Abstract:
Housing not only is one of a human being's four basic needs but it also reflects the lifestyles and cultures which initiate different housing patterns in different regions. Bangnoinok Community is a long-established community with unique lifestyles and culture. However, there was a change in its main mode of transport, from water to land, affecting the residents' living conditions. Therefore, this study aims to examine the relationship between the housing patterns and the living conditions. The samples were twenty-five residential units in the area. Data were collected by interviews with residents and through investigation into their space utilization. The results indicated seven types of housing patterns. The first one was the central Thai style houses built according to Thai traditions with most of the areas serving multi-functional purposes. Currently, these houses accommodate a small number of residents, who had changed from agricultural to full-time jobs. The second type was the wooden one- or two-storey townhouses. These had a width of three to five meters and were located by rivers which were twenty- to thirty-meters deep. The back parts of the houses were plantation areas or land transport routes. In the past, the residents were extended Chinese families working as merchants. At present, the household size was smaller with the majority of members doing work as it came in. The third type was the one-storey traditional local houses with heightened basement spaces. These could serve all use purposes, although restrooms were later constructed. The residents were extended families who did work as it came in. The local houses could be further classified into two types, those constructed over rivers and those built on land, of which the basement spaces served functional purposes. The fourth type was the small one- or two-storey modern local houses. Although compact, these supported all use purposes. They also featured inexpensive modern construction materials and simple building processes. The residents were nuclear families who did work as it came in and earning a relatively low income. The fifth type was the adapted conventional houses built from the existing houses (townhouses, raft houses, or traditional local houses), lifted to form the second storey. The first storey was constructed with concrete and iron structures, bricks, and cement. The construction also involved modern materials which could be purchased locally. These houses had better area division and more closed areas. The residents were both extended and nuclear families, the majority of whom were working in the private sector and relatively financially stable. The sixth type was the adapted modern houses built with modern materials and technology. The exterior of these houses replicated modern Thai style houses or were decorated with parts from Thai style houses. This type accommodated a small number of household members who were very wealthy. The last type was the modern western style houses, the majority of which were located along streets. These one- or two-storey houses were built with concrete and iron structures and modern technology. The interior of these houses was clearly divided in order to serve private use. The residents were nuclear families with a small number of members and various types of jobs. It was also found that the traditional local houses in the community were dilapidated and lacked upkeep, whereas the modern western style houses did not fit the local landscape, culture and lifestyles as well as Thai families' living conditions. Thus, the residents should pay attention to preserving the local houses, while the public sector should make the residents aware of the values of these houses. In addition, guidelines should be determined for constructing new houses or renovating the existing ones in order to make them appropriate for the community's landscape, weather, local materials, lifestyles, and cultures. All this will hopefully lead to sustainable living patterns within the community