Standing among skyscrapers and shopping malls in the centre of Bangkok, Siam Square One differs from other structures in Siam Square. Its rooftop serves as an experimental edible garden, called Siam Green Sky.
Smack in the heart of Bangkok is Siam Square One with its unique rooftop garden and farm called ‘Siam Green Sky’. Graphics courtesy of Siam Green Sky
Covering more than 2,000 square metres, the new roof garden created by Chulalongkorn Unversity is intended to add more public green space and gardens and make the city more livable.
The ratio of green space per resident in Thailand's capital is less than in neighbouring countries, said Chulalongkorn University Property director Boonsong Srisawangnate.
Assoc Prof Permyot Kosolbhand, vice president of Chulalongkorn University, said education is one of the key elements for launching the garden. He said Siam Green Sky in fact is intended as an urban agricultural learning centre.
The centre is an outdoor classroom for people interested in how food gets from the ground to the dining table, he said, adding it will be an access point into the heart of the community where green-minded people socialise.
Siam Green Sky is also a pilot green space management scheme for Chulalongkorn, Gp Cpt Permyot said, as the university plans to develop several green spots on more than 28 rai of land in the vicinity of the campus.
"People on campus are able to take advantage of the green areas to get some fresh air. Letting fresh air fill our lungs is good for our health and well-being," he said.
Turning the browns and greys of the roof landscape into green was a Herculean task for Kotchakorn Voraakhom, who headed the team of landscape architects who designed the project.
It took more than three years for the project to be completed.
The team had worked hard on the design to make it a prototype learning centre, Ms Kotchakorn said, adding the project has also been specially designed to be a model for urban ecology centres.
She said it was very difficult to design a garden to fit the rooftop space and provide it with different layers. The team eventually came up with the idea of creating a rice terrace.
According to the architect, the centre is carefully designed to meet particular needs of users. The agricultural zone takes up the largest part of the surface.
The centre incorporates an innovative farming plot using solar power for farming and a demonstration room where visitors can explore ways to transform waste into useful items and techniques on plantations.
According to the project’s manager, Kantharika Sae-Tang, the urban agriculture learning centre features edible and non-edible gardens that include home-grown vegetables, green salads, flowers and herbal plants.
The striking feature of the centre is perhaps the painting of the ventilation pipes along the centre's walkways in which the pipes become a canvas.
This art project was created by city street artists who call themselves the "Silp San Siam Project".
A splash of colour added to the area enhances the environment and that is pleasing to visitors, said Ms Kantharika.
The garden scheme is being supported by a group called Big Trees Project, that undertakes the task of conducting seminars, workshops and activities for the public on green issues.
Big Trees Project is committed to raising awareness about the importance of big trees in the city, improving the urban environment and promoting sustainable living and green activities.
The centre also offers workshops, seminars and green markets from time to time to promote a healthy and safe environment as well as sustainable living, according to Oraya Sutabutr who represents Big Trees Project.
By attending various programmes run by the group, people can learn a variety of planting techniques and tips about planting rice and crops in limited spaces and in environmentally sustainable ways.
The lessons also provide knowhow about making the most of space when it comes to plant culture and how to choose crops to be planted in different spaces.
Ms Oraya said visitors can get their hands dirty and experiment with a small plot at the centre, just like they would with a back garden at home.
Visitors can also learn to turn waste into useful items that help reduce the amount of stuff they throw out. The group encourages shop owners in the centre to bring them food leftovers and coffee grounds which can be processed into something useful.
"We promote involvement and social interaction so participants can ask questions and exchange ideas," she added.
Turning waste into wealth is another interesting programme. Ms Oraya said the group demonstrates how to make natural fertiliser using the leftovers and coffee grounds.
Shop owners in the shopping centre are encouraged to take part in the programme, she said, as this can help reduce waste from their stores and shops.
"The idea not only helps reduce waste, it helps save the planet as well," she said.
Ms Oraya said the group aims to educate urban residents on planting rice that is the staple food for Thais and to demonstrate its “rooftop rice” concept in which the grain is planted in areas above ground due to a lack of open space.
"Rice on the roof is a novel way to farm in an overcrowded city like Bangkok," she explained.
The group wants to inspire Bangkok's residents to grow plants even if they live in a small room in a condominium, and also to be aware of food security and educate themselves about sustainable and naturally growing food systems, Ms Oraya said.
"Enjoying home-grown produce from our gardens can help us stay healthy. And the freshly harvested veggies from our backyard are of course tastier than ones bought from the market," she said.
Growing food in a home garden is a sure-fire way to have food to enjoy, particularly in times of disasters such as a flood when supplies can become hard to find.
"During times when there is a scarcity of food, even if we have money in our pocket, we may not able to buy food," Ms Oraya said.
