Critical aspects of the Banglamphu Canal Cultural Heritage Corridor Project

The project’s mission was to revitalise housing and public spaces in the canal-side neighbourhoods of the Banglamphu Canal Cultural Heritage Corridor.
The outcome of the project was the Urban Conservation Plan for the Banglamphu Canal Cultural Heritage Corridor, which included descriptions of sites of significant heritage and identified the threats that may put the area at risk.
Finally, it proposed a planning process for the rehabilitation of urban heritage in the area.
Critical questions and frameworks guided the project outcome. The first question, “What constitutes heritage?” led to a focus on heritage aspects belonging to all neighbourhood residents.
“How can we manage heritage?” would seek proper measures to manage heritage assets in a sustainable way, while “Who can be the key persons in heritage management?” would identify and recruit individuals and organisations to advance the agenda of the heritage corridor.

‘WHAT CONSTITUTES HERITAGE?’
“Common heritage” encompasses entire traditional neighbourhoods together with public spaces along the Banglamphu Canal such as markets, temples, royal houses and public institutions.
The project considered the attributes of the historic urban landscape by physical fabric as well as non-material heritage resources, which include layers of collective or individual memories, multi-cultures, and perceptual characteristics of place.

‘HOW CAN WE MANAGE HERITAGE?’
To ensure the smooth and sustainable management of common heritage assets, the project encouraged residents and group leaders to join the planning consultation process and engaged them in in-depth interviews and surveys, resulting in a bottom-up research approach.
The finished plan encompassed methods to maintain the significance of historical physical fabrics and urban elements while enhancing quality of life for the neighbourhoods.

‘WHO CAN BE THE KEY PERSONS IN HERITAGE MANAGEMENT?’
The conservation plan emphasised the endorsement of local initiatives in heritage management, strengthening active community organisations, and widening the networks of local groups. Accordingly, Prachakom Banglamphu and other local groups working on conservation in the area for over a decade were designated key organisations to create and execute the plan. Community participation ensured that the plan responded to local needs, and the implementation timeline was based on local capabilities.
Conservation activities initiated by local groups, such as a project to improve water quality in the Banglamphu Canal, was programmed for the short term as it was near implementation.
In summary, the Banglamphu Canal Cultural Heritage Corridor project highlights the significance of traditional neighbourhoods as repositories of common heritage embedded in collective memories, local history, and a strong sense of place.
An appropriate measure to maintain such heritage assets is a conservation plan that supports locally initiated conservation practices and allows broad groups of stakeholders to take part in joint planning and implementation.
The plan would ensure the improvement of local living conditions, enhance traditional patterns of life, and reboot local economies through empowering cultural activities.

Note: Summary from the book “The Urban Conservation Plan for the Banglamphu Canal Cultural Heritage Corridor”, Project Director/Editor: Asst. Prof. Wimonrart Issarathumnoon, published in 2016 by the Department of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University.