Wassida Watanakulchai

Shifting Territory is an architectural thesis by Wassida Watanakulchai at Pratt Institute. The project deals with social culture and technology in a future scenario where global warming and sea level rise have damaged the cultural heritage of many cities around the world.

This situation is particularly evident in Bangkok, Thailand. Early settlements developed around the banks of the country’s major river, Chao Phraya, back when it was used as the region’s primary mode of transportation. The communities in these low-lying areas are increasingly susceptible to heavy rains, rising tides, and changing sea levels.

In order to maintain these communities and foster the inner city, Shifting Territory articulates a response to changing boundaries, behaviors, and spatial functions to address the increasing threat of rising currents. The thesis works to preserve the sites of cultural heritage by manipulating the coastal community landscape.