Benjakitti Forest Park

How does one retain a historical urban asset while making it relevant to present-day conditions and context?

Arsomsilp Community and Environmental Architect Co., Ltd. took up the task of converting Bangkok’s crown gem of a park—one that was established for Her Majesty Queen Sirikit—into a thriving public treasure that contributes its ecological and hydrological functions to the betterment of the urban landscape.

WATER AND FOREST

The design concepts were firstly developed to follow Her Majesty’s visions to improve public understanding and knowledge about ecology, forest, hydrology, and the environment. Secondly, the project seeks to be a pioneer in developing ecological parks. Lastly, the park aims to serve the urban communities and preserve the ecological environment of the city, one that is able to retain 128,000 cubic metres of water during the rainy season and produce 1,600 cubic metres of clean water per day.

• Strategy 1: Solutions for the monsoon climate
• Strategy 2: Natural solutions for water treatment
• Strategy 3: Preserve existing trees
• Strategy 4: Reuse and recycle
• Strategy 5: Long-term low maintenance
• Strategy 6: Urban accessibility
• Strategy 7: Ecological forest park
• Strategy 8: Recreational facilities and places for people

[This is an excerpt. Subscribe to the digital edition or hardcopy to read the complete article.]

PROJECT DATA

Related stories:

Uplifting History Sensitively: 137 Pillars House

Uplifting History Sensitively: 137 Pillars House | FuturArc

Did you know that 137 Pillars House has a history connected to the kingdom’s royalty? The house was originally the headquarters of The Borneo Company Limited founded in Chiang Mai 130 years ago, a British teak trading company whose first manager was Louis T Leonowens, son of Anna, English tutor to t…

Cultivating the Right Tree in the Right Place

Cultivating the Right Tree in the Right Place | FuturArc

Did you know that many of the oldest living organisms on Earth are trees? In fact, the Methuselah Tree, a Great Basin Bristlecone Pine, was thought to be the oldest living tree in the world. What does an ancient living species have to do with today’s city landscapes? For one, Earth’s biosphere and e…

The Old Alley’s Way of Life: Architecture Office in Hao Sy Phuong, Vietnam

The Old Alley’s Way of Life: Architecture Office in Hao Sy Phuong, Vietnam | FuturArc

Called hutong in Beijing, lilong in Shanghai, soi in Bangkok, roji in Tokyo, golmok in Seoul and gang in Jakarta—alleyways are ubiquitous across Asian urban landscapes, each with their own spatial morphology and sociocultural composition. Urban researchers have noted that alleys/lanes are important…

Read more stories from FuturArc 2Q 2023: Old is Gold!