Sirintra Sumonvarangkul - Landscape Portfolio 2023

PORT FOLIO

Sirintra Sumonvarangkul

landscape architect & researcher

Bangkok, Thailand

(+66) 82 779 2358

sirintra.sumon@gmail.com

My intention, after graduating with a master’s degree from the landscape architecture school, is to find approaches to deal with negative impacts and enhance the quality of life. For the seven years that I have studied in the school of architecture at Chulalongkorn University, I have developed crucial skills and environmental perceptions, and I strongly believe that this profession is at the spearhead of solving environmental cataclysms.

With the concern of impact on the landscape, As a landscape architect and researcher, I found my interest in using the landscape approach as a basis for solving design problems, dealing with ecological complexity, and enhancing the quality of life.

skills

Software Language

Thai (Native Language)

English

education

2020 - 2022

Master of Landscape Architecture, Chulalongkorn University

2015 - 2020

experiences

Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, Chulalongkorn University

Internship

Landscape Designer (2019)

Nyee Phoe Flower Garden Pte Ltd., Singapore

Freelance

Concept Artist (2022)

Orasasintavee Co.,LTD., Thailandไ

Publication

Defining Connectivity between human footprint and riverscape in Chiang Mai city, Thailand: A Landscape Approach, Sarasatr

(Accepted Article, Publish on 17th October 2022)

Research Assistance

Research Report : The study of landscape changes from the northern railway, Thailand (

Mingkwan Nantavisai, Danai Thaitakoo (2021) [unpublished]

Nong Leng Sai

Phayao, Thailand

landscape ecological planning and design

Chulalongkorn

Bangkok, Thailand

campus design

Asok District

Bangkok, Thailand

urban landscape design

Ping River

Chiang Mai, Thailand

landscape research and analysis using GIS

01 NONG LENG SAI

Dynamic resilience & landscape stewardship

(Thesis) Landscape ecological planning and design

Location : Phayao, Thailand

Area : 33,846,400 sqm.

Project year : 2020

With the bonding of water and human life in tropical regions, there is the issue of resilience, the key to live with landscape dynamic during the wet and dry seasons. In upper northern Thailand, Phayao province, Nong Leng Sai is a wetland which is inextricably associated with a human by being an abundant natural resource, especially water resource, the foundation of settlement and livelihood in a rural area. Moreover, Nong Leng Sai also provides a variety of productive landscapes through water dynamics in wet and dry seasons which is damaged by urban development approaches, including industrial agriculture, dam construction, and trespassed property in the wetland that cause water dynamic disconnection. Understanding the landscape process and value is an implement to design solution. Reconnecting hydrological dynamics is the key to increase the biodiversity of wetland, and landscape stewardship is a crucial factor developing sustainability to live with this dynamic on the landscape.

Landscape Changes in Nong Leng Sai

Nowadays, deforestation in the upstream forest area is taking place for the benefit of the agricultural industry, while the conversion from rainfed rice agriculture to double-crop agriculture and the encroachment in the wetland area to develop Nong Leng Sai as a tourist attraction are causing the disconnection of water dynamics during flood and drought seasons and leading to ecosystem devastation.

The negative impact of these landscape changes in the Upper Ing basin, particularly in the Nong Leng Sai area, has driven the design objectives towards ecological restoration, aimed at mitigating the adverse effects, increasing biodiversity, and sustaining the livelihoods that rely on the landscape.

Landscape Planning Concept

Nong Leng Sai and the surrounding rural areas have the potential for policy planning to increase the abundance of the wetland’s ecosystem while also raising concerns about landscape preservation. Therefore, this project’s emphasis is on reconnecting water dynamics in order to bring back enrichment of biodiversity and establish a strong foundation for livelihood.

Grading on riparian area to reconnect water dynamic

Annual flooding season will recover native species on riparian area Monitoring and eliminating invasive alien species, bring riparian area back to stream banks

The design part is considered on landscape assessment to purpose suitable zoning for each area, which is divided into 3 phases of landscape restoration planning.

1) Dynamic restoration to provide service on the rich landscape.

2) Ecological conservation to limit accessibility and fishery restriction in mating season.

3) Resilience rural and landscape stewardship planning to develop the community along with the wetland restoration.

RICE FIELD

WETLAND ROAD

STREAMSIDE ZONE

MIDDLE ZONE INNER ZONE RIPARIAN BUFFER RICE FIELD WETLAND

Socio-Cultural Space: provide community public space for gathering people as a recreation area and for ritual activities which interact with the annual flood in the upstream river and Nong Leng Sai, to preserve cultural heritage and appreciation of the ecological value of the basin.

Educational space: Create educational spaces along a riparian route that allow visitors to explore and learn about the biodiversity of the Nong Leng Sai area. This will encourage people to understand, appreciate, raise awareness of, and conserve the importance of landscape dynamics in wetland areas.

02 CHULALONGKORN

Nexus: core area of chulalongkorn university

Campus design

Location : Bangkok, Thailand

Area : 76,551 sqm.

Project year : 2019

group project members :

Purich Thavornkij

Sirintra Sumonvarangkul

Chulalongkorn University is Thailand’s first University in Thailand which  located in the center of Bangkok. Founded in 1917 by the royal policy of King  Chulalongkorn (Rama V) and King Vajiravudh (Rama VI)

For Chula 2040 Masterplan, there is a new suggestion for development to achieve the goal of an innovative university, within the overall concept of “Leading Together”to represent the way to generate knowledge and innovation, then also lead the creativity and sustainability transformation of Thai society. The core of Chulalongkorn University is divided into three main parts, with the west part serving as the project area. This area showcases the university’s quality through its array of facilities and serves as a connecting point between the east part, which represents identity, and the innovation-focused west part of the CU Centenary Park. The core area of the west part is referred to as the “Nexus”, reflecting its central and crucial role in the university system.

Main entrance (left): keep the original axial for the main entrance. A waterwall is a design feature that is used to create a sound sensation in welcome area.

Connecting zone (below): The seasonal colored trees and light poles were used in this area to make the leading line and to make people feel connected between each zone.

Multipurpose plaza: create a pavement pattern and additional shady areas with seasonal colored trees to encourage activities like cheerleading practice in this area.

Making space: since this space is primarily used for parking, an additional activity that should be offered in this area should be something movable, such as a flea market.

Personal space: design routes and a seating area to create a good environment for studying in various group sizes.

03 ASOK DISTRICT

Asok Co-asis

Urban landscape design

Location : Bangkok, Thailand

Project year : 2019

group project members : Phacharapon Chuepaivasn

Sirintra Sumonvarangkul

Asok area, which extends from Asok Skytrain station to Asok Railway station along Asok Montri road, comprises dense building blocks with distinct cultures and functions. Residential buildings, educational institutions, and office buildings, for example.

Due to a lack of suitable walkways due to obstacles and the narrowness of the pathway in this area, people use more cars, which leads to the issue that the Asok district is currently experiencing traffic congestion.

The Co-asis goal aims to create a walkable city in order to improve the quality of the environment in the Asok neighborhood. By increasing the width and quality of walkways and reorganizing public plazas by function, the city can become a more suitable gathering place for people and reduce stress. Furthermore, another goal of this project is to improve the number of green spots and features, providing many ecological benefits while also preventing flood risk from the city’s high density of building areas.

Sino Thai Co-asis Terrace Co-eating Complex

SWU-asis plaza

Co-eating Complex

Create a street food plaza

Co-eating Complex

Organize and provide street food and international food space

Redesign the gathering plaza to support crosswalk circulation around a T-junction to improve safety and connectivity.

Sino Thai Co-asis Terrace

SWU-asis Plaza

Create a mixed-use area as a co-working space and a flea market.

Co-eating Complex Section : shown infiltration function in bioswale and universal design in Asok Co-asis area

SWU-asis Plaza Section : divide into co-working space, flexible area and flea market

04 PING RIVER

The

changes of riverscape

(Thesis) Landscape research and analysis using GIS

Location : Chiang Mai, Thailand

Project year : 2020-2022

The study aimed to understand and define the riverscape in dimensions of the structure, process, and the role that is the human foundation of livelihood, including indicating the change and effect that happened from riverscape change, which impact livelihood and quality of life. Land Use and Land Cover Classification Mapping and Historical Repeat Photography Methods were performed to analyze landscape structure, and changes in the Ping riverscape in Chiang Mai city and vicinity. The study discovered that the Ping riverscape’s characteristics in terms of river structure and dynamics constitute the foundation of the local people’s livelihood Meanwhile, recent development has altered channel structures without consideration of natural processes or river patterns. These modifications in the structure of the Ping River have a negative impact on ecosystem services.

The Upper Ping River Basin is considered as one of the main watersheds in Thailand and has long been associated with the way of life of Chiang Mai residents. The abundance of resources is a significant factor that determines the boundary of the settlement area, the foundation of agricultural society and local cultural traditions.

For the time being, changing land use to invest more resources in serving denser populations has had an impact on the physically of the existing landscape (Berdenis van Berlekom, 1969; Nassauer, 1997; Wohl, 2004).

The framework of this research, therefore, is based on landscape ecology and riverscape theory, which are fundamental concepts for understanding about how the landscape forms, processes, and how it influences human livelihood.

Ping Riverscape structure

Using Overlay Mapping methods to study the physical characteristics of the Ping riverscape at a watershed scale.

Boundary of study area in watershed, sub watershed, and local scale

Framework (adapted from Dunham et al., 2018, Thaitakoo, 2021)

Landscape structure of Ping Riverscape

One of the most significant of the river processes is flow. From analysis of Ping Riverscape processes, the pattern of stream order and flow direction shows the connectivity of the river in longitudinal from headwater on the mountain to the river basin area.

Ping Riverscape function

Surface water classification and hydrograph shows the pattern of river dynamics on the Upper Ping River Basin

Interrelationship between human and Ping River

Stone Age

Iron Age

Hariphunchai Kingdom

Lanna Kingdom

Chiang Mai-Lamphun city

There is a long history in the Chiang Mai-Lamphun basin since the settlement occurred along the river area. The boundary was defined by subbasins that influenced the way of life in Chiang Mai and Lamphun city.

After that, the territories expanding and utilizing the various characteristics of the river, floodplain, and highlands developed  Chiang Mai-Lamphun basin and became the agricultural society.

Ping Riverscape changes

The recent developments, which increase the rapid land use and land cover change on the floodplain area and the riverside, directly impact ecosystem service value and cause the disconnection between humans and the Ping Riverscape.

The purpose of comparing previous and present land use maps is to describe the changes that occurred on the river.

The Historical Repeat Photography Methods were also employed to illustrate the physical modification along the Ping River.