Chat Architects introduces the Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion Project near the historic Angsila fishing village in Chonburi Province, Thailand. The Angsila community, once a thriving small-scale fishing town, has faced challenges sustaining its fisheries due to factors such as unfiltered waste from nearby factories and new suburbs affecting the water quality in Angsila Bay.
© W-Workspace
This has resulted in a decline in aquatic life and profitability, prompting the abandonment of traditional fisheries. The younger generation has migrated to seek more lucrative opportunities in nearby Bangkok factories, offices, or retail businesses. The Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion Project, a prototype for a new oyster eco-tourism infrastructure, actively aims to rejuvenate Angsila’s struggling fishing and seafood industry. By creating this innovative project, the community seeks to address environmental issues and provide a sustainable solution for the future.
© W-Workspace
Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion’s Design Concept
The Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion design creatively adapts and reinterprets the conventional bamboo scaffolding commonly employed in oyster cultivation. Local fishermen operate the pavilion, and it serves as a unique platform where small groups of visitors from Angsila can actively handpick oysters directly from the ocean below. The freshly harvested oysters are then promptly prepared for a delightful sea-to-table dining experience within the remarkable coastal setting of the Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion.
© W-Workspace
The Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion introduces an innovative oyster-tasting encounter, enabling Angsila fishermen to personally share their fishing legacy and oyster cultivation heritage with visitors freshly and interactively. By serving shellfish cultivated directly on the scaffolding, the pavilion guarantees seafood freshness for tourists, concurrently offering Angsila Fishermen a platform to advocate for the protection of the sensitive coastal ecology of Angsila Bay.
© W-Workspace
When not serving as a tasting pavilion for eco/tourists, the Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion transforms into recreational fishing piers for local fishermen. Families equipped with fishing poles, bait, and hooks gather on the covered platforms to engage in fishing activities. The clean waters surrounding the oyster and mussel bundles below naturally attract a variety of local fish, providing a unique and enjoyable experience for the community at the Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion.
© W-Workspace
The Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion design ingeniously employs sustainable, cost-effective materials, labor, and construction techniques every day. Following the tradition of oyster scaffoldings, local Angsila fishermen construct the new scaffolding entirely using bamboo and rely on traditional shallow-ocean construction methods that require no power tools. Adopting a “pogo-stick” style, the fishermen manually drive each bamboo column into the ocean floor. To bind all bamboo elements together, rejected car seatbelts, obtained at a discounted rate due to discoloration from local auto plants, are repurposed. A vibrant red agricultural tarp, complementing the greenish bay waters, provides light-filtering shade from the ocean sun for visitors while still allowing the passage of refreshing ocean breezes.
© W-Workspace
Project Info:
Architects: CHAT Architects
Year: 2023
Photographs: W-Workspace
Architects: CHAT Architects
City: Ang Sila
Country: Thailand
