Abstract:
Markets are both important urban elements and dwellings. As urban elements, they relate to other urban elements, such as temples and schools; and as dwellings, they serve as places where people live and share their lives with each other. This research is a study of the spatial usage in Trokmo Market, an informal market in the Trokmo community, which has been located in an old area of Bangkok since the 1960s. Nowadays, Trokmo Market still retains its meaningful social system and has its own characteristics and identity. This study is grounded in morphology, phenomenology and architectural psychology, and uses theme analysis and situational analysis from field observations, which were carried out from October 2008 until April 2009, along with data collection by participant observation, informal interviews, mapping, field notes and sketches. The research started with a study of the social and historical background of the Trokmo Market comprised of studies of the history of the district and the Trokmo Market community, the stages the market went through in its development, the elements of the market community and the life stories of people in the community. This was followed by analyses of Trokmo Market at both macro- and micro levels. The macro level analysis focused on how the market relates to its context through important elements of the market, such as people, goods and space-time relations. The micro level analysis focused on the physical and psychological dimensions, and the meaning of space in the market. Five spatial aspects of the market that contribute to the quality of space and life were identified: 'polychronic space', 'changeable-growable-moveable space', 'small space', 'dialogical space' and 'multisensory space'. When seen through the lens of these five aspects, the market could be conceived of as a 'market of life', as the market is the 'center of life', the 'living world' and the 'lifeworld'. To conclude, in line with the design concept of a 'market of life', five major factors that have helped Trokmo Market attain sustainable growth were identified: the relationships as a network system of the market, the dependency of people, community, goods and spatial usage in the market, the flow of life in the district and the market, the temporal character of the market and the diversity in the market.