estudioOCA wins Rockefeller Foundation grant to develop Green Infrastructure Master Plan in northern Thailand

estudioOCA, a landscape architecture and urban design practice in Bangkok and New York, recently won a Rockefeller Foundation grant to support the further development of solutions for flood mitigation and drought in Udon Thani, a rapidly growing city in northeast Thailand. In response, estudioOCA teamed up with landscape architects, scientists, and engineers to create a Green Infrastructures Master Plan. The year-long project integrates green infrastructure that will shape the future development of the city in ways that can benefit residents, specifically through multi-functional spaces like public parks, green streets, and community gardens.

estudioOCA shared more details about their project below.

“The project planning incorporates the use of a hydrological simulation model to help design a green infrastructure network for the city to mitigate flood and drought conditions. [It] encompasses not only the master planning of green infrastructures, but also the design and realization of ecological urban infrastructure and public spaces for the city.”

“Due to rapid urbanization combined with climate change conditions, Thailand and the entire Southeast Asia area are going through major urban transformations. Udon Thani has increased its population dramatically as a result of economic growth, a trend that is expected to continue in the coming decades. Demographic changes have resulted in dramatic land use changes, exacerbating existing flooding through an increase of impervious surface area. With the inner ring road almost entirely urbanized, growth has shifted to outside the ring road, especially along major transportation corridors.”

“As Udon Thani continues on this path of growth, solutions are needed to mitigate the increased flood risk as well as the increased demand for potable water. Because of these expansion plans, Udon Thani’s relevance and influence, and the methods it will use to develop itself and expand in the future, will have significant repercussions beyond Thailand.”

“This integrated approach will allow green infrastructure to shape the future development of the city in a way that benefits its citizens with multi-use spaces that function as green infrastructure: public parks, linear parks, green streets, sustainable agriculture and community gardens, and active and passive recreational opportunities. The master plan will also study ways in which green infrastructure can act as economic generators.”

Find more project images in the gallery below.