Chao Phraya "skypark" opens

Bangkok has a new landmark - a “sky park” - which straddles the mighty Chao Phraya River. Built on the superstructure of an abandoned rail project, the pedestrian and cycleway provides a soothing alternative for those wanting to get from one side of the river to the other, without dealing with the noisy chaos of city traffic.

Head of the project, Niramon Serisakul, from the Urban Design and Development Centre, says by repurposing an abandoned concrete bridge into a public green space for recreation and commuting, the sky park is the first project to show Thailand’s potential to breathe new life into the city’s neglected infrastructure.

The park is part of a Government campaign to preserve the heritage of the communities on both sides of the river.

“This model demonstrates how cities around the world can revitalise their neighbourhoods by recycling wasted resources and structures to benefit both people and the environment,” she says.

The park’s built upon a structure that’s been abandoned for more than 30 years. It was supposed to be the city’s first mass rail transit system, known as the “Lavalin Skytrain”. However that project was aborted after it became clear that many obstacles and complexities would prevent it ever becoming a reality.

It’s hoped the new pedestrian crossing will inspire people to exercise more.

Thus, the dumped project was epitomised by the abandoned section of construction, which bisects the two lanes of traffic on the King Prajadhipok Bridge, says Serisakul. That eyesore was given the sarcastic slang name of “Saphan Duan” or, literally, the amputee bridge.

The project couldn’t have opened at a better time. Around the world Covid-19 and associated lockdowns have highlighted the lack of green spaces in crowded cities like Bangkok, as residents rush to find parks for exercise and to improve their mental well-being.

Users are encouraged to pause and take in the beauty of the river.

“It’s not just about trying to add more public green space, but also to think about the ‘wasted’ space that we actually have in the city, and what can be done to it so that we can focus more on public health,” said landscape architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom, whose firm helped create the sky park.

But utilising existing infrastructure can have its limitations. For example designers had practical considerations when thinking about the park planting.

“In a tropical city like Bangkok, we would have liked to have trees that provide a wide area of shade, densely planted to ensure full coverage of passers-by,” Serisakul said. “However, given the weight-bearing limitation of the structure the amount of soil and water needed to nourish large shade trees, and the ability to withstand high winds on the bridge, made this vision unrealistic. That restricted the options for the designers as to what trees and foliage could be planted. 

The park is open from 5am to 8pm.

“In fact, the park was designed to meet the main objective of promoting alternative transportation by foot and bicycle across the Chao Phraya River to connect Thonburi and Phra Nakorn Districts. The concept was also to provide a new panorama of the city’s riverfront, and an abundance of trees might obstruct the vista. Thus, large-tree shading was not a top priority in the design, but it is still an integral part of the project. 

“Another limitation was the recognition that maintenance of the Sky Park had to be simple and efficient.  Therefore, flowers and plants that would require extensive care were excluded. In addition, the design and distribution of the foliage had to comply with driving safety standards, i.e., not obstructing the driver's vision on opposite lanes of the King Prajadhipok Bridge on both sides. Therefore, the trees and foliage which might grow in ways that would impede driver vision or break and scatter in a tropical storm had to be excluded.”  

When the park is fully operational it’ll provide a gateway to more than 100 places of worship, sites of cultural heritage and other tourist attractions.

“This area comprises dozens of communities, and more than 20 schools,” Serisakul says. “All will benefit from the connections the park provides in a myriad of ways.”