“From Bang Po(ssible) to Bang Pho Living Lab”: A Collaboration between Chulalongkorn’s Faculty of Architecture and the Pracha Naruemit Community for Sustainable Community Development

The success of the “BANG PO(SSIBLE)” exhibition in 2022 was the fruit of a collaboration between the Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, and the Pracha Naruemit community, an old neighborhood in Bang Pho area, which has been a gathering place for woodworking entrepreneurs for over 80 years, on Bang Pho Wood Street. This integration between students and the community for the purpose of sustainable community conservation and development, this year, has been transformed into “From Bang Po(ssible) to Bang Pho Living Lab: University – Community Co–Learning and Co–Creation,” held at Bang Pho Wood Street Learning and Exhibition Center, Soi Pracha Naruemit, an extracurricular laboratory for students on a platform that promotes learning in conjunction with the community. It is also a social innovation that co-creates and elevates the community into a joint experimental area between Chulalongkorn University and the Bang Pho Woodworking community. 

The opening ceremony of the exhibition on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, at Chao Mae Tubtim Shrine, Soi Pracha Naruemit, was presided by Mr. Sanon Wangsrangboon, Deputy Governor of Bangkok, before the Deputy Governor along with Asst. Prof. Sarayut Supsook, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, and Mr. Phurisit Sirivarothakul, President of the Bang Pho Community, attended the opening at the Bang Pho Wood Street Learning and Exhibition Center.  

Asst. Prof. Prin Jhearmaneechotechai, Assistant President for Student Affairs, Chulalongkorn University, and lecturer at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, as the Head of the project explained the background of this project that “From Bang Po(ssible) to Bang Pho Living Lab: University – Community Co–Learning and Co–Creation” is an extension of the successful “BANG PO(SSIBLE)” exhibition last year. This year, the scope of work has been expanded to a larger extent with research funding from CU Social Innovation Hub, turning the Bang Pho community into a living lab or a laboratory for 180 students of the Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, and part of the lessons in 7 courses, including Structure, Landscape, Urban Planning, Urban Restoration, Architectural Design, etc., which allows students to work on actual sites with the community. “People in the community took part in the design in this exhibition, which is different from last year where students were the ones responsible for the designs. Some of the interesting works in this exhibition are the Bang Sue district tourist map, which has a total of 6 versions, such as a map of superstitious sites, a foodie guide, a map for content creators, etc. The important thing that students will gain from this work is to go out and gain experience from working with outsiders beyond studying in the classroom,” said Asst. Prof. Prin.  

Mr. Sanon Wangsrangboon, Deputy Governor of Bangkok, said ” Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has a policy on an urban economy that involves people in the community. There are many neighborhoods that we focus on promoting, one of which is Bang Pho, which boasts wood products and other items that can be further developed into Bang Pho’s signature products. The important thing is to achieve sustainability, continuously attracting visitors, evolving into a learning center, and culminating in a future urban economy.” 

Mr. Phurisit Sirivarothakul, President of the Bang Pho Community, revealed that “This year’s Bang Pho Living Lab exhibition is an extension of BANG PO(SSIBLE) which turns the community into a large laboratory. This will be an example illustrating how a community can exist sustainably, such as by creating a vision, a learning process, cooperation, and problem-solving, for other communities in the future. Our community deals in woodworking, and having students explore the area and solve problems has shown us the different perspectives that the community overlooks, such as space for walking, canals that need to be cleaned to maintain a beautiful landscape and a place for relaxation, and the design of maps and building structures. Many new perspectives achieved can be applied to the community in the future, which will benefit us significantly. Hence, we are glad to work with students who are knowledgeable and able to develop the community.” 

Mr. Pakin Tulapraprut, Miss Areeyana T. Somrit, and Mr. Katathong Thammasophonsakul, 2nd-year students of the Communication Design, Industrial Design department, Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, who have participated in the motion graphic portion of the exhibition, stated that “It was a good opportunity to work with the Bang Pho community, to learn more outside of the classroom, as well as gain professional experience. We are delighted to work with the community to apply what we have learned in the classroom. Visitors will also be inspired to make the community sustainable.” 

“From Bang Po(ssible) to Bang Pho Living Lab” is being held at the Bang Pho Wood Street Learning and Exhibition Center, Soi Pracha Naruemit, from now – July 31, 2023. The exhibition is open for visits every day from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  

For more information, please call 09-0986-6542 or visit the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bangphowoodstreet.th?mibextid=ZbWKwL.  

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