Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion

Once a thriving small-scale fishing town, the Angsila fishing community have recently struggled to sustain their fisheries way of life. Unfiltered waste/runoff from nearby factories and new suburbs released into the rivers and canals which feed directly into Angsila Bay, have diminished water quality and decreased the seafood population in Angsila Bay. The reduced seafood cultivation and diminishing profits have forced many locals to abandon the traditional fisheries way of life. In particular, the younger generation have left their hometown and fishing heritage to seek more profitable factory, office, or retail jobs in nearby Bangkok.

The pavilion design draws on and “bastardizes” the widely deployed bamboo scaffolding, traditionally used for oyster cultivation. The hybrid pavilion is composed of two parts- The permanent bottom portion is a fully functioning oyster farm, while the dis-assembleable top portion, a red-canopied bamboo platform, is utilized as an oyster tasting platform. The structure is built entirely by Angsila Fishermen, utilizing local shallow-ocean bamboo construction techniques. Fishermen drive each bamboo column into the ocean bottom with their own weight, "pogo-stick" style. The cross beams are attached to the columns with water-proof car seatbelts acquired at discount from nearby auto plants.

The Pavilion aims to heighten the harmony and beauty that exists between the traditional oyster farm seascape and the Angsila's coastal ecology... a unique example of how sensitive, measured human extraction from the natural seascape can result in an "uplifting" experience. The scaffolding experience also allows the fishermen to "rebrand" and rediscover Angsila seafood. At the same time, it creates new job opportunities for the rest of the communities in the eco-tourism sector. Fishermen can create boat tours to the scaffolding between fishing hauls. Local food vendors introduce authentic seafood dishes on the scaffolding in special "ocean-to-table" meals.

In use, local fishermen bring small groups of visitors from Angsila to the pavilion where they can handpick oysters pulled up from the ocean below, which are then prepared fresh to eat …a sea-to-table dining experience in a remarkable coastal setting. This new oyster-tasting experience allows the Angsila fisherman to relay their fishing history and oyster cultivation heritage directly to the visitors in a new and interactive way. Serving shellfish cultivated right on the scaffolding also ensures seafood freshness for the tourists, while also giving the Angsila Fishermen an opportunity to campaign for the protection of Angsila Bay’s sensitive coastal ecology, now under threat from unchecked coastal development and river-runoff pollution. When not utilized as a tasting pavilion for eco/tourists, the covered platforms become recreational fishing piers for local fishermen, who bring their families to the platform with fishing poles, bait, and hook - to catch a variety of local fish, which are naturally drawn to the clean, shellfish-filtered waters surrounding the oyster and mussel bundles in the waters below.