Everyday Tactical Practices in External Spaces The Neighborhood Cluster in Khlong Toei Slum as a Case Study

Abstract

This study examines the critical role of external spaces in slum settlements, aiming to uncover why such diverse activities occur within these areas. The uniqueness of this study lies in its consideration of slums as part of urban vernacular settlements and its qualitative exploration of the social-physical environment coordinated with everyday activities.

In order to qualitatively examine the data, this study uses a combination of long-term participant observation and precise measurement, analyzing the data through the lens of Lefebvre's "production of space" and De Certeau's "strategy" and "tactics". As a case study, a neighborhood cluster consisting of about ten houses with concentrated social relations in Khlong Toei, an 80-year-old slum in Bangkok, is selected.

Applying the results of the study to Lefebvre and Certeau's concepts, “living spaces” are created by “spatial practices” (tactics) in “perceived spaces” (strategies). Perceived space (strategy) refers to how space is conceived through the thinking and planning of urban planners, architects, and policymakers. In this study, these are mainly narrow and curved alley shapes, small paved steps by water pipes, and support housing designed by architects, which are incidentally formed in the environment. “Conceived spaces” (tactics) involve the sensory activities of the body in everyday settings, whether in work, leisure, or private life. In this study, these mainly include the construction of housing frontages, windows, overhanging roofs, and shelves by residents themselves, as well as the use of temporary chairs, desks, parasols, etc. Such spatial activities create “lived space.”

Finally, based on these results, this study highlights the potential of urban vernacular architecture. Both vernacular architecture and urban vernacular architecture are forms of indigenous architecture created under strong limitations and shaped by people's interrelationships, rather than being designed by any specific individual. In other words, this architecture is created by anonymous, ordinary people through spatial practice under various limitations. In the case of urban vernacular architecture, the main limitations are imposed by the social environment, economic conditions, and politics. The urban vernacular is characterized by inexpensive building materials such as iron, blocks, and temporary chairs that can be easily obtained, as well as a communal lifestyle that incorporates external spaces. Urban vernacular settlements represent the “lived space” created by tactical practices that respond to residents's life.

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