INDIVIDUAL STUDY ON SMART NEIGHBORHOOD

AR5405 Individual Study in Architecture

School of Architecture and Design, Assumption University

OCTOBER 14, 2022

RIYA PRADHAN
ID: 6038106
Table of Contents:

1. Introduction

1. Basic Information

2. Smart Neighborhood

1. Smart Characteristics of the neighborhood

2. Conclusion on the smart level: comparation of these characteristic

3. Solutions and improvements for a smarter neighborhood

4. References

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1. INDRODUCTION

F IGURE 1 N IGHTSCAPE OF ARI (S OURCE : (INTERNETIMAGE ))

Neighborhood Name: Ari

Location: Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400

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 1.1 Basic Information:
Ari is an up and coming happening neighborhood. It is considered the next Thong
Lor by many skeptics. Ari is just far enough away from the central tourist areas to
keep away majority of tourists, but it has become increasingly popular among
young Thais and growing numbers of expats in the last couple of decades. It is an
area of Bangkok not too far away from the metro line from the center of the city.
But it is largely a residential area that has developed into a cool place to spend a
bit of time. The neighborhood mainly consists of odd cafés, restaurant, and bars
in quiet residential areas which elevates the aesthetic of the place.

F IGURE 3 S ALT C AFÉ ’ ( SOURCE : F IGURE 2 S OURCE :

HTTPS :// CULINARYBONANZA . BLOGSPOT . COM / ) HTTPS :// WWW . DISCOVERWALKS . COM /

2. Smart Neighborhood

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 2.1 Smart Characteristics of the Neighborhood

F IGURE 4 S OURCE : TAKEN FROM G OOGLE MAPS EDITED BY AUTHOR

The smart characteristics shown by Ari neighborhood in terms of smart mobility,
smart economic, smart environment, smart living, smart people, and smart
governance are as follows:

2.1.1 Smart Mobility:

Ari is around a 10 to 30-minute drive from what is commonly known as
downtown Bangkok. It is on the BTS sky train line though, and is just a few stops
down from Victory Monument. 

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F IGURE 5 SOURCE : A SIA CITY MEDIA GROUP F IGURE 6 S OURCE : G OOGLE M APS
Going in the opposite direction (past Ari on the BTS line) is the famous
Chatuchak Weekend Market just a couple of stops away, as well as the park of the
same name. On top of the very convenient BTS station, which takes people to
Sukhumvit in no time, Ari is also accessible on over 20 buses such as the A2
(between Don Mueang International Airport and Victory Monument) and the
infamous bus number 8 (between Bang Kapi and Memorial Bridge).
It’s also perfect for biking as there are many shaded residential trails. Traffic
generally is not as bad as in Sathorn and Sukhumvit, which can even make taxis a
bit more accommodating, too. The nearest high entries can be accessed through
Rama 6 Road and Phahon Yothin Soi 2.

F IGURE 7 S OURCE : S EREECHAI PUTTES /T IME O UT B ANGKOK

The pavements are a bit more decent than in some areas of the city. I also noticed
the occasional roller skaters or skate boarder, maybe a dog walker or two, and a
few cyclists here and there. None of these are that common a sight on a typical

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 Bangkok Street, where the pavements are, broken, and hazardous. This is due to
poor paving practices and constant use of the paths by motorcycle taxis who ride
wherever they like.

F IGURE 8 SOURCE : CREATIVECOMMONS . ORG

2.1.2 Smart Living:

Ari has some great restaurants and cafes, with a slightly more relaxed vibe than
some of the more overcrowded, central city areas; but it doesn’t have anything
major enough to draw in any real crowds in terms of visitors. And this is probably
one of the things that keeps it interesting and refreshing.

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F IGURE 9 S OURCE : HTTPS :// BK . ASIA- CITY . COM /

 Until recently there were just a few cafes and dessert spots, nonetheless they are
odd and interesting looking. These days Ari has a lot of bars serving craft beer,
and an assortment of local and international styles of cuisine which gives it the
title “The New ThongLor”. On top of that the area still has the typical sight in
Bangkok of the local street food vendors. Along with these charms, the small
shops that give the neighborhood its particular feel are a nice contrast to some of
the other chaotic and constantly-changing city spots. There is still a fair bit of
traditional Thai architecture to be found in and around some of the back alleys
and corners of Ari. And in contrast to this, the main streets entertain modern and
quirky cafes, restaurants, and bars that attract coffee-shop enthusiasts and young
urban people.

F IGURE 10 S OURCE : HTTPS :// WWW . NEVERENDINGFOOTSTEPS . COM /

The Ari area is known to be a good neighborhood even among the locals. It is
quite safe and nice to live in. Although there are still a lot of old houses in Ari,
more and more developments and high-rises dominate the neighborhood. (Some
locals often complain that Ari's renowned peace and quiet has been replaced by
the sound of construction.) 
2.1.3 Smart People:

When COVID-19 hit and lockdowns were imposed, Ari’s residents came up with
initiatives to help out one another and those in need. When lockdown restrictions
prevented us from engaging in face-to-face encounters, virtual communities
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 like AriAround and Ari Community Facebook Group came into play. The AriAround
site helps find everything you need, from freshly baked croissants to handyman
services, offered or recommended by those who live in the area. If going to the
supermarket scares you, there’s the option of hiring a service that will deliver
fresh produce from a nearby market via a zero-emission electric car. And if you
want to know what’s going on, you can tune in to a community reporter such
as Your Neighbor Ari. These kinds of innovative ideas show how the residents
participate in public life and help each other.
Another aspect to this is that this community consists of mainly elderly people
who are experts in their respective fields. Visitors can gain more knowledge and
wisdom from these residents than they can ever get anywhere else. Such
brilliance in people is showed by the kind of institutions that are built in the area
such as architecture firms, art houses, and various financial and government
offices.
Art spaces:

F IGURE 12 CO- WORKING SPACE HTTPS :// BK . ASIA -

CITY . COM /

Figure 11 Puritan (Ari Soi 5) https://bk.asia-city.com/

 
Hospitals:

Phyathai 2 Hospital 
Vichauyuth Hospital (114/4 Set Siri R d)

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 Phyathai 2 Hospital (943 Phahon Yothin R d .)

2.1.4 Smart Economy:

As this new community has developed, so have the businesses that serve it. Yet in
contrast to a lot of other areas packed out with the usual corporates and
franchises, Ari has retained a sense of the independent.
Ari is one of the districts of Bangkok outside of the usual well-known spots that
continue to attract more attention. It has seen something of a boom over recent
years as increasing numbers of investors and entrepreneurs look for alternative
regions of the city to those with ever-skyrocketing city-centre rental costs. So, as
it is more developed than ‘old town’ regions of the city but less chaotic than the
majority of modern and rapidly-developing neighborhoods, Ari is sought by
investors.
Another aspect of smart economy is shown by the presence of virtual
communities like AriAround and Ari Community Facebook Group. The AriAround
site helps find everything you need, from freshly baked croissants to handyman
services, offered or recommended by those who live in the area. If going to the
supermarket scares you, there’s the option of hiring a service that will deliver
fresh produce from a nearby market via a zero-emission electric car. And if you
want to know what’s going on, you can tune in to a community reporter such
as Your Neighbor Ari.

2.1.5 Smart Environment:

F IGURE 13 S OURCE : S EREECHAI PUTTES /T IME O UT B ANGKOK 9|P a g e

 The real attractions in this neighborhood are along Soi Ari itself and down the
many quiet alleys and side streets lined with trees that give the area a suburban
feel. Ari’s streets are filled with greenery, but there’s very few green space. There
aren’t many parks or public spaces here, though there is something of a hidden
gem opposite the Revenue Department at the back-end of Soi Ari, where local
elderly people gather to exercise. Elsewhere, Aree Garden mall (Ari Samphan Soi
11) combines classy architecture with a spacious grass lawn, while a few of the
places have a similarly charming green setting Excellent cafés and restaurants are
all over Ari. Ari Soi 4 in particular has become a magnet for Instagrammers taking
photos outside several of the picturesque cafes along the road

2.1.6 Smart Governance:

The Ari Neighborhood is a close-knit community of people living there since many
generations. They have virtual as well as physical committees that is used to help
each other out in time of need as well as to solve various community issues.

2.2 Conclusion on the Smart Level:

Main Sub- Rate the level of Smart
dimensions characteristics
or aspects 1-Very 2- 3- Neutral 4- 5- Very
unsatisfied Unsatisfied Satisfied Satisfied
Smart Smart garbage
environment collection
Smart greenery

Building
Density
Pollution

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 Smart Accessibility
Mobility from outside
Pedestrian
walkway
Bicycle lane

Smart Art and Culture

People
Social Activity

Hospitability

Smart Peaceful
Living
Living
Condition
Smart Community
Economy Business
Cashless

Smart Communication
governance

3. Solutions and Improvements for a Smarter Neighborhood

Although there are a few smart things in this area, I would like to propose a
few things to make this neighborhood smarter:

Smart Environment:

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There are only few open public spaces that are currently used. Most of the greenery is
unused. So, I would like to propose some more of the unused green spaces to be used
as public parks or co-working space where people can come together to learn from each
other or for community meetings.
The second issue is about a smart garbage collection system. Although the
neighborhood is clean already, I would like to propose that there is a smart garbage
separation system that separates recyclables, general wastes, and hazardous wastes.

F IGURE 14 S OURCE : CEBUDAILYNEWS . INQUIRER . NET

Smart Mobility:
Many residents of this neighborhood prefer daily exercise so a separate bicycle lane and
a running lane should be inserted on the major roads for ease of travel inside the area.
For the streetlights, there should be solar panels to power them.

F IGURE 15 S OURCE : WWW . OORJAN . COM /

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Smart People:
The residents used to love their neighborhood until recently. Now they find it
overcrowded by visitors. To solve this issue, I suggest to have a common ground
between the visitors and residents. There could be a places like art libraries, or similar
public spaces where people can come interact with the intellectuals living around there.
This would provide a unique experience to both residents and visitors.

4. REFERENCES
1. https://localiseasia.com/ari-bangkok-thailand-apartments-restaurants-and-cafe-reviews/
2. https://www.timeout.com/
3. https://www.neverendingfootsteps.com/ari-best-neighborhood-bangkok/

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