The Conservation of Vernacular Buildings in the Old Town District of Sakon Nakhon

Abstract

The vernacular buildings in the old town district of Sakon Nakhon embody the city's unique architecture. The purposes of this research are to survey the style of these  buildings and to propose a conservation approach to promote cultural tourism. The research methods consist of: (1) a literature review, including  the evolution and development of the buildings in the old town;  (2) field surveys; and (3) interviews with 60 residents or owners of the buildings. The results show that there are two styles of buildings: the single-story wooden shop house with a lean-to roof and the two-story wooden building with a gable roof. Approaches to conserving these buildings were obtained from community participation and from conservation concepts based on theory. Two conservation approaches are proposed:  the renovation of building facades as the initial phrase and the renovation of entire buildings. The results of the efforts to conserve Sakon Nakhon’s vernacular architecture in the old town are expected to lead the preservation of its unique architectural identity. Drawings of the proposed renovations can be used for presenting budget proposals to the public or private organizations and for providing guidelines to related sectors in the future.