Conservation Design Strategies and Methods for Historical Monument Districts in the Lower Northern Region of Thailand

Abstract

Abstract

            The province of Sukhothai and Kamphaeng Phet located in the lower Northern region of Thailand has bordered three of prestige and historical sites registered with the UNESCO as the world heritage monuments. Recognized as: Sukhothai Ancient city, Si Satchanalai monuments, and old town Kamphaeng Phet, the purpose of this grouping established a sustainable community and tourism industry, with conservation of historical and heritage contents. Thus, the objective of this research is to establish a research center, which to provide information and further support arts and new design contents, propelling the local design communities into actions of redefine the impact of historical monuments as a way of life.

               Reconnecting the community to the cultural heritage sites accentuated through three design and research strategies: Constraint Challenges, Aesthetic Development, and Sustainability. These components placed an emphasis on creation of aesthetic features, providing arts-architectural network space, and collaborative management policy–generated to support the locals, designers, and the administrative level within the historical site community.

            Two design projects were generated from this conceptual design process, which are first, a map for local art and crafts artisans in three historical park areas and the other as a bicycle path aimed to conserve the historical park integrity of historical identity. Both of the projects considered the people in the community, the natural water canal environment, and the monuments, and employed the design methods to generate and create objective outputs that is tangible with Thai design identity.