“Khlong Ong Ang” is a segment of the Khlong Rod Krung which played an important role in the early time of Rattanakosin and later on it became a well-known market for toys and electronic goods.

In 2015 BMA demolished this area in order to address new public use, but intervention resulted in a drastic change of functions and identity of the area, which now lies in a state of lack of activities and attractions.

“STREAMING MARKET”, is a proposal to bring back the function of the area by creating a regulated model to allow the market typology to spread.

The first action has been to implement the accessibility of the canal, increasing the connection with informal market streets such as “Sampeng” and “Parhurat” , in order to provide a well controlled and functional market to allow local activities to spread and boost tourism making the most out of the environmental qualities of the site.

The intervention strategy has been consists of four main steps:
In order to address accessibility issues, the proposal to open the ground floor of chosen units that face the canal aims at creating integration with the network of market streets that run through the area by connecting them to the waterfront.

In order to recreate the market typology, modular volumes face the existing buildings by creating a covered path where commercial activities are to be developed.

The disposition of volumes works as the foundation for an elevated path which creates a new layer for fast circulation, providing the area with the crossing connection between the river and corresponding increased accessibility of the whole system.

The last step implies the involvement of the existing buildings in the project. Reaching the first floor level with the higher layer of the canal opens the possibility to link the public space to the private one, getting the two spheres to intersect. This solution is meant to trigger revitalizing reaction in the urban fabric, with the goal to turn the warehouses and unexploited spaces of the upper floors into spaces people are willing to dwell again.

Collaborators:

Alessandro Bellieni, Giuseppina Cavallaro, Praj Kongthongluck, Aim Krittaporn, Nammon Pavisporn

Politecnico di Milano, Chulalongkorn University.