The new congress building’s National Artist and chief engineer, Chatree Ladalalitsakul, has opposed a number of plans to restore it, claiming that the structure is a significant regional artwork that should not be altered without the original architects ‘ approval.
” Despite the libel, we have not spoken out for ten years. One of the nation’s most significant structural creations in the past century is the legislature. As the architect, I’ve been fighting this project for ten years at great personal risk. I can no longer protect the job because it has been handed over.
Mr. Chatree said on Thursday while he was in parliament that he was asked to stay peaceful because” I find it very annoying.” He was also asked to write to the Senate subcommittee on creative arts to oppose modifications.
He noted the design’s inclusion of four international designers. Post-completion changes are uncommon in infrastructure because of their aesthetic and functional implications. Any modifications of this nature may be made with the permission of the original makers.
This structure is considered to be a federal architectural masterpiece. You didn’t just add things wherever you like, he said.
Unaffordable park
Mr. Chatree recalled earlier allegations that the engineers had broken the law. In fact, the concept adhered to the Terms of Reference ( ToR ), which were created by legal experts, including the then-president of the Association of Siamese Architects and officials from the Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning. These researchers were well aware from the beginning that 2, 000 locations do not enough.
Wat Kaew Fah and local military installations were always going to provide additional driving.
It was never intended to be crammed completely into the legislature complex. We conducted eight driving studies during the design, but none of them were implemented. And now that they want to increase park, he said,” we weren’t actually informed.”
Mr. Chatree questioned whether an underground vehicles park extension was possible, but he expressed concern about flood risks. Up to four meters of protection exist beneath the legislature’s underwater rates.
Samsen Road” slopes upward.” There is a water-sealed entry in the style of the submarine if you walk from the People’s Plaza forward. However, because the Samsen region is at a lower amount, there is less security it. That being said, I can assure you that the legislature building will be intact even if Bangkok is entirely submerged, “he said.
A fully operational gazebo
Mr. Chatree clarified that the Sala Kaeo ( the Crystal Pavilion ) was built for both architectural expression and ceremonial use, such as for religious and public ceremonies, in response to criticism that it is too hot and unusable. The foldable electric dome that reflects temperature is not well known to the majority of people.
The claim that the air conditioning cannot be adjusted is misleading because the congress was built as a gathering place for people.
This is a architectural sculpture that is both vital to the environment and fully functional, he said,” but not in the way some people would like to use it.”
Fill up the swimming
Mr. Chatree explained that the lake was constructed using a purification program similar to that found in swimming pools in response to claims that the” Emerald Pool,” an indoor reflecting lake, is a malaria breeding ground and prone to leakage.
Mosquito eggs cannot live without proper care and flow. Given that the building was only just handed over, leakage would be a design fault that should be addressed under the company’s guarantee.
He even criticized the plans to convert the Emerald Pool room into a ground-floor libraries and commercial space, calling it an unnecessary, inevitable change that lacked both form and function.
The Emerald Pool is extremely important in controlling the temperatures in the main hall. Its removal may compromise the cooling system of the building, leading to expensive air conditioning retrofits.
The courtyard is available on all sides and is as large as a 10-storey tower. It may cost unreasonably to install AC. He claimed that making glass barriers or covering it with glass on the 2nd to 4th ground walkways encircling the courtyard would be “extorbitantly cheap.”
Removing the library to the ground floor is unfair because it causes needless expenses in exchange for catastrophic harm that is disproportionate with the desired outcome.
Risques for architectural health
Mr. Chatree expressed concern that the house’s earthquake resistance and architectural integrity could be impacted by modifications to the composition and changes plans, such as changing the Emerald Pool for a collection. More construction loads can weaken the original framework, especially if the original engineering team is not involved.
The architectural structure was constructed to support particular loads. That balance is altered by adding expensive collection stacks or closing liquid features. New manufacturers are required to carry legal costs, he said.
Architectural identity
Mr. Chatree warned that the proposed changes would severely harm a regional landmark that would be cherished for decades.
He characterized the legislature complex as more than just a usable space because it embodies Thai traditional customs, cultural identity, and national workmanship.
It is a part of national skill, they say. You didn’t simply add things wherever you like, he said. The structure was constructed to last a century and put Thailand’s distinctive modern design on the international level.
Additionally, Mr. Chatree noted that the initial design was estimated to be worth about 11 billion ringgit and was later modified to about 12 billion ringgit. The parliament was constructed with a 22 billion baht budget ( thoughts ).
Beyond that, we have not been involved and we disagree with a lot of things, he said.