Sisavangvong Road, Luang Prabang

LUANG PRABANG Sisavangvong road

The streets are accustomed to lively activities as its filled with commercial function along the path of Sisavangvong road. The linear road makes its easy for sightseeing activities. The custom of “walk, walk, see, walk, walk�.

SISAVANGVONG ROAD

MAYBE ZOOOM INTO OUR STREET PERHAPS HMMMMMMMMMM.

HISTORY Located at the northern province, Luang Prabang is formed by the Mekong RIver and Nam Khan River, Its landscape comes with its huge mountains and the lush greeneries which encircles the city. The province is granted a “Heritage city� not only for its many beautiful temples; but its traditional and colonial built form; harmony in picturesque landscape and traditional architecture.

Along the street of Luang Prabang, Sisavangvong street, activities ranges form the morning ritual practice to the nights’ market occupying the whole stretch of the street. Here, the locals run commercial practice to appeal more to the tourists while the bright yellow temples along the street are kept sacred for its religious society practice often opened for tourists to intrude to.

In the present, Sisavangvong street, serves as a tourist hotspot. The many activities and commercial experience provides more to the visitor rather than the immediate community. The street, close to the Mekong river, and as an entrance to one of the mountains, Mount Phou Si. All in all, the two societies live together which makes up for the character of Sisavangvong street, Luang Prabang.

MORPHOLOGY The place before is very colonized and slowly became into a more commerce district.

ACTIVITIES Sisavangvong road

Religious activities TAK BAT MORNING RITUAL (6 A.M.) • •

Silent ritual bonds both giver and receiver (Creating a symbiotic relationship of the monks and the people).

Happens throughout the whole of the street.

BACI CEREMONY • • • •

With celebration of any auspicious event Births, marriages, entering the monkhood, departing, returning, beginning a new year, and welcoming or bidding, etc.

Important culture practiced by the Lao culture for many generation Happens spontaneously throughout the street, it can take place anywhere (shophouses, primarily in temples)

Commercial activity (within shoplots, stalls, and on the street) • SHOPLOTS Eateries, café, Souvenir, and merchandise, Clothing and apparel

•

STREETSIDE SELLERS

Clothes, souvenirs, shoes

•

NIGHT MARKET

Everything anything

Spontaeneous • FRENCH INSTITUTE International Dance Festival

•

THE WHOLE STEET

Marathon

Site edge study

A

Activity Pattern (Necessary activities) 1.Functional: •Workers work during morning and night

Existing Features:

2. Recreational:

•Night Market food district

•Visitor and Tourists walk on the opposite pedestrian lane. At night, visitor and tourists follow path of majority crowd (night market.)

•Restaurants

•3. Interaction Pattern (Social activities)

•Hotel (Indigo House)

•Passive Contacts: people walking pass through each other

•Souvenirs shop •Street stalls (selling clothes etc.)

•Public seating area

•Chance contacts: •Customers stop by shop and stalls to interact with shop owner.

•Visitor and tourists visit the temple and ballet theatre and meet local.

•Acquaintances: •Travelling in same direction, having conversation.

•A group of tourists visit temple and ballet theatre together.

•Close friends: •Shopping.

•Visit temple and ballet theatre together.

4. Seating Pattern (Optional activities) • Shop and stall owners are seated inside the shop/stalls, waiting for potential customers to enter.

• Visitor and tourists sitting at public seating area.

B

Activity Pattern (Necessary activities) 1.Functional: •Workers work during morning and night

Existing Features:

2. Recreational:

•Temple

•Visitor and Tourists walk on the opposite pedestrian lane. At night, visitor and tourists follow path of majority crowd (night market.)

•Royal Ballet Theatre

•3. Interaction Pattern (Social activities)

•Public seating area

•Passive Contacts:

•Park (Between ballet theatre and temple) •Food and merchandise stalls •Night market •A path to Mount Phusi

•people walking pass through each other •Chance contacts: •Customers stop by shop and stalls to interact with shop owner.

•Visitor and tourists visit the temple and ballet theatre and meet local.

•Acquaintances: •Travelling in same direction, having conversation.

•A group of tourists visit temple and ballet theatre together.

•Close friends:

•Purchasing merchandise together.

•Visit temple and ballet theatre together.

4. Seating Pattern (Optional activities) • Sight seeing • As a place of seating or rest

C

Activity Pattern (Necessary activities) 1.Functional: •Workers work during morning and night

Existing Features:

2. Recreational:

•Café and Restaurants

•Visitor and Tourists walk on the opposite pedestrian lane. At night, visitor and tourists follow path of majority crowd (night market.)

•Souvenir shops

•3. Interaction Pattern (Social activities) •Passive Contacts: •people walking pass through each other •Chance contacts: •Customers stop by shop and stalls to interact with shop owner.

•Visitor and tourists visit the temple and ballet theatre and meet local.

•Acquaintances: •Travelling in same direction, having conversation.

•A group of tourists visit temple and ballet theatre together.

•Close friends:

•Purchasing merchandise together.

•Visit temple and ballet theatre together.

4. Seating Pattern (Optional activities) • Night market

INTENSITY Sisavangvong road

LAOS THEUNG The country’s 17 provinces and 1 capital stretch from the north to the south, with 7 million inhabitants representing 49 officially recognised ethnic groups in four main language families. The majority Tai Lao people, from whom the country takes it name, only make up about almost half of the population and the population comprises numerous ethnic minority groups.

In Luang Prabang Province you will find many ethnic groups including:

Khmu

Khmu–often this is spelled Khmu– are the largest ethnic group in Luang Prabang Province.

Hmong

Hmong are well-known for their detailed embroidery and applique work, handwoven hemp cloth, and intricate batik designs, which they often sell in the Luang Prabang Night Market.

Tai The Tai includes the Tai Lao people – the majority group in Laos. Traditionally Tai lived in wood houses on stilts along riverbanks and cultivated paddy rice fields of sticky rice.

Iu Mien (also, Yao Mien)

The Iu Mien migrated into Laos from China over 200 years ago, bringing their practice of Taoism and a written Chinese script.

COMMUNITY

Local (Business) people

Tourists

Locals (laos) passers –by

Cultural tourists

Local (laos) visiting

Adventourists

Locals (immediate community)running errands, groceries

Backpackers

Monks

Photographers enthusiasts

Buddhist devotees

People:

People:

•Locals •Vendors •Tourist Activities:

•Locals •Tourist

People: •Locals •Tourist

Activities:

•Morning Market •Breakfast Spots •Morning Ritual (still quiet either ways) •Baci ceremony (if any)

•Heritage Walk

•Night market

•Touring

•Bars

•Climbing Mount Phusi •Mekong boat ride •Temple wandering •Baci ceremony

Activities:

•Waterfall experience (far from the street)

BUILT FORM Sisavangvong road

Luang Prabang has an extremely diverse architectural style; combination of the traditional architecture with touches of certain foreign influences.

Local or colonial architecture Local vernacular and influence that determines the initial spatial layout of the houses. Below is open (public), upper is closed (private)

Religious architecture Temples (WAT) in Luang Prabang features low sweeping tiered roof, and open veranda which symbolizes levels of Buddhist cosmology

Apparent landmarks of the site for its impressive and attractive architectural style.

Mixed architecture Post modern style with and influence of mixed styles.

Showing mostly French colonial style and Modern architecture.

Why? Because most of the buildings cater commercial purposes, and is located along the commercial roads Rule: commercial architecture is restricted to commercial roads only

Commerce built form is oriented where its entrance is opened to the road of Sisavangvong

Contact Points Sisavangvong road

5 3 4 2 6 1

1

FOOD DISTRICT - Wide pedestrian space - Seating's provided along with tree shades - Social activities and optional activities intensed

STREET

PAVEMENT

ELEVATED SPACE

2

BACKLANE (7am more intense, 9am low intensity) - Wide pedestrian space - Seating's provided along with tree shades - Social activities(passive chance, acquaintance, close friends) and optional activities intense

STREET

NARROW PATHWAY

EXISTING BUILT FORM

3

ROYAL PALACE (landmark) - Wide pedestrian space - Seating's provided along with tree shades - Social activities(passive chance, acquaintance, close friends) and optional activities intense

TEMPLE

ROYAL PALACE

SHOPLOTS

STREET COMMERCE

WIDE LAND

4

ELEVATED WALKWAY (5pm intensed until 8pm) - Wide pedestrian and social interaction space - Stairs as a form of seating landscape - Recreational, Interaction pattern (High Passive and chance social activities)

Street

Pavement

Greenscape

Elevated platform

To Mt. Phousi

5

SHOPHOUSES (street identity daily) - Distinguished built forma long the road - Variety of functional and activity for tourists.

- Recreational, Interaction pattern (High Passive and chance social activities, moderate acquaintances and close friends)

Shophouses

Pavement

Street

Pavement

Shophouses

6

NIGHT MARKET (7-11 pm) - Attraction at night - Spans the whole street - Recreational, Interaction pattern (High Passive and chance social activities, moderate acquaintances and close friends)

Cultural market

Palace compound

Pavement

Street

Resting and vantage point for view

Pavement

Elevated path