Rachaparop Junction

Architectural Conceptual Design

Our perception of the urban environment is usually ‘normalized’ by the institutionalized ‘representation’ of the city, which is portrayed as a systematic array of infrastructures, buildings, and open spaces. Even our experience of the metropolis itself is today mostly channelled to prescribed paths, like mass transit routes, so strongly present in Bangkok’s everyday life and, therefore, to uniform modes of perception.

In reality, the city is, first and foremost, a complex stratification of social, material, and economic networks, which interact and influence each other to create and continuously modify an aggregate that is always ‘alive’.

The project proposed a specific order in the design methodology, stimulating innovation before resolving more practical aspects and a broader reflection on the proposal’s implications. The patrimonial devices should have benefited people and existing physical-natural structures and reduced the intervention scale. To propose creative solutions related to a specific situation in the Rachaparop Junction district.

To envision how patrimonial architectures will be used, appropriated, hacked or even modified by users, embracing a continuous perception of time that will span from one day to years. These temporal reflections are deeply related to a broader ecological understanding of architecture, where time, being performative time, or time of use and maintenance, is crucial to incorporate in the design process.

Rachaparop, situated beneath highways, sees its activities influenced by the interplay of light and shade from the highway. Locals exhibit sensitivity to sunlight, evident in their daily routines and choice of clothing. The shading potential from abandoned billboards in the area piques interest.

Research reveals that five billboards cast intriguing shadows, presenting an opportunity for creative space design. The strategy is to retain the advertisement sign above to generate income while implementing regulations for space usage below.


The project aims to revitalize dying media by remaking billboards into functional spaces. The community benefits from organized spaces for gatherings and outdoor events, fostering a stronger sense of unity. Moreover, by integrating digital interfaces, the billboards transform into sculptural elements, enriching the urban landscape and transcending their abandoned past.