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The current urban structure of Bangkok city has derived from existing agricultural parcels and waterways in the past. Canals were filled up and layered with tarmac and rice fields were converted to plots of land, hence the urban pattern locally followed the green and blue structures. Elevated expressways, with a major reason to connect from point A to B as fast as possible, usually don’t respect this urban configuration. In most cases, after the demolition of existing buildings, the plots are leftover in either triangular or trapezium shape. To maximise the profit, developers have no choice but to build in those funky shapes.
The removal of structures leaves some scars on neighbouring buildings. Temporary structures occupy the empty plots after the buildings were evacuated and these newcomers may not necessary be the same dudes as the owners of the plots.
Some demolished buildings are intruded by homeless people. Deteriorated building skeleton is modified. Temporary shelters are set up.
During the period of expressway construction some buildings persist not to move out. Later they were partly destroyed. Half of the building was gone and the space was shrunken. New facades need to be built and, again, this incident results in rearrangement of programs inside the building.
To me, this photo is really interesting. Parts of a continuous neighbourhood fabric (some scholars call it mat-urbanism) are removed by the expressway construction. Buildings that once were inside are now being exposed. Back elevations have become front façades. Back doors have turned into main entrances.
When constructing an elevated expressway, a setback line needs to be set, virtually if not legally. To insert this mega structure into existing tight urban fabric, we have to clear some space for the construction and the machinery. Some buildings along the line of construction are lucky enough not to be fully demolished, but still, not that fortunate to avoid partial destruction. As some parts of the building are missing, it is inevitable that the leftover programs inside need to be re-planned. Look at the picture. It shows that this shop house used to have bathrooms on the 1st & 3rd floors. See the blue tiles on the wall? And if you are superstitious like the owner of the building next door, you may need to add some extra feature on your façade.
