How to walk from Bangkok to London by witi9.studio

How to walk from Bangkok to London Witinan Watanasap

MA Architecture Royal College of Art 2018

Word Count: 6581 Adam Kaasa

Declaration I declare that this dissertation is my work and has never been published and/ or submitted for any form of award to any institutions before. Information derived from others has been acknowledged and cited in the text, and a list of references has been listed out in the bibliography.

Acknowledgement I would first like to thank my Critical & Historical Studies tutor, Dr Adam Kaasa. I was usually energetic after having tutorials with him. He provided resourceful lists of reading to me. Whenever I ran into a troubled spot or had a question about my research or writing, steering me in the right direction. My sincere appreciation goes to my ADS tutors, Christopher Dyvik and Max Kahlen who dedicated and were passionate in their involvement, encouraging me with the ne essary support and providing helpful tutorials. Finally, I must express my very profound gratitude to people in my photos that I took in Bangkok and London. They are so generous for allowing me to take pictures of their buildings. This accomplishment would not have been possible without them. Thank you.

Preface The principal purpose of this dissertation, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;How to walk, from Bangkok to Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, is to introduce readers onto the street to experience unfamiliar architectures in their everyday life and perceive new aspects of the city. The following document provides an observation and analysis of overlooked architectures in Bangkok and London. By walking around these cities, this study questions similarity or difference between Bangkok and London and reconsiders conceptions of urbanisation. Not only it is a journey of my daily life; it provides an alternative viewpoint on how to adapt mundane buildings in cities, making such architecture resourceful. Additionally, a guidebook format is used as a simple tool to inform ordinary individuals.

III

Contents Declaration Acknowledgement Preface

I II III

Introduction

Content I Bangkok and London II Literature review III Methodology IV Journeys V Bangkok map VI London map VII Typology

5 13 19 22 36 38 40

Conclusion

Image List Bibliography

89 91

Introduction When I walked on small streets in commercial and residential districts in Bangkok, I discovered curiously tiny spaces occupied for different uses such as cooking and drying clothes by general individuals. Numbers of them are extended lightweight structures from their accommodations. The others are exercising public streets for serving their needs in different design. Most of this architecture is cheaply built and designed without architects. However, they facinated me for their presence creates an infomal atmosphere and reflects the actual requirements of individuals. People commonly think about megacities as having technological advancement and a considerable number of skyscrapers and prosperity. In fact, behind the beautiful citiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; picture, there are small mechanisms that are driving the big system of the city in parallel. Bangkok, for instance, in the urban and commercial districts, it is obvious that there are many street vendors selling food or goods. This is because of most office workers, being middle-class, cannot afford food and stuff in luxury shops or restaurants in the area. Therefore, the space behind the commercial buildings, particularly setback areas or road between buildings are occupied by inhabitants for selling food and service to serve urban office workers. Moreover, in some flats, there are extended spaces from individualsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rooms to corridor or balcony. These reflect basic needs of people to effectively utilise spaces. The informal spaces illustrate another side of the city that general people may not recognise. Why these spaces are added and why the building is added in a different way. The spaces, their shapes and forms, are not formed to styles and pretension but are quite real. They display unique ideas with elements of innovation without producing to their unfavourable conditions such 2

as small scales and widths. These spaces are to be concerned with human being. Small and pop-up spaces stand with all their might in an odd location in the urban area. These spaces coexist in the jungle of buildings. In Bangkok, most people have not seen these unique spaces in town. They are tiny in scale and proportion, narrow in widths, and are created by cheap materials. They are a reflection of human being and space. Many London guidebooks that I have read provide a lot of information about monumental and historical architectures and buildings designed by well-known architects. It shows only one side of the city. However, when I walked in London, I feel different from their descriptions. There are some similar spaces to Bangkok. For example, in Church Street and Camden Market, there is an outdoor market along the public street for middle-class citizens. These are similar to a street market in Bangkok. I am curious to know why the cityscape is laid out the way it is. After taking a detailed look, there are similarities and differences in occupied spaces between Bangkok and London. This dissertation attempts to break down the new concept of an architectural guidebook by introducing the unfamiliar architectures, small, or informal space in Bangkok and London to demonstrate other aspects of both cities. Approaching this alternative guidebook, one must begin by looking at one of the most specific space: domesticity in Bangkok for categorising typology of spaces. Collectively, these spaces are analysed as a source to create Bangkok map and understand spatial concepts concerning a lifestyle and urban context. Then, this map is applied to explore similar typology of spaces in London for creating a London map of hidden 3

spaces. Finally, hidden spaces, observed in Bangkok and London are evaluated and compared. Even though spaces are visually similar, they have different contexts such as weather, regulation, culture, and economy. This alternative guidebook will explain the theory of use and construct hidden spaces. Besides, this dissertation is a tool for ordinary people who may not afford to hire architects to customise their space. This is because they might have secondary aspects of uses differently. In term of architects, they may apply innovative knowledge for the hidden spaces in this for their design and analyse the city by a different approach.

Bangkok and London

Bangkok Bangkok, the capital of Thailand is a popular city known for ornate temples and a vibrant street life. The city has a population of around 8.28 million and occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres.1 There is a famous river called Chao Phraya, which is located at the centre of the city and feeds its network of canals. Bangkok is subdivided into fifty districts, each managed by a district director appointed by the governor.2 Each district council is elected to four-year terms and serves as an advisory body to the respective district director. Bangkok, the economic centre of Thailand, contains headquarters of major commercial banks and financial institutions.3 Furthermore, a considerable number of multinational corporations base their regional offices in Bangkok because of the lower cost of the workforce and firm operations.

1 Worldpopulationreview.Com, 2018 2018 <http://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/ bangkok-population/> [Accessed 14 June 2018]. 2 “Bangkok Travel Guide - Hotels, Tours, Shopping, Nightlife And Information”, Bangkok.Com, 2018 <http://www.bangkok. com/> [Accessed 21 June 2018]. 3,4 : “Bangkok”, En.Wikipedia.Org, 2018 <https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Bangkok> [Accessed 21 June 2018].

In term of climate, Bangkok has a tropical savanna climate. It can be experienced in three seasons: summer, rainy season, and winter. Its temperature is warm towards hot all year-round, ranging from a low of 22.0 °C in December to a high of 37.4 °C in April.4 The culture of Bangkok reflects its position as Thailand’s centre of wealth and modernisation. The city has a considerable length of time been the portal of entry of Western concepts and commodity, which have been blended with Thai tradition. This is noticeable in the lifestyles of the expanding middle class.

image1

‘Bangkok is always among the world’s top tourist destinations. The city is a true tourist paradise, proved by the growing number of travellers coming each year’.5

Bangkok has a variety of tourist places which are mostly historical attractions and temples with elaborate architecture and art. Some of the most attractive places are temples such as Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Wat Phu, and Wat Sutat (‘Wat’ means ‘temple’ in Thai).6 There are also palaces, museums, parks, and a significant array of shopping places from luxury malls to flea and street markets such as Chatuchak Weekend Market, Sampeng Market, and Pahurat Textile Market. Additionally, Bangkok nightlife is a highlight that attracts many tourists from all over the world. Therefore, Thai government attempts to use these places to promote Bangkok to be amongst world’s top destination, comparable to cities such as London, Paris, New York, and Tokyo.

5 Quoted directly from the Official Website of Tourism Authority of Thailand, https://www.tourismthailand.org 6 “The Official Website Of Tourism Authority Of Thailand”, Https://Www. Tourismthailand.Org/, 2018 <https://www. tourismthailand.org/ About-Thailand/Destination/Bangkok> [Accessed 12 March 2018].

In contrary, there are more of Bangkok than what is being promoted by the government. Shanty houses, street vendors selling goods or foods, and 24-hour markets are some of Bangkok that offer various exotic tastes for tourists to try. These places offer different sensation from tourists’ home countries. Everything is neither formal and strict. Tourists can understand aspects of Bangkok which culture, tradition, economy, society, and environment through a different perspective are.

image2

‘One of the world’s most visited cities, England’s buzzing capital is well worth the visit and has so much to offer, from magnificent history and culture to cutting-edge fashion and food’.7

London By the standards of megacities in the world, London is manageable with its population at around 8.5 million.8 The city of London mostly retains roughly 1,572 square kilometres.9 The River Thames, located at the central area, is a significant trade and transport route. According to the broad area of the city, it is subdivided into 33 boroughs which are governed by a London borough council. London financial industry is one of the financial centres of the world, being the most important location for international finance. Approximately 325,000 employees work in financial services. Additionally, the global companies have their headquarters in central London.10 Many people around the world migrate to the city for work. As a result, London culture and people are diverse and mixed culture. The climate in London is temperate oceanic climate, experiences four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Despite It usually has rainy days year-round, its temperature extremes for all sites in the London area range from 38.1 °C in summer down to 0°C in winter.11

7 Quoted directly from the Official Tourism Website of Great Britain, https://www.visitbritain. com/gb/en/england/ london#S1sOA7oJ14ImuP9H.97 8 Worldpopulationreview.Com, 2018 <http:// worldpopulationreview. com/world-cities/ london-population/> [Accessed 14 June 2018]. 9, 10 “London”, En.Wikipedia.Org, 2018 <https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ London> [Accessed 21 June 2018]. 11 “London Weather Forecast”, Met Office, 2018 <https://www. metoffice.gov.uk/public/ weather/forecast/gcpvj0v07> [Accessed 21 June 2018].

There are great variety of places for travellers in London consisting of iconic buildings and palaces. Visitors can immerse themselves in the culture at one of the 170 museums and relax amidst the natural beauty of the Royal Parks. The iconic London landmarks are the house of the Parliament, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, and the Saint Paul Cathedral. As the world’s foremost fashion destination, London is a shopper’s paradise from flea markets and vintage shops to luxury department stores like Selfridges and Harrods. Options are endless. Many famous films have used the city as a backdrop, follow in the footsteps of James Bond or Harry Potter with a guided tour. All of these are a proper 10

12 “Bangkok - World Travel Guide”, World Travel Guide, 2018 <https:// www.worldtravelguide. net/guides/asia/thailand/ bangkok/> [Accessed 21 June 2018]. 13 “Facts And Information About London”, Projectbritain.Com, 2018 <http://projectbritain. com/london/> [Accessed 21 June 2018]. 14 Kenneth Allinson and Victoria Thornton, London’s Contemporary Architecture (London: Routledge, 2014). 15 Deyan Sudjic, London In Fifty Design Icons (London: Conran Octopus, 2015).

perspective that government attempt to promote the city for increasing the number of visitors per year. Similar or different? Both Bangkok and London are capital cities which are vital for their countries. They have similarities as well as differences. There are a considerable number of factors of both cities to compare, but the factors which are evaluated should affect the architectural principle. Beginning with similar features such as populations and urbanised areas, Bangkok and London are considered high population density cities with around 8 million people and occupy roughly 1,500 square kilometres.12,13 Also, they are the central districts of the economy. Many people not only from the countryside but also from other countries move to the cities for a job opportunity. There is a land shortage in the cities, so the prices of land and property are high in the urban area. This affects the way people inhabit their buildings. On the other hand, there are many different aspects such as climate, environment, culture and society between two cities. Especially, architecture, London is architecturally diverse.14 There is a considerable period until Roman to the Modern era.15Therefore, London comprises of a variety of styles of architecture. By comparison, architecture in Bangkok consists of the country’s cultural legacy, colonial, and modern architecture. However, almost all building in the 19th century was influenced by the western architectural principle which is not entirely appropriate to its context which are an environment, economy, and culture. Therefore, there is the amount of informal architecture in Bangkok which is made without architects but is created by ordinary people to serve their needs.

Indifference between Bangkok (developing city) and London (developed city), there are similarities between two great cities. If Bangkok has much informal architecture, Are there any informal architectures in London? If so, where are they? What are similarities or differenes between informal architectures of Bangkok and London as each contains different cultural context? What is similarity or difference of the architecture between Bangkok and London which have different context?

Literature review

Grand Tour In 17th and 18th centuries, young British elites often travelled around Europe for two to four years to broaden their horizons and knowledge about language, geography, culture, and architecture in an experience known as the Grand Tour.16 After their return to the UK, they were supposedly ready to begin the responsibilities of an aristocrat. The Grand Tour as an institution was worthwhile for the Tour has been given credit for a dramatic improvement in British archtecture and culture.17 In general, Paris, Rome, and Venice were considered the major centres of religion at the time. The Grand tourists were primarily interested in visiting those cities. They would travel from city to city and usually spend weeks in smaller towns and up to several months in the three principal cities. From the Grand tour history, it was a new method of an architectural study in the period.18 However, the visited places were in Western countries and formal or mainstream architecture which are one part of the world. There are many other parts of the world having different architecture. General guidebook The idea of travelling for learning was a developing idea in the 17th century. With John Locke’s Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690), it was argued and widely accepted that knowledge comes entirely from the external senses.19 According to this, what one knows comes from the physical stimuli to which one has been exposed. Travelling, therefore, was necessary for them to develop the mentality and expand knowledge of the world. Travelling is likely to be a potential approach to learning and education system.20

16 “The Grand Tour Of Europe In The 17Th And 18Th Centuries”, Thoughtco, 2018 <https://www.thoughtco.com/grand-tourof-europe-1435014> [Accessed 7 February 2018]. 17 Lonely Planet, “A Grand Tour Of The World’s Most Amazing Architecture”, Lonely Planet, 2018 <https:// www.lonelyplanet.com/ travel-tips-and-articles/a-grand-tour-of-theworlds-most-amazingarchitecture/40625c8c8a11-5710-a0521479d276a927> [Accessed 8 March 2018]. 18 Rachel Knowles, “The Grand Tour”, Regency History, 2018 <https:// www.regencyhistory. net/2013/04/the-grandtour.html> [Accessed 21 June 2018]. 19,21 Marcin Wichary, “Guidebook > History”, Guidebookgallery.Org, 2018 <https://guidebookgallery.org/site/ history> [Accessed 9 May 2018]. 20 Marcin Wichary, “Guidebook > History”, Guidebookgallery.Org, 2018 <https://guidebookgallery.org/site/ history> [Accessed 9 May 2018].

A guidebook or a travel guide is a book of information about a place designed for the 14

22 Marian Goslinga, Guadeloupe (Oxford: Clio, 2000).

use of visitors or tourists. This book provides information about sights, architecture, accommodation, restaurants, transportation, and activities. Maps of varying detail and historical and cultural knowledge are often included. Different kinds of guidebooks exist, focusing on various aspects. In the 2nd century A.D, the Hellados Periegesis of Pausanias was a well-informed and interesting guidebook.21 The most famous work is a guide to the fascinating places, works of architecture, sculpture, and curious customs of Ancient Greece, and is still useful these days. In the 1830s, the modern guidebook emerged with the burgeoning market for long distance touring. The publisher John Murray began printing Murrayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Handbooks for Travellers in London from 1836.22 The series covered tourist destinations in Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. The concept of sights was introduced in his guidebook. Murray also rated regarding their significance using stars for exclamation points These days, there are many guidebooks sold on the shelves such as Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Go, Lonely Planet, Insight Guides, and Rough Guides. There are a wide variety of similar travel guides, but the majority of their contents provide basic information of cities. Furthermore, there are many architectural guidebooks. Most of them inform about monumental, historical, classical architectures or buildings designed by well-known architects. For instance, many London and Bangkok architectural guidebooks that I have read provide a lot of information about formal or proper architecture such as temples, palaces, churches, bridges, and modern buildings. However, these show only one aspect of the cities, because there is more hidden architecture in both cities that people have seen them, but they have not realised them as resources.

Learning from the everyday Currently, most architectural books, magazines, and textbooks is filled with well-known architectures from western countries. Moreover, architectural history, as taught in the world of the west, has never been concerned with more than a few select cultures. Therefore, our architectural principle is likely to be narrowed, as what learned are about appropriate or formal architectures from parts of the world.23 There is another crucial and little-known building from the unfamiliar world of architecture which is resourceful. For instance, vernacular architecture which is designed based on local needs, availability of construction materials and reflecting local traditions, there exist opportunities to learn of solutions to our housing needs that draw less on the limited resources available to us.24 These impact more gently on our fragile ecosystems, offering solutions that engender a profound connection between the builders, their environment, the material used, and the broader community.25

23 Bernard Rudofsky, Architecture Without Architects (Albuquerque, NM: Iniversity of New Mexico Press, 1998). 24 Echo Of Space, Space Of Echo (Tokyo: INAX, 2009). 25 John May and Anthony Reid, Buildings Without Architects (New York [etc.]: Ivy Press, 2013). 26 Kevin Lynch, The Image Of The City (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1996).

Previously, vernacular architecture continues to be associated with underdevelopment and poverty in undeveloped countries, rural, and poor area. It was designed by concerning with context and constraint. For example, local material, environment, and so on. They can be perceived as architectures without architects and buildings without architectural guidelines. However, the conventional wisdom of urban designers, planners, and architects does not necessarily account for what people want out their house or out of their city. There is also a big gap between architectsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; intentions and actual needs of users. So, there is a lot of disgusting architecture and extension building made by inhabitants in urban.26 Therefore, we should start to think about how to take advantages of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;disgustingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; building into resources. This 16

26 Paulo Silva, “Tactical Urbanism: Towards An Evolutionary Cities’ Approach?”, Environment And Planning B: Planning And Design, 43.6 (2016), 1040-1051 <https://doi.

building might reflect actual requirements and needs of users. The gap between architects and users is likely to be bridged. Furthermore, there may be innovative thinking in their design such as how to design from poor material, make it easy and fast, and organise pretty functions in the small, narrow, or confined area. Tactical urbanism vs Negotiated architecture Tactical urbanism is a new movement for tackling urban problems. Usually situated in a city, it is a term used to describe a collection of low-cost and temporary built environmental changes, which intended to improve local neighbourhoods and city’s gathering place. It is also referred to as pop-up urbanism, city repair, or D.I.Y. urbanism.27 In recent years, it is becoming a mainstream approach for city planners to reclaim dreary corners of the urban environment and convert them quickly and cheaply into usable spaces. Tactical and temporary projects offered by planners respond to local needs by improving the resilience and adaptability of both planning processes as well as the policies they create. However, the role that planners play concerning tactical and temporary urbanism is not one-size fits all. The degree to which planners are active in the implementation of projects and their comfort with leading projects involving some uncertainty can inform how they might perceive their role. From tactical urbanism, it is a potential tool for city planners and architecture to design public space or buildings, but it cannot bridge the gap between designers and users. It is intended for public scale which is not appropriate for domesticity. There may be new architectural and urban awareness. Therefore, alternative architecture made by ordinary people is likely to reflect the actual requirement of users which is called ‘Negotiated architecture’.

27 Paulo Silva, “Tactical Urbanism: Towards An Evolutionary Cities’ Approach?”, Environment And Planning B: Planning And Design, 43.6 (2016), 1040-1051 <https://doi.

image3

Negotiated architecture? The architecture I am fascinated should honestly response to the constraint of context and reflect the way people live, without insisting on aesthetic and form. I call them ‘negotiated architecture’. Most of them are anonymous buildings which are made by ordinary individuals from cheap material. Some of them are in waste areas such as the tiny piece of land or between two buildings. In megacities such as New York, London, and Tokyo, people think about skyscrapers, beautiful buildings, and advancement in technology. In contrast, there are many of this architecture embedded in the city. The architecture may explain what the other perspectives of the big cities are, and help designers or architects understand and rethink profoundly about the cities.

Methodology

Methodology According to the Grand tour, travelling was one of learning methods which seems to be productive. To understand Bangkok and London urban space, walking in the cities may be an efficient mode to perceive the space. ‘While walking, the body and the mind can work together, so that thinking becomes almost a physical and a rhythmic act. The great walkers often move through both urban and rural places in the same way. The past and present are brought together when you walk as the ancients did or relive some event in history or your own life by retracting its route.’ 28

28 Quoted directly from Rebecca Solnit, Wanderlust (London: Granta, 2014). 29 Jaspar Joseph-Lester and others, Walking Cities: London (Camberwell Press, 2016). 30 Quoted directly from John Berger, Ways Of Seeing (London: British Broadcasting Corporation and Penguin Books, 2008).

Walking is a cognitive method. The serendipitous encounter experienced during a walk is non-repeatable.29 It might also function as a tool for activating thought and unlocking knowledge. Some hidden or unexpected space may be found in the process of walking. Particularly, walking in a city consists of opportunities to witness and experience many urban fragments as building, street, infrastructure, and people from various spaces. An urban walking relates to disciplines and facilitates a range of process for the production of new critical modes that situate art within the context of our contemporary urban. There is also another mode of urban perception which is seeing. ‘Seeing comes before words. It sees which establish our place in the surrounding world; we explain that world with a word, but the words can never undo the fact that we are surrounded by it. The reaction between what we see and what we know is never settled.’ 30

31 Momoyo Kaijima, Junzo Kuroda and Yoshiharu Tsukamoto, Made In Tokyo (Tokyo: Kajima Inst. Publ., 2012).

When I walked down the streets of Bangkok, I found amazingly spaces behind commercial buildings or residential that are occupied and adapted by individuals for different activities such as cooking, drying clothes, or selling foods and goods. These extended from their homes and occupied a public street for serving their needs in different design. Most of this architecture is cheaply built, not designed by architects, and are created by ordinary people. However, they always fascinated me for their presence creating an informal atmosphere and reflecting the actual requirements of individuals. Therefore, I am usually looking forward to these things while I am walking. Scouting process I made an initial list of buildings and spaces taken by me in Bangkok. The method of fixing the selection criteria involved connecting convincing example and exploring their commonalities.31 It is a way of urban curation. They are categorised by using ‘negotiation’ for making typology and mapped on Bangkok map to analyse their locations. In terms of exploring London, the modes of walking and seeing are combined for scouting process to discover ‘Negotiated architecture’ in London by following the previous principle from Bangkok. To start with following Bangkok map, it provides different types of areas such as commercial area, reduced area, and canal which Negotiated architecture hides. Moreover, the scouting approach is integrated into my daily life to find them accidentally.

Journeys

32 “Oxford Street”, Visitlondon.Com, 2018 <https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/ place/5042973-oxfordstreet> [Accessed 21 June 2018].

Scouting 1 Oxford Street 26 December 2017 START: Marble Arch station FINISH: Tottenham Court Road station Take the Oxford Street exit out of Marble Arch station. It, Europe’s busiest shopping street, is home to plenty of major department stores and flagship retail outlets.32 However, there is a lot of Negotiated architecture along the road.

1. kiosks There are a variety of stalls which sell different commodities such as foods, beverages, souvenirs, and so on along the street from Tottenham Court Road to Marble Arch. They are interesting because the majority of kiosks has the same size and structure. They are differently inhabited space which relies on types of goods. Also, sellers apply their stalls efficiently in term of scale, material and function. 23

33 “Ben’s Cookies Baking With CHUNKS Not Chips Since 1983”, Ben’s Cookies, 2018 <https:// www.benscookies.com/> [Accessed 21 June 2018].

2. Ben’s cookie Ben’s Cookies is a chain of shops in England and elsewhere that makes and sells chewy biscuits.33 The cookies can usually be purchased warm as they are baked on site in the shops. I have attracted this branch, because of a size of this store. Although it is a narrow and long, it consists of shop, baking area and service.

3. Multi-purpose store Around Bond Street station, there is a tiny café which sells a lot of foods such as kabab, burger, fire chicken and chips in the ground floor of residential building. Three chafes share one small kitchen efficiently. 24

34 â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Ultimate Guide To Angel Londonâ&#x20AC;?, Movebubble - Doing It For Renters, 2018 <https:// www.movebubble. com/2014/05/the-ultimate-guide-to-angellondon/> [Accessed 21 June 2018].

Scouting 2 Angle 15 January 2018 START: Angle station FINISH: Victoria Miro gallery Angel is one of the magnificent places to live in London, due to the location, favourable restaurants and bars, and cultural atmosphere. It is also a commercial and retail district, so there are both large companies and small business here.34

1. Multi-function kiosk Tout de suite, a funny combination of coffee shop and laundry, is located in front of Angel station. It shares two different shops in a small kiosk.

2. Mini coffee truck It is a mini truck selling only coffee and using footpath as a drinking area.

3. Houseboats There are plenty of houseboats along Regentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Canal. People inhabit boast of living, for price and tax of houseboat is cheaper than a general house.

35 “Kensington And South Kensington”, Visitlondon.Com, 2018 <https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/ london-areas/kensington-and-south-kensington> [Accessed 21 June 2018].

Scouting 3 South Kensington 15 January 2018 START: High Street Kensington station FINISH: South Kensington station The district’s commercial centre is Kensington High Street. There are Kensington Gardens, the Albert Memorial, and the Serpentine Gallery in the north. South Kensington is home to Imperial College London, Royal College of Art and the Royal Albert Hall. The area is also home to many embassies.35

1. Bus stop restaurant The green bus stop is evident on Kensington road. In fact, it is a restaurant. Its appearance has remained the original bus stop, but the interior is converted to kitchen and dining area.

2. Skinny home office The circular walk takes you around Royal Albert Hall with a canyon of red-brick mansion blocks which is a location of the Skinny home office. It is narrow building, divided into two units: house and office. They have furnished the rooms very simply along a small corridor.

Scouting 4 Kentish Town 6 February 2018 START: Kentish Town station FINISH: Haworth Tompkins office Kentish Town is a residential area of northwest London. It is a pretty quiet area because there are many disused Tube stations.

1. Small popup shops There are flower shop and cafĂŠ beneath a significant roof structure. They occupy the space usefully. The flower shop displays a lot of flowers outside its space, and the cafĂŠ uses it to place its tables and benches for service customers.

2. Mixed-use building There is a combination of restaurant, pub and houses. The front of the building is used as commercial functions.

36 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Marylebone Area Guideâ&#x20AC;?, Time Out London, 2018 <https://www.timeout.com/london/thingsto-do/marylebone-area-guide> [Accessed 21 June 2018].

Scouting 5 Marylebone 15 February 2018 START: Marylebone station FINISH: Edgware Road station Marylebone is a fashionable residential area. The area is also a first-class eating and drinking destination. In contrast, there are a number of council flats for middle-class citizens in the area which is multi-culture.

1. Church Street market Church Street Market appeals to buyers looking for a pleasant Central London neighbourhood with walking affordably priced goods, restaurants and a variety of stores. It is a temporary street market from 6 am to 3 pm. Therefore, sellers design their shops smartly by using cheap materials, light structure. 31

2. Little Venice Little Venice is a neighbourhood in London on an area of decorative houseboats. The boats are not used only for a living, but also a bookshop, and cafĂŠ and pub. It is apparent that vessel can be applied to various activities.

Scouting 6 Elephant and Castle 7 March 2018 START: Elephant and Castle station FINISH: South London Gallery The Elephant and Castle is a major road junction in South London. There are residential blocks and shopping centres. It consists of a mix of social and private-sector housing and the majority of residents in Latin America.

1. Extended space There is small building attaching a restaurant which is on the small street between two building. It is used for extended dining area of the restaurant.

Scouting 7 Bayswater 25 March 2018 START: Queensway station FINISH: Lancaster Gate station Bayswater is a cosmopolitan area, a diverse local population. In addition to the English, there are many other nationalities. So, there are a variety of restaurants and hotel here.

1. Small superstore This shop is situated among luxury hotels. It sells a variety of merchandise and service such as drinks, foods, ice cream, London souvenirs, and bus tickets.

2. Spire House It was Christ Church in 1977. These days, it is renovated to be a residential building. 34

Bangkok map

2 6

7 4

1. Motorcycle garage 2. Temporary kiosk 3. Bakery bridge 4. Food shop between two buildings 5. Shared facilities 6. Lamtthong restaurant 7. Tang Jai x Yim Yim 8. Local ferry

London map

20 19 12 15

13 9

17 18 11

9. Narrow home office 10. Tout De Suite 11. iDeal Tech 12. Spire House 13. Bus stop restaurant 14. Morley’s 15. Ben’s Cookies 16. Kentish Delight 17. Cafe Zeynah 18. Fruit and Coffee kiosk 19. Living on a boat 20. Church Street Market

Typology

Typology table Negotiate for No.

Name

ownership

Bangkok 1.

Motorcycle Garage

Temporary Kiosk

Bakery Bridge

Food shop b/w setbacks

Shared facilities

Lamthong restaurant

Tang Jai yoo x Yim Yim

Local ferry

London 9.

Narrow home office

10.

Tout De Suite

11.

ideal Tech

12.

Spire House

13.

Bus stop restaurant

14.

Morleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

15.

Benâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cookies

16.

Kentish Delight

Cafe Zeynah

18.

Fruit x Coffee Kiosk

19.

Living on a boat

20.

Church Street Market

common use

cost

infrastructure

size

material

time

Definitions Negotiate with Ownership The fact that a group of people share their space or live together, because they cannot afford to rent building for do something or want to reduce their expenditure Common use The activity that a group of people share something such as basic facilities, or area by occupying public area or sharing their area for their gains Cost To balance or decrease their expenditure for surviving in urbanized area Infrastructure The way of utilizing the basic systems and services that are necessary cities to run smoothly, for example buildings, transport and water and power supplies by combining their intentions with them Size To utilize tiny or narrow space for some purposes Material To optimize cheap or basic materials for creating space or fulfil requirement Time The way that temporarily occupy public space for some activities such as cooking, washing, selling and so on

No.

0 Name

Place

photo

isometric Negotiation

Function

description

detail

Format This assemblage is a project researching the cities of Bangkok and London. Meanwhile, it is an architectural guidebook to understanding the mechanisms of Bangkok and London urban space. Notably, it is likely to be extraordinary navigation to for general people, designers, architects and city planners. Any storyline does not order the architecture assembled in this dissertation. By adapting the guidebook format, the cities of Bangkok and London are presented as an expanding field. Photos: I took pictures to assemble andrecord my initial perception and exploration. Drawings and isometric: Drawings was created to clarify the informative fact of each example drawn in single line drawing or isometric. It illustrates its components, context, internal structure and scale. The drawings are carefully formatted by integrating similar features of the example to communicate efficiently. Description: it is helpful to elucidate how the example negotiates with a series of constraints which is ownership, common use, cost, infrastructure, size, material and time. Detail box: It is a guidebook which should provide its location, so each example has a number which relates to the Bangkok and London maps. Moreover, it includes nicknames of buildings which are given by me to explain what the interested in the buildings is and to express my fascination. These records display unfamiliar building types with unexpected combinations of activities.

No.

1 Name Motorcycle garage

electric pole

Place Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok, 10100

garage door way

This is a very thin motorcycle garage 9m long and 80cm deep. The garage is located between a doorway of a house. The light wood structure occupies the walls. The depth of the garage is not enough to store motorbikes because they have to be disassembled into wheels, saddle, and so on. Repair work of the motorcycles is done in the doorway. Houseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s owners pass this doorway two to three time a day, so it can extend repairing area on the area.

Negotiation - size - cost - time

Function - garage - door way

bridge

shelter

flower shop

No.

2 Name Temporary Kiosk There is a temporary structure which is attached to a bridge to create waiting space for motorcycle taxis. Due to weather of Bangkok, it is usually sunny and rainy, this space is created by motorcycle taxis. A lightweight steel and canvas are used for making a waiting area for them. Besides, a concrete cylinder structure on the footpath is used as a flower shop. Sellers puts a piece of plywood on it and places their flowers and garlands.

Place Watthana, Bangkok, 10110

Negotiation - size - cost - material

Function - flower shop - motorcycle stop

bridge

house

bakery shop

canal A space beneath a bridge is occupied and used for living and bakery shop. There is a family with four members living between concrete structure which supports the bridge. They inhabit this area to be house and occupy a street in front of their home to use as a bakery shop.

No.

3 Name Bakery Bridge

Place Watthana, Bangkok, 10110

Negotiation - size - infrastructure

Function - bakery - house - bridge

This is a narrow restaurant. It stands on the 4m wide opening between two office buildings. A moveable counter occupies the remaining 80cm of the opening to create a cooking area. Along walls is an eating area. Space is also passed by pedestrians and motorcycles. Lightweight steel and canvas are attached to the building to make a covering space for protecting rain and sun. 51

No.

4 Name Food shop between two buildings

shophouse

Place Samphanthawong, Bangkok, 10100

shophouse Food shop

Negotiation - material - cost - time

Function - food shop - pedestrian

No.

5 Name Shared facilities

Place Samphanthawong, Bangkok, 10100 shrine laundry Negotiation - common use - cost washing

Function - washing area - shrine - pedestrian A small street behind a group of shophouses is used as shared service areas of the neighbourhood. They place their sinks, washing machines, and shrine on the space. This negotiation aims shared their cost for these facilities. Additionally, they may increase space inside their house, because they move service area to the outside. 54

No.

6 Name Lamthong restaurant

flat Place Samphanthawong, Bangkok, 10100 shrine Chinese restaurant Negotiation - size - ownership Thai restaurant

This is a combination of Thai restaurant, Chinese restaurant and free shine in one shophouse. The Thai restaurant is on the ground floor which has kitchen, toilet and dining area. The first and second floors are a Chinese restaurant which is an only dining area, its cuisine is on another building next to this building. An exterior staircase is created for connecting two buildings. The stairs also link to the public shrine on a rooftop.

Function - Chinese restaurant - Thai restaurant - shrine

No.

7 Name Tang Jai Yoo x Yim Yim

Place Samphanthawong, Bangkok, 10100

Yim Yim

Tang Jai Yoo

Negotiation - size - cost - ownership

Function - 2 Chinese restaurants There are two Chinese restaurants in one shophouse. The ground floor is the Tang Jai Yoo restaurant and an entrance of Yim Yim restaurant. The first floor is used as dining area of Yim Yim. Staffs of both restaurants stay on the second floor. They negotiate not only space but also cost because the rent is costly in this location. 58

This is small local ferry used for crossing Sansab canal. It is combined with cheap materials and reuses steel by local people.

No.

8 Name Local ferry

Place Bang Kapi, Bangkok, 10100

pier

Negotiation - ownership - material

ferry Function - ferry canal

pier 60

No.

9 Name Narrow home office

office

Place Kensington, London, SW5 9AA

Negotiation - size - cost

house

Function - house - office The shared house and office occupy the triangular-shaped ground to the limit that was produced by the widening of the street, near Royal Albert Hall. The edge of the building is emphasised by the small office door that utilised the wall tip of the building to the maximum. The domestic space is inhabited along the narrow shape 62

No.

10 Name Tout De Suite

Place High Street, London, N1 9LQ

coffee shop

Negotiation - size - owership laudry

Function - coffee shop - laundry This is tiny kiosk 2.5m long and 1.2m deep at Angle station. It is shared by obviously different shops that are a coffee shop and laundry stall. Two programmes are combined efficiently in a limited area. The proportion of counter bar and storage are a specific size to fit in a kiosk. 64

No.

11 Name iDeal Tech

Place Kensington, London, SW5 9AA commercial building

shop

Negotiation - size - cost IT shop

Function - IT shop

This is a very thin mobile shop at the point where the road branches off in two directions, in the commercial area of Earl Court. The shop has the same width of the median strip. Long shelves are designed to fit in the building to display products by both sides of the roads. 66

No.

12 Name Spire House

church

Place Lancaster Gate, London, W2 3NA

Negotiation - ownership

apartment

Function - luxury apartment The Gothic tower with its iconic stone needle spire that forms part of the residential development known as Spire House. Only the spire and tower remain of the former church known as Christ Church, Lancaster Gate, which was transformed in 1983 into a luxury six-storey residential development containing 20 privately-owned apartments and three penthouses. 68

No.

13 Name Bus stop restaurant

Place Kensington, London, SW5 9AA

restaurant

Negotiation - size - cost

Function - British restaurant - take away This is Bus stop restaurant that stands on Kensington road near Hype park. The restaurant was a bus stop. These days, it was renovated to be British breakfast restaurant that people can eat in and take away. The interior space is divided into two parts equally which are dining area and kitchen. A table is designed U-shape for using space efficiently. 70

No.

14 Name Morleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Place London Rd, London, SE1 6LW

restaurant

shophouse warehouse

Negotiation - size - material

Function - restaurant

This detached warehouse stands in the opening of a restaurant and small road. It is the slender rectangle-shaped plan. The wall along the sidewalk has two windows and a doorway. This photo shows it takes advantage of the way for loading area. 72

No.

15 Name Benâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cookies

Place Oxford Street, London, W1C 1AP

commercial building office

office building

street

cookie shop

Negotiation - size - time - ownership

Function This is a very thin Benâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cookies 9m long and 1.5m deep stand on the sidewalk between two commercial buildings. The building has a wedge-shaped plan which consists of shop, cooking area, and storage. Its interior is similar to a single corridor which is designed as shop and kitchen. Narrow opening space between buildings also is used as waiting and eating areas for customers.

- cookies shop - office

This is a tiny food stall that rents 2m long and 1m deep for cooking and selling food at the front of a commercial on the Oxford street. A small canopy is attached to the wall for extending kitchen to a pedestrian way. At the tip of the site, various elements related to the condition of the shopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interior and surroundings are gathered together. Such as the food display, a signboard and vending machine.

No.

16 Name Kentish Delight

Place Camden, London, NW5 2AA

flat

Negotiation - cost - ownership

restaurant bicycle shop Function - flat - restaurant - bicycle shop

No.

17 Name Cafe Zeynah

Place Oxford Street, London, W1C 1AP office hotel Negotiation - size - cost

restaurant

mobile shop Function - pizza shop

No.

18 Name Fruit x Coffee Kiosk

Place Oxford Street, London, W1C 1AP

coffee shop Negotiation - size - cost - ownership

fruit shop fruit shop

This fruit and coffee shop stand on two columns of Marks & Spencer on Oxford Street. During the opening hour, a variety of fruits are displayed in the shop and there is coffee stall next to it. At the tip of the site, various elements related to the condition of the interior and the surroundings are gathered together, such as the coffee shop, fruits display, air condition and signboard of the Three Tuns pub.

Function - coffee shop - fruit shop - advertisement

No.

19 Name Living on a boat

Place Marylebone, London, NW8 8DT

houseboat

Houseboats are peculiarly British. Built at a maximum of 2.1 m wide to fit a narrow canal network. As Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s property prices rise, houseboats are becoming one alternative form of living. Boats measure 1.8m wide internally. With the cooker, furniture, cupboards, toilet and bed, floor space typically measures just 60cm wide.

Negotiation - size - cost - time

Function - boat - house - cafe

No.

20 Name Church Street Market

Place Marylebone, London, NW8 8DT

D.I.Y. kiosk

Negotiation - material - cost - time

Function - shop - pedestrain - street These kiosks for temporary shops are situated on Church street market which opens on Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 3 pm. The construction is straightforward. Make a frame of the box by using proper canvas, wrap around the frame to get insulation. And to keep off rain and sunlight, secure the enclosure with canvas by clamps and heavy stone. 84

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Conclusion From scouting negotiated architecture in Bangkok and London, there is no right or wrong in questioning the similarities and differences of Negotiated architectures btween Bangkok and London. The most important question is how do you utilise them? Negotiated architecture aims to elucidate other perspectives of both cities in terms of architecture, society, and culture that general people take them for granted. For general individuals, they might learn how to adapt or customise their space by using the Negotiated architecture. Taking Benâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cookies at Oxford street as an example, it demonstrates how to utilise small and long space efficiently. The shop is 1.50 m x 8.00 m x 3.00 m, consists of shop and baking area. Besides, it may be able to bridge the gap between architects or designers and ordinary people because this architecture reflects the actual needs of users. For example, activities and functions such as laundry, washing, drying, and shrine can be designed as a shared facility between building. This is to reduce their expense and increase more spaes in their accommodation. Architects and designers may learn how to create or design space by exercising cheap materials to reduce costs. For city planners, this yields new fragments of urban fabric and unfamiliar mixed-used building combined with unexpected functions.

This dissertation serves as a starting point for scouting unfamiliar spaces in cities. As a result of spacious areas of Bangkok and London in which there is a considerable amount of Negotiated architecture hiding in, this research provides some examples which are documented in an academic year. After reading my dissertation, I hope it may change the ways of your walking and seeing the cities not only in both cities but also the others and explore new Negotiated architecture globally. Enjoy your new lens

Image List Image 1 The Official Website Of Tourism Authority Of Thailand by Thai government Image 2 The Official Website Of VisitBritain by British government Image 3 Construction worker housing by CHAT architects *Unless referenced, all other images are self made.

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