Play Connector Network: The Green Network Development for The District of Pakkred Welfare Houses

Disability, inequality, poverty, and vulnerability are the issues that most Thais always keep out of sight. The vulnerable populations in Thailand often have inadequate social supports, and poor welfare services that make the inequality gaps in the society even wider.

Using the landscape architecture to mitigate the issues, this proposal suggests a community green network as social infrastructure for a neighborhood in Bangkok’s suburb, where most government-owned welfare homes and rehabilitation centers in Thailand are located.  The site covers the area of 54 acres, which scattered around by many abandoned lands in run-down conditions, and fenced welfare homes with inadequate environments, while lacks usable public spaces. The residents in these foster homes are isolated and often lose their connections to the outside world. The masterplan proposes public spaces as nodes of social interaction in 4 different themes based on the surrounding neighborhood, the existing welfare homes, and their users, while develop the existing road and canal networks into the green corridors to connect each node together, in order to create the diversified public realm and promote social interaction in the society.  As a playground, a community park, and a treatment garden connected with a green network that covers the entire area, this project not only aims to improve the quality of life and provide more green space for the community, but also intend create interaction and relationship between people from the welfare houses and the community people to help bridging inequality gaps in the society, making the society more inclusive.