I do really appreciate this book. Although I spent time studying in a school on Rattanakosin Island for years, and was quite familiar with the old towns shown in this book, I have just realized that I do not know much about their history, and know nothing at all about their architectural styles.
Saya suka bukunya. Meskipun dalam bahasa Thailand, namun ada bahasa Inggris juga di bawahnya. Isinya adalah sketch pusat perbelanjaan lama yang ada di Bangkok. Beberapa mengingatkan saya dengan Braga dan Kota Lamanya Semarang. Di samping sketchnya, juga dijelaskan perkiraan berdiri dari shophouse termasuk gaya arsitekturnya. Juga ada apa yang khas di sana.
Kalau saya kelak mengunjungi Bangkok, buku ini bisa sebagai guideline kalau suka dengan bangunan tua.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The artist, Louis Sketcher, explains to us that each shophouse has a story to tell - both historically and in contemporary society. I have lived in Bangkok for many years and have admired the shophouses in various parts of the city. But now they have come alive with a background story and architectural details that I never noticed. An extremely helpful section of this book is found on page 120-123. "Shophouse Styles" describes the shophouses in correlation to the Reign of each King of Thailand since 1851. Each era of the reigning king has specific construction technology available at the time and precise defining details and influences for you to understand the origin, textures, and features from each different reign. These is also a shophouse Index to help you locate and visit these structures.
From an artistic view of the book the water colors are captivating and mesmerizing. You want to see more and more detail delicately painted in the difficult medium of water color. I love this art style that embraces the magical and whimsey while capturing the sturdy design and architecture of these historical buildings. Louis Sketcher is a master at illustrating shop house details like, stucco with floral and fruit patterns, wooden fretwork on window frames, stucco cornice decoration combined with exposed brick wall, reinforced concrete awnings and a roof covered with terracotta tiles.
There is so much to learn from this delightful and educational book. I highly recommend this beautiful book to tourists and Thai residents alike because it will enhance your understanding of this great city and expand your cultural knowledge of Thailand.