Relationship between the Spatial Potential of Accessibility and Visibility and Wayfinding Patterns in Phra Arthit Historical Community Area, Bangkok

Abstract

These are locations registered by the Cultural Heritage Department of Thailand and include important places such as Phra Sumen Fort, Wat Chana Songkhram, Chakrapong Mosque, Pipit Banglumpoo Museum, and Santichai Prakan Park. However, the area is not fully utilized as a mixed-use urban area as it should be. Theoretically, a historical community should have a mix of through and a movement network for pedestrian accessibility for various groups of people.These are locations registered by the Cultural Heritage Department of Thailand and include important places such as Phra Sumen Fort, Wat Chana Songkhram, Chakrapong Mosque, Pipit Banglumpoo Museum, and Santichai Prakan Park. However, the area is not fully utilized as a mixed-use urban area as it should be. Theoretically, a historical community should have a mix of through and a movement network for pedestrian accessibility for various groups of people.
The research reported in this article is an examination of the movement patterns of two groups of people: those who are familiar with the area and those who are not. By observing and analyzing the patterns of pedestrian traffic during different times and days, it was found that these two groups of people have a different wayfinding patterns from each other. Accessibility and visibility are among the factors that affect the people who are not familiar with the area. Improving accessibility and visibility would potentially help promote easier movement of people who are not familiar with the area, and the area could receive more use from a more diverse group of people.