THE STUDY OF THAI TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE AS A RESOURCE FOR CONTEMPORARY BUILDING DESIGN IN THAILAND By Wattana Boonjub A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Program of Architectural Heritage Management and Tourism (International Program) Graduate School SILPAKORN UNIVERSITY 2009 THE STUDY OF THAI TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE AS A RESOURCE FOR CONTEMPORARY BUILDING DESIGN IN THAILAND By Wattana Boonjub A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Program of Architectural Heritage Management and Tourism (International Program) Graduate School SILPAKORN UNIVERSITY 2009 The Graduate School, Silpakorn University has approved and accredited the thesis title of “The study of Thai traditional architecture as a resource for contemporary building design in Thailand” Submitted by Mr. Wattana Boonjub as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy in Architectural Heritage Management and Tourism. …………………………………………………. (Associate Professor Sirichai Chindakul, Ph.D.) Dean of Graduate School …..…../………........./………. The Thesis Advisor …………………………….. (Colin Long , Ph.D.) The Thesis Examination Committee ………………………………………… Chairman (Professor Trungjai Buranasomphob, Ph.D.) ………/………………….../…………... ………………………………………… Member (Air Vice Marshal Arwut Ngernchooklin, National Artist) ………/………………….../…………... ………………………………………… Member (Colin Long, Ph.D.) ………/………………….../…………... 47056967 : MAJOR : ARCHITECURAL HERITAGE MANAGEMENT AND TOURISM KEY WORD : THAI TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE, CONTEMPORARY BUILDING DESIGN WATTANA BOONJUB : THE STUDY OF THAI TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE AS A RESOURCE FOR CONTEMPORARY BUILDING DESIGN IN THAILAND THESIS ADVISOR : COLIN LONG,Ph.D., 261 pp Traditional Thai architecture has recently become popular among Thai people. However, the design and the construction of buildings that show Thai architectural features have limitations because of the lack of guidelines for the incorporation of traditional characteristics in modern buildings. Even though some architects attempt to apply Thai features in contemporary architecture, they have not been able to find prominent characteristics of Thai architecture or lack confidence in those Thai features. Therefore, it becomes necessary to investigate modern Thai architectural characteristics by studying three types of award winning buildings namely: residential buildings, institutional buildings and hotel and resort buildings. The study, done with buildings in four regions (north, central, northeast and south), is aimed at finding characteristic Thai features, which are accepted and incorporated in the design of those buildings. Then, the research findings can be used as the guidelines for the development of characteristic Thai features for other types of contemporary buildings. According to the survey, both architects and laypeople agree that characteristic Thai features have evolved from architectural features of traditional buildings with some adaptation to suit modern day life styles and new technology. However, when the characteristic Thai features are classified by their physical appearance and impressions from the characteristics, focusing primarily on functions and then forms, it shows that architects and laypeople have different opinions about an acceptance of these features in contemporary buildings. Most architects still pay attention to the relationship between form and function, based on fundamental philosophies of traditional Thai architecture, while laypeople tend to be interested in the forms of characteristic Thai features of modern architecture. The research findings show that architects need to take into account the importance of form and function and also explain to laypeople about characteristic Thai features so that Thai architectural wisdom and philosophy can be preserved and developed properly. Additionally, there should be an application of Thai architectural characteristics in the architecture of contemporary buildings, including an adaptation of local design for the buildings in respective regions based on climate, local belief, construction materials and technology for energy efficiency. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Program of Architectural Heritage Management and Tourism Graduate School, Silpakorn University Academic Year 2009 Student’s Signature………………………………….. Thesis Advisor’s Signatures …………………………………. ……………………….. c Acknowledgements I would like to first and foremost express my profound gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Colin Long, for his continuous support, patience, motivation, enthusiasm, and supervision throughout this research. His guidance enabled me to complete this dissertation successfully. I could not have imagined having a better supervisor and mentor. Besides, I especially want to thank the rest of my dissertation advisors: Prof. Trungjai Buranasomphob, Ph.D. and Air Vice Marshal Arwut Ngernchooklin, National Artist (Architect), for their encouragement, useful comments and hard questions. My sincere thanks also go to Ms. Pat Poompuang for offering me the scholarship and opportunity to study in this program and Prof. Trungjai Buranasomphob who helped a displaced person, an arts official in the architect field, like me during the process of creating this dissertation. I am heartily grateful to Mr. Teerapole Vongput and Mr. Wittaya Bhavaves for their invaluable advice on English writing in this dissertation. I am also indebted to my lecturers and friends in the Graduate School of Silpakorn University who support me from the beginning of my research. I wish to show my appreciation to all interviewees and questionnaire respondents for their cooperation. I could not have gotten such relevant data without their assistance. Last but not least, I owe my deepest gratitude to my parents Mr. Thongbai and Mrs. Boonmar Boonjub and my aunt, Ms. Areerat Busabongsirirat, for their love and support throughout my life. I would like to thank my wife and her cousins Mrs. Taywee Boonjub, Ms. Nualphan Khunaphan and Ms. Phasook Youngrot and my daughter Ms. Quankamon Boonjub who always gives me the moral support. Without them, this dissertation would not have been possible. d Table of Contents Page Abstract ………………………………………………………………………… c Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………… d List of Figures …………………………………………………………………… j Chapter 1 Introduction …………………………………………………………….. 1 Significance of the Problem …………………………………………. 1 Goals and Objectives ……………………………………………… 2 Hypothesis ………………………………………………………… 2 Scope of the Study ………………………………………………… 2 Research Methodology ……………………………………………. 3 Process of the Study ……………………………………………..... 4 2 Philosophy of Thai Architecture ………………………………………. 5 Elements of Thai Architectural Philosophy ………………………… 5 The Relationship of Natural Settings, Wisdom and Philosophy ……. 6 Thai Architecture Text Book …………………………………….. 6 The Philosophy Influence in Traditional Thai Architectural Characteristics………………………………………… 8 Natural settings …………………………………………………… 8 Inclined Stilt structures …………………………………………… 8 Ventilation ……………………………………………………….. 9 Positioning of the house …………………………………………. 10 Open-decked platform or Chan Ruen ……………………………. 11 Height ……………………………………………………………. 12 Treasure pillar …………………………………………………… 12 Raft house ……………………………………………………….. 12 Construction Methods …………………………………….….. 13 Social Interaction …………………………………………………... 14 Dhevaraja, God King …………………………………………… 14 Hierarchical Status ………………………………………………. 16 Ruen Krueng Pook …………………………………………… 17 Ruen Krueng Sap or timber house …………………………… 19 The residence of minor royal family members ………………. 21 The residence of royal family members at the rank of Phra Ong Chao …………………………….. 21 The residence of royal family members at the rank of Chao Fa ……………………………………. 22 Phra Boworn Ratchawang ………………………………….. 23 Phra Maha Prasat ………………………............................... 25 e Chapter Page Religions and Beliefs………………………………………….. 27 Household spirits…………………………………………. .. 27 Buddhism ………………………………………………… 27 Ancient Beliefs and Faiths ………………………………… 31 Buddhist Ideology and the Philosophy of Thai Architecture 32 Trai-Bhumi Praruang……………………………………. 33 Mahayana Buddhism and Brahmanism………………….. 34 Language of Symbolism in architectural elements of Thai Houses……………………………………………… 35 Immigrants and Foreign-influenced Architecture ……………. 48 Chinese Influence…………………………………………… 49 Chinese Shop House……………………………………….. 50 Sino-Portuguese Style……………………………................ 50 Western Influence………………………………………….. 51 Transforming philosophy into Architectural Works………. 53 3 Characteristics of Thai Architecture ……………………………. 55 Appearance of Thai Traditional Architecture……………....... 56 Residence………………………………………………….. 56 Siamese Wooden Houses……………………………….. 56 Northern Houses……………………............................... 57 Northeastern Houses……………………………………. 58 Southern Houses………………………………………… 59 Houses on Water………………………………………… 60 Bamboo Houses…………………………........................ 61 Rice Barns ……………………………………………… 63 Field Huts and Cottage …………………………………. 63 Roadside Shops, Stalls and Pavilions……....................... 64 Religious Architecture…………………………………….. 65 Temple Compounds……………………………………. 66 Ordination Halls and Assembly Halls………………. 67 Boundary Markers………………............................... 67 Pavilions and Sermon Halls…………………………. 68 Cloisters……………………………………………… 68 Memorial Tower: Prang…………………………….. 69 Memorial Tower: Chedi…….……………………….