Ang Sila, Chonburi
Introduction: Ang Sila (stone basin) is a coastal town in the Chonburi Province of Thailand which was previously known as Ang Hin. This was because of the large granite and sandstone basins that exist beside it. The town is recognized for its granite mortars and pestles which are used to grind chilies and other spicy condiments utilized in Thai food.
Ang Sila is a tambon or a sub-district about 97km south-east of Bangkok. Because it is a coastal town, fishing is a major occupation and both fresh and cooked seafood are popular draws to this town. Even though Ang Sila is known for its seafood industry, including oyster farming and fishing, the community has struggled for past decades to sustain and uphold the way of life of its fisheries. Unfiltered waste from nearby factories being released into rivers and canals that feed directly into the Ang Sila Bay has resulted in deteriorated water quality and a decline in aquatic life which has in turn led to diminished profitability in seafood cultivation and caused many fish farmers to abandon traditional fisheries.
As a result, the Ang Sila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion Project attempts to rejuvenate Ang Sila’s straining seafood industry.
The Pavilion
The design of the pavilion is based on the popular bamboo scaffolding that is typically used for oyster harvesting and growing, but it also devalues it in certain ways. A longstanding and deeply ingrained cultural heritage, traditional bamboo scaffolding is an essential component of oyster farming and reflects the happy coexistence of coastal communities.. Studies highlight the significance of traditional oyster farming practices in preserving cultural heritage and maintaining sustainable aquaculture ecosystems which is very important to Ang Sila as the fishing community continues to narrow down with more and more young people moving into the city areas looking for office-based jobs.
The pavilion functions as a tourist attraction as well as a fishing area which is advantageous and effective on its own for the Ang Sila community. During the operation of the pavilion, local fishermen act as tourist guides and bring in small groups of visitors to the place. The visitors are able to handpick oysters pulled from the ocean below and are also able to enjoy a refreshing dining experience as their oysters are freshly prepared to eat in front of them. The pavilion provides tourists with the chance to take delight in an exotic dinner by the sea, under the warm sun and beautiful ocean breeze. This also allows Ang Sila fishermen to develop a unique relationship with the tourists and spread knowledge on their fishing history, campaign for the protection of Ang Sila’s delicate coastal ecology as well as create an interactive method for them to further understand the oyster cultivation heritage. In addition to this, local fishermen are also able to bring their families to the pavilion for recreational activities when the place is not being used for farming or by tourists. The bamboo platforms can be used as spots for resting and sitting to catch a range of local fish that come around to the freshwater surrounding the mussels and oysters.
The Structure
The design and structure of the pavilion stems from an existing, every day, and sustainable one. It uses inexpensive construction techniques, labour, and materials and is built entirely by Ang Sila fishermen using local, shallow-ocean bamboo construction techniques which do not require the use of machinery or any power tools.
Bamboo’s flexibility and its natural resilience to water makes it an ideal material for the construction of frameworks that assist oyster growth. Its flexibility is also a trait that helps to align with the dynamic conditions of coastal environments hence offering adaptability to waves and tides. The practice not only contributes to the ecological balance of coastal waters but also aids in exemplifying the social dimensions of traditional aquaculture. The scaffolds, often arranged in a grid or lattice pattern, provides a substrate for oyster spat to attach and mature.
Because oysters are cultivated and farmed in shallow waters, the Ang Sila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion is manually constructed by the fishermen who push each bamboo column into the floor. They use a “pogo-stick” style technique which refers to the method where the user can stand on the foot and jump to push through. The bamboo poles are then tied together as nodes using rejected car seatbelts which have been purchased at much lower prices. A red tarp is then used as shade and in the nurseries to create a roof system. It is red in colour so as to complement and contrast the greenish bay waters. The tarp creates a shade for visitors from the ocean sun as well as allows the passage of ocean breezes hence creating a cool and relaxing environment.
Overall, the design of the Ang Sila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion by Chat Architects was created with the aim of raising awareness, comprehension, and gratitude towards the historic and coastal village of Ang Sila. It was invented to restore and revitalize the local economy of small-scale fishing through a tourist and user-friendly experience that will help locals cope with the modern practices in the world. The design is one adapted from traditional methods but with a modernised twist which makes it more attractive for tourists. It also helps to increase sustainability in the area as it uses natural materials and cheap labour therefore also making it easy to replicate and be used in other parts of the world that face similar issues. The pavilion acts as a floating restaurant, fishing retreat as well as a source of income hence serving several purposes at once.
REFERENCES:
- Abdel, H. (2023) Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion / Chat architects, ArchDaily. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/1011331/angsila-oyster-scaffolding-pavilion-chat-architects (Accessed: 20 January 2024).
- Designboom, Lea Zeitoun I. (2023) Chat architects’ oyster-tasting pavilion draws on traditional bamboo scaffolding in Thailand, designboom. Available at: https://www.designboom.com/architecture/chat-architects-oyster-tasting-pavilion-traditional-bamboo-scaffolding-angsila-thailand-12-20-2023/ (Accessed: 20 January 2024).
- Iroegbu , A.O.C. and Ray , S.S. (2021) Bamboos: From bioresource to sustainable materials and Chemicals, Bamboos: From Bioresource to Sustainable Materials and Chemicals. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/355988743_Bamboos_From_Bioresource_to_Sustainable_Materials_and_Chemicals (Accessed: 20 January 2024).
- Metalocus, A.C. (2023) Reinventing traditional uses. Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion by chat architects, Reinventing traditional uses. Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion by Chat Architects | The Strength of Architecture | From 1998. Available at: https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/reinventing-traditional-uses-angsila-oyster-scaffolding-pavilion-chat-architects (Accessed: 20 January 2024).
