Page 54 - Designing Ways 261

ON THE
TERRACE

Bridging Bangkok’s past and present at a glance.
Merging juxtaposed sides of Bangkok two existing parks, the CPSP creates
Chao Phraya the first pedestrian bridge across the river for the nation, enabling dwellers
to traverse on foot. Once inaccessible, the wasted infrastructure now links
Sky Park Bangkok’s significant cultural and historical landmarks.
Photo credit: LANDPROCESS

Wat Bowon Niwet,

Thailand

midst the pandemic, the Bangkok

Metropolitan Administration
Aopened its remarkable public
space, the Chao Phraya Sky Park (CPSP).
Left abandoned for almost 40 years, the
halted infrastructure project has now
been given a second life as the newest
Bangkok landmark, and the nation's first
pedestrian bridge park spanning a river. commuters from both sides of Bangkok University, was established to revitalise
Situated in Bangkok's most significant
historical area, the 360-degree view through heritage districts and across the central districts of Bangkok. Several
public meetings were held in order to
city's main artery, the Chao Phraya River.
connects the city‘s historic town and The railway would share its load with two involve citizens in the decision-making
modern skyline with a single glance. existing roadways of the Phrapokklao process. At one meeting, a community
From vacant to vibrant, CPSP exhibits Bridge in a gap 8.5 metres wide and 280 leader asked, "Why not put this useless
possibilities for public green space metres long. Shortly after the completion bridge to good use, so our children can
in a dense urban fabric by redefining of its structure, political wrangling put walk across the river to school?".
neglected infrastructure and connecting the project on hold, and a Government With their voices heard, community
the health of citizens with the health of decision eventually confirmed that the members demanded the right to cross
their city. By merging two juxtaposed sky train would not be coming. the river on foot. Since vacant areas along
sides of Bangkok with parks on both The 40-year failed mega infrastructure the riverfront in central Bangkok were
ends, CPSP demonstrates the importance stood abandoned as the city's unfinished occupied, either by informal settlements
of much-need public green space and dream, a symbol of lost and uncompen- or luxurious hotels, why not create a new
walkable areas, developed through low sated opportunity. As Bangkok emerged public green space over the river? Why
carbon-emission construction from as a bustling metropolis, the freestanding not also complete the incomplete dream
adaptive reuse, thus contributing to the Lavalin Skytrain infrastructure was left of the Lavalin Skytrain to connect people?
physical and mental health of citizens. forgotten against the dense city landscape. After being long forgotten, the amputated
By using empty spaces, CPSP has shone Due to its incompleteness and inaccessi- bridge was finally given a second chance
a light on countless future possibilities for bility, Bangkokians named the abandoned and new life as the Chao Phraya Sky Park
creating places through increases in urban infrastructure "Saphan Duan", or "ampu- (CPSP).
adaptability and the reuse of abandoned tated bridge."
city spaces that should not be left behind.
In 2015, the Bangkok250 project, led Bridging the past to the present
by the Department of City Planning Left abandoned in the heart of the
Finishing the unfinished dream and Urban Development, Bangkok city's most significant historical area, the
In 1984, Bangkokians anticipated a
hopeful milestone: being the first nation to Metropolitan Administration (BMA), amputated structure is next to one of the
nation's most important monuments, the
Chula Unisearch, and the Urban Design
establish a sky train in Southeast Asia. The Development Center, Chulalongkorn Memorial Bridge (Saphan Phut), which
proposed Lavalin Skytrain would carry
Left abandoned for 40 years; the Skytrain structure was
labeled an “amputated bridge” for its inaccessibility.
Photo credit: Unknown

From Vacant to Vibrant.
Situated in Bangkok's most significant historical area,
the 360-degree view of the Chao Phraya Sky Park bridg-
es the city's past and present through the juxtaposition of
the city’s old town and the modern skyline at one glance.
Photo credit: LANDPROCESS / Panoramic Studio

56 Issue 261 • dw