Prapokklao Sky Park
“Resurrect lifeless structures to create new uses that meet the needs of both sides”
The Phra Pok Klao Bridge Sky Park is the first pedestrian bridge over the Chao Phraya River in Thailand, Also referred to as a “Sky Garden” the Park is to be completed in 2020. This development is a renovation of the original structure of the defunct Lavalin Electric Railway. The original construction was never completed, and the space has not been used for more than 30 years.
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The redevelopment of this structure was proposed by development partners who participated in the Bangkok250 Phase 1 workshop as one of the pilot projects of the Kadeejeen- Khlongsan Restoration Master Plan. Implementation relied on multisectoral cooperation of the BMA Office of Town Planning, the Department of Rural Roads, the Harbor Department, the Ministry of Transport, with UddC as the coordination focal point. The vision was to create a pedestrian pathway and bicycle path across the Chao Phraya River as a link between the transportation systems on the Thonburi and Rattanakosin sides of the river.
UddC developed the design concept by creating a multi-level participation process with both the private and public sectors, including the use of holistic advocacy or, the so-called, house – temple – school – government agency alliance (Baw-Waw-Raw). The UddC led a process of discussion among the stakeholders, and coordination with the relevant public departments in order to produce a consensus design which conforms to the vision and confers benefits to the host communities and the public broadly. The Sky Park has the following three objectives:
1) Creating an alternative for traveling across the river by foot and bicycle to improve the quality of life and enhance the health of the city;
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2) Creating benefits for all sectors, including the general public, tourists, and especially the students in the schools and universities located around the two banks of the river, numbering at least 25 sites;
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3) Promotion of cultural tourism with the historic neighborhoods on both the Rattanakosin and Thonburi sides, by connecting these in a continuous route via the network of canals around the city.
In addition, UddC has collaborated with design partners including the Land Process Co., N7A Co., and the Lighting Research and Innovation Center (LRIC) to reinvent the identity of this middle section of the Phra Pok Klao Bridge. The goal was to make it an eco-friendly space which is welcoming to passers-by by increasing the green area on the bridge and the connections with the surrounding area which is well-shaded, convenient to use, and as a place for relaxation and recreation in daily life. In addition, the lighting of the Sky Park has been designed to extend the time of potential use during the night for safety and to promote the beauty of this bridge to become a new destination on the Chao Phraya River for residents and tourists alike.
Project Fact
Project Name : The development and improvement of the traffic landscape on the bridge structure over the Chao Phraya River along the median of the Phra Pok Klao Bridge.
Location : Prapokklao Sky Park, Khlong San - Thonburi - Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok
Area : 22,400 Square Meter
Client : The BMA Office of Town Planning and The Department of Rural Roads
Year : 2015-2020
Status : Completed
Program / Role : Public space design / Construction drawing
Partners : The Land Process Co., and N7A Co.,