Architectural Contexts of Condominium Façade in Creating Bangkok Townscape

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the architectural contexts of condominium façade in the creation of the townscape of Bangkok. This paper covers architectural factors that influence the landscape and beauty of the city under the framework of townscape and the perceptions of urban aesthetics in the issue of relationships at the urban level. This research is an empirical study focusing on the analysis of the townscape through surveys, observations, and photographs of condominiums in Bangkok, which were then statistically analyzed to find the relationship between condominium façades and the creation of townscape in six study areas: Lang Suan, Sathorn, Ari, Thonglor, Taopoon, and Onnut. The results revealed that (1) architectural factors of condominium façades that affect the creation of townscape include materials and color tones of the condominium façades classified by types of architectural elements; the proportions, which are the number of residential units and the number of floors; and the perimeters of physical elements, in this case, architectural styles and distance from main streets, which indicate the shapes of each style and the spaces in the urban area. These factors create the landscapes specific to each area; and (2) townscapes in the city center and inner suburb are similar due to the expansion of the city from the center to the periphery, resulting in a diversity of architectural characteristics of condominium buildings in the two areas. As suburban areas have grown along transportation lines since the 2010s, the architectural characteristics of suburban condominiums have been large-scale modern and futuristic high-rise buildings. This has resulted in the creation of townscapes and the perceptions of urban aesthetics because cities are a collection of diverse spaces, each with its own aesthetic value. These aesthetic values have created the characteristics of each neighborhood's townscape, which are related to the way cities and housing are designed to create order in the environment, stimulating a figurative aesthetic experience for the citizen.