required data sets for digital twin technology to evaluate the use of building space in order to apply it to the management of physical resources in the area of remote area management, with the aim of achieving fast, accurate and cost-effective management. Because digital twin technology has unique functions which are a real-time data update and a remote data update, it is appropriate for taking care of area management. By studying as-built drawings and interviewing, it can be concluded that studying the functioning of digital twin technology at the descriptive level is enough and using data from this level to evaluate the efficiency of building space usage. The descriptive level data is divided into 2 types which are Static data and Dynamic data. The necessary Static data from this research include room area, room capacity, area per person, and the number of hours the room should be used in one week. The necessary dynamic data from this research include the number of hours actually used in one week, the number of employees actually using rooms in one week, and the efficiency of building space utilization. These data can be collected from the actual space by the sensor tools. The results of this research can be used to evaluate the efficiency of building space usage in the consular section.

A Study of Artificial Intelligence Platforms for Assisting in Reviewing Building Control Laws in Bangkok

2024-07-17T16:16:56+07:00

This research article explores the use of artificial intelligence (AI) platforms to assist in reviewing building control laws for residential buildings with a floor area under 2,000 square meters and a height of less than 23 meters in Bangkok. The objective is to identify the most suitable AI platform to develop a legal dataset that can efficiently answer questions and address doubts about building regulations. By reducing the complexity and time required to verify legal requirements, this tool aims to support architects and other users in their reviews of building control laws.

The research methodology involves collecting, studying, and analyzing legal documents within the defined scope to create a legal dataset. It also includes analyzing various types of chatbot systems to select the most appropriate type for developing an effective system to answer questions on building control laws.

The study identified 6 types of chatbots categorized by their operating characteristics. The most suitable type to develop the legal dataset was the Hybrid Model Chatbot, which combines Rule-Based and Machine Learning Chatbots. The system can receive law-related queries from users and process them to find relevant answers according to the rules developed by researchers. It can also answer queries beyond the rules using natural language processing and machine learning capabilities.

The research recommends using the developed Hybrid Model chatbot with building control law datasets to facilitate architects and those involved in building construction. Further development is suggested to accommodate a broader range of legal requirements, enhancing the efficiency of answering questions and searching for construction laws.

Management of Fire Prevention in High-rise Buildings and Large-scale Buildings: A Case Study of an Office Building on South Sathorn Road, Bangkok

2024-07-03T07:53:47+07:00

This article studies fire protection management in high-rise office buildings and special large buildings. It focuses on a case study of a 350,000 square meter office building located on South Sathorn Road, an A-grade office completed in 1995, situated in the central business district. The building has 58 floors and a 10-floor retail section, with connections to the BTS Chong Nonsi station and the BRT Sathorn bus station. Each office floor has an area of 3,300 square meters, while the retail space covers 10,000 square meters. The study examines methods for managing fire protection, outlining the responsibilities of various operational roles that influence fire management, such as building management, engineering, and safety departments. The data of the study was collected through interviews, structured around groups of executives, operators, and fire management experts, alongside legal and theoretical frameworks related to fire management. Findings of the studies indicate that in the event of a fire, the management process consists of four stages: detection, suppression, evacuation, and relief. The results can be utilized to develop fire response plans, serving as guidelines for managing fire protection in high-rise and special large office buildings.

Marketing Strategies for Pool Villa Projects of Real Estate Development Companies Registered in the Stock Exchange of Thailand: Case Studies in Hua Hin Area, Prachuap Khiri Khan

2024-10-15T14:31:04+07:00

The villa project has gained popularity and continuously developed in Thailand. This research aims to study the characteristics of villa projects in Hua Hin, with the focus on the development concepts and marketing strategies through the study of five projects: Baba Beach Club Residence, Veranda Pool Villas, Boulevard Tuscany, The Standard Residence, and Cabanas. These projects are managed by four real estate development companies registered in the stock exchange: CI, VRANDA, SC, and SIRI. The study collected data through document analysis, field surveys, and interviews with relevant parties, and then analyzed the information by comparing similarities and differences to summarize key lessons in developing such projects.

The study reveals four key findings. First, there are 120 villa projects in Hua Hin, operated by 101 companies, with selling prices ranging from 1.49 to 100 million baht. These projects are divided into three main areas: near the sea (7 projects), near the mountains (87 projects), and in the city center (26 projects), with developers typically favoring coastal locations for their villa projects. Second, the development concepts of the four case study companies are similar, as they have long-standing experience in Hua Hin and aim to expand their businesses by leveraging existing expertise and resources to fill market gaps. Third, the marketing strategies of these companies target high-income customers, with prices ranging from 7.99 to 100 million baht. SC specifically targets retirees, while CI, VRANDA, and SIRI focus on niche lifestyle customers, influencing the physical characteristics and design concepts of the villas. Finally, the interior components of the pool villas in the case studies share common features: bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, living room, swimming pool, and parking, with an average usable area of 283 square meters, clearly defined units, and brand identity. These pool villas are designed to meet the new normal lifestyle needs of consumers.

According to this research, the development of pool villa projects is a business model that responds to the specific needs of consumers. The factors influencing pricing include project location, villa design, amenities, and the reputation of developers. This study will serve as a marketing guideline for pool villa projects in Hua Hin and can be applied to similar developments in other tourist provinces in Thailand.

Setting-up Process for the Management of High-rise Condominiums: A Case Study of 5 Developers

2024-06-10T13:57:24+07:00

This article reports the results of a study on the process for preparing to manage high-rise residential condominiums of 5 real estate development companies. The purpose of this study is to study the process of preparing for the opening of a high-rise residential condominium building, which is carried out during the period after the completion of the construction process until before the ownership of the first condominium unit is transferred and allowed for occupancy by the condominium project developer. Preparatory work for opening the building for customers to stay in the residential condominium project developer, by conducting an empirical study through the project survey, executive worker interview, and those involved in the building management preparation process of 5 studied projects, then conduct data analysis by using Tools of Process Flow Diagrams, Gantt Charts, Data Analysis Diagrams. Finally, summarize and discuss the results of the study. The results of this study will help those working in physical resource management able to know the work process for use in planning and managing the opening of a residential condominium.

The results of the study indicate that preparations will be made before opening the building and transferring ownership of the first condominium unit of the project. The operation is divided into 3 steps as follows:

Step 1. Project Information Preparation: approximately 2-3 months before the transfer of ownership of the first unit. There is a Kick-Off Post Construction Meeting to inform the plan, transfer schedule, and goals, to be used in planning work to prepare for transfer and occupancy.

Step 2. Project Planning & Management: approximately 2 months before the transfer of ownership of the first unit, with the activities that must be carried out as follows; 1) Surveying the project 2) Bidding for building management 3) Recruiting building staff 4) Recruiting maid and security guard companies 5) Preparation of building management plan.

Step 3. Building Operations: approximately 1 month before the transfer of ownership of the first unit, the activities that must be carried out as follows: 1) the building management department begins work, 2) the maid company and security guard company begin work, 3) prepare for building management, 4) prepare for engineering system work, 5) prepare office equipment and supplies, 6) prepare a plan for accepting work and receiving common areas, 7) prepare documents for registering a condominium juristic person, 8) prepare the occupancy regulations and 9) prepare the transfer boxes.

The results of the study reveal problems and obstacles occurred as follows: 1) arrangement of personnel, 2) problems from construction work that is not completed, 3) the facility is not ready for actual use, 4) the moving-in schedule has been changed, or opening the building for occupancy before the building is completed and 5) sanitary works and main systems are not ready for use.

Maintenance Guidelines of Green Roof in Condominium: A Case Study of Q Chitlom–Petchburi and Ideo Phahonyothin–Jatujak

2024-10-09T07:45:24+07:00

Green areas are essential for health and quality of life of urban residents. According to regulations, condominiums must provide at least 1 square meter of green area per 1 person. However, due to limited space, green roof in roof garden must often be constructed to meet the minimum green area requirement. Roof gardens and green roofs, however, require different maintenance compared to ground – level green areas. The aim of this research is to study the maintenance for green roofs and identify the causes of common issues and their potential solutions. In this study, Q Chitlom – Petchburi (QCP) and Ideo Phahonyothin – Jatujak (IPJ) are selected as case studies. These two projects consist of green roofs around 50% of their total green areas. The research methods involve photographing the case studies and interviewing designers, gardeners, and experts to explore the problems and solutions related to the maintenance of green roofs in condominiums.

The findings indicate that, first green roofs consist of various elements including trees, shrubs, groundcover, grass, soil, drainage systems, and waterproofing. Second, the two case studies follow similar maintenance practices, with two individuals responsible for all green spaces, including the green roofs, for at least 8 hours per day. Pruning and fertilizing occur at least twice a month. Third, the advantages of these green roofs include the healthy condition of most trees, shrubs, groundcover, and grass, which is a result of high-quality maintenance. However, some trees did not survive and the replacement with specimens of the same size could not be done. Shrubs and groundcover struggled due to insufficient sunlight, and some grass areas failed because they were frequently walked or run on. Additionally, there were some instances of leakage. Finally, proper green roof maintenance should consider sunlight, irrigation, drainage, soil quality, appropriate use of the space, and the positioning of the green area. Maintenance practices for green roof components should vary, as follows: 1) Trees should be pruned and fertilized every 3-6 months and must be able to withstand high-altitude conditions, with a maximum height of 3 meters. 2) Shrubs and groundcover should be pruned and fertilized 1-2 times per month. They should also tolerate high building conditions and should not involve a wide variety of plant types. The chosen plant should be easily planted by stem cutting method. 3) Grass should be planted in areas that receive at least 6 hours of sunlight per day and should be located in spaces that avoid heavy foot traffic. (4) Other components, especially drainage systems, should be tested at least every 3 months.

Demand and Affordability for Housing of First Jobbers in Mueang District, Khon Kaen Province

2024-10-15T16:52:00+07:00

The first jobber is a group of people who enter working society after graduating from various educational institutions for no more than 4 years. The survey data in 2024 found that today there are 39,718 first jobbers in Mueang Khon Kaen District. The key characteristic of this group is that they are starting to build a family and planning to buy a home. Therefore, this group will become an important customer of Khon Kaen Province real estate sector. This research aims to study their housing needs and their affordability to pay for the desired housing in the next 5 years by collecting data from 400 people who are working in Mueang Khon Kaen District today and analyzing the data using statistical methods.

The study found that, first, most of the sample group graduated with a bachelor’s degree. They are

single and work as a full-time employee in the company, with no second career. Overall, they have an individual income of 10,500-15,000 baht per month and a household income of 25,001-40,000 baht per month, Notably, those with the age of 26–27-year-old have the highest individual income of 15,001-20,000 baht per month. Second, for lifestyle and behaviors, the sample group prefers to travel by motorcycle, which takes 15 minutes to get to work. They like to order products online and buy ready-made food to bring back home or always order delivery. In addition, this study found that all age groups have similar behaviors. Third, they mostly live in rental housing. The 22-23-year-old jobbers mostly live in a dormitory or an apartment with a rental price of 2,001-4,000 baht per month. However, the 24–25-year-old jobbers mostly live in a single or a twin house. In the present day, this sample group has housing problems. That is, the current residence is too far from their workplace. Fourth, they prefer to buy a house more than other housing types. Specifically, they prefer a single or twin house, priced 2-4 million baht. Their favorite location is the center of Mueang Khon Kaen District. Fifth, when evaluating the affordability to pay for housing needs within the next 5 years in this people group. It is found that most of them are unable to pay, whether to buy or to build, for the housing that they wanted. These results indicated that the first jobber in Mueang Khon Kaen District today was not ready to own their residence. Therefore, they need supports from the government and related private sectors. In addition, it is necessary that the financial institutions provide them knowledge about financial planning for their future housing.

Potentiality and Limitation of Linkages to Other Transportation Modes: A Case Study of Chao Phraya Express Boats

2024-09-27T13:53:18+07:00

The objectives of this research are to study the characteristics of the surrounding context and to study various transportation systems connected to Chao Phraya Express Boat piers. The aim is to identify potentials and limitations and propose guidelines for solving problems and further development for the linkage areas of Chao Phraya Express Boat piers. This involves exploring the relationship between commuter quantity, surrounding context characteristics, and the characteristics of various linkage to other transportation systems. The study includes data on building use, types and quantities of other transportation systems, nearest and farthest distances between piers and other transportation systems. Correlation Analysis method is used with comparisons of commuter volumes and different types of piers to identify key indicators and summarize the potential and limitations of Chao Phraya Express Boat linkages.

The study reveals that the surrounding context does not positively correlate with commuter quantities. However, there is a correlation between the linkage to other transportation systems in various aspects and the quantity of commuter during different day and time periods. It was found that van and minibus lines (Song-Teaw) relates to the quantity of commuter during morning rush hours for boarding passengers. The availability of options to transfer to other public transportation relates to commuter quantities during non-rush hours and weekends. Furthermore, the distance between piers and the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system correlates with commuter quantities during evening rush hours for disembarking passengers and during non-rush hours and weekends for boarding passengers.

Based on correlation analysis and comparisons of commuter volumes with different pier types to identify important indicators, it is concluded that the potential of Chao Phraya Express Boat linkages does not depend on the density and variety of building use, as in the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) concept. Instead, it depends on its ability to connect with other transportation systems, including supplement transportation systems, diverse travel options, and convenient links to the Mass Rapid Transit system. Landmarks around each pier also contribute to the potential of the Chao Phraya Express Boat. Furthermore, the study identifies limitations of Chao Phraya Express Boat linkages due to pier locations in limited development areas and far from main roads, often situated in narrow blind alleys. Consequently, these factors restrict their ability to connect with other transportation systems, resulting in piers being used only during specific time periods.