The Adaptive Reuse of Old Pak Phriao Rice Mill to be All Season Food Market for Saraburi Municipality

Asst.Prof. Sudjit Svetachinta (Sananwai), Ph.D.

Introduction

The old Pak Phriao rice mill by Pasak River, Saraburi Province is the first rice mill of the Liaopairat family. Which stopped working about 50 years ago due to the move to build a new mill on Paholyothin road which replaces water transportation. Nowsaday, the area of 5,412 Sq.m. of the old rice mill has been abandoned. There are still traces of the building and some machine remains as a witness of being the great rice mill of Saraburi in that era. In addition, during the past year, a group of food vendors at the night market of Saraburi municipality were affected by the expropriation of the sales area to support the high-speed railway project. This is the origin of a propose project to reuse this old rice mill as an option for a new night market in Saraburi Municipality

This project is a collaboration between the author as the main advisor with fifteen of the second-year students of SOS+ Design Studio, Faculty of Architecture Rangsit University as a designer under Sustainable Design and Urban Vernacular theories. With a field work process to observe, interview, gather problems and needs from stakeholders since the Mayor of Saraburi Municipality, night market entrepreneurs, rice mill owner, and Saraburi people together with the survey of existing buildings of the old rice mill.

Conclusion

Working 2 days a week from January- April 2022, the author has served as a mentor for 6 teams of 15 students, alternating with 3 pin-up sessions to hear opinions from other teachers in the SOS+ studio together with an invited guest from Saraburi. As a result, most of the students’ final designs were in the direction of sustainability based on the idea of urban vernacular architecture, with 5 of 6 the teams suggesting ideas to renovate and adaptive reuse most of the existing buildings. To attract more people to spend longer time on this project by adding activities that are the lifestyle of this new era. Such as retail shops for rent, outdoor exhibition space, amphitheater, art gallery, as well as restaurant or café and co-working space are available as options for project users other than the food market alone. Interestingly, some teams present TPI Green shop, Recycle bank and Organic vegetable plot. As an extension product of the mill owner on behalf of his main business (TPI Polene Public Company), as well as a memorial hall showing past, present and future expectations. To create a new life for this old rice mill without demolishing both the building and the memories it once had.

Objectives Aims or Purposes

1. To create a design program that corresponds to the existing problem of the Saraburi night market.
2. To design space and function that suitable for the night market and the old mill area.
3.To offer alternatives to the mill owner in bringing the abandoned area back to use for
the benefit of Saraburi.

Process or Methods

1. Field work for gathering problems and analysis of needs.
2. Study cases both in Thailand and abroad.
3. Architectural Design Program Summary.
4. Analyze site and surrounding context.
5. Design concept and zoning + Pin-up #1
6. Schematic & Preliminary design + Pin-up #2
7. Design development & Final design + Pin-up #3

Techniques and materials

All Season Food Market for Saraburi Municipality is a project proposal to adaptive reuse the old Pak Phriao rice mill to be able to support the main activities of night (food) market, at least 30 stalls, by adding support function to the project as appropriate and there must be a parking lot for the project client as well.