Bangkok Urban Delta Project
The Bangkok Urban Delta Project (BUDP) acknowledges the significance of water and its crucial role in the Chao Phraya Delta (CPD) ecosystem. Located within the CPD watershed, Bangkok faces severe vulnerability to flooding because of rapid urbanization, concretization of flood retention areas, the filling of Bangkok's khlong (canal) system, and changes in water use.
Informal settlements, such as Khlong Toei, house the most vulnerable population in Bangkok. The 100,000 residents, precariously situated along the shifting river edges or atop former floodwater management khlongs, face the constant risk of urban flooding.
BUDP is designed to improve the natural water systems of the CPD by reimagining the urban landscape. Among the measures it incorporates are de-concretizing land settlements and rewilding wetlands to allow water to flow freely through the city. The project also integrates a vernacular housing typology—the Thai Stilt House—which builds upon generations of knowledge and traditional ecological practices.
The project proposes three module designs: Single House, Multiple House, and Long House. The stilt modules blend traditional and urban living, offering flexibility and adaptability in response to social dynamics while providing protection against flooding and changes in the delta landscape. The design also modifies urban living rituals to encourage collectivity, shared experiences, and efficiency.
The design approach involves providing a kit of parts and construction techniques to enable communities to rebuild their settlements. One issue that must be addressed is land tenure, as the residents currently occupy land owned by the Bangkok Port Authority. The rebuilding process must therefore be incremental, starting from the settlement's interior and gradually extending toward the edges, allowing the new community to evolve organically without drawing formal attention.
Under the leadership of the community, BUDP can create safe and resilient housing for workers, integrating strategies designed to address ecological challenges and meet the needs of the most vulnerable residents of Bangkok.