Local Identity Leading to the Creation of Outdoor Sculptures for a Landscape Design in Prachin Buri Province

Abstract

The research on "Local Identity Leading to the Creation of Outdoor Sculptures for a Landscape Design in Prachin Buri Province" aims to 1. study Prachin Buri’s provincial identity in natural, social, and art and cultural contexts, 2. design outdoor sculptures as a component of a landscape design in common areas in Prachin Buri’s government center in accordance to the identity of the province and its usages.

            The informants selected by a purposive sampling method consisted of civil servants working in 16 governmental offices located in the government center. Each informant must be the head or authorized by the head of each office and s/he shall act as a representative of an office. The chosen informants must have been residing in the area for at least five years. The statistical tool used in this research was mean.

            The study revealed that Prachin Buri province’s identity comprises shapes and forms deprived from the floras depicted in the seal, slogan, and auspicious flowers of the province. Those floras include Bodhi leaves, Bodhi stem, Indian cork tree flowers, white Champaka, and Orange Champaka.

Shapes and forms of the buildings and their ornaments found included a bell curve or a hemispherical stupa, Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr Building and its ornaments, the Buddhist chapel at Wat Chaeng, Si Mahosot Ancient City, Dvaravati Buddha images. These reflected Prachin Buri’s identity and they influenced landscape and sculpture designs. The researcher used the shapes and forms of the Bodhi leaf to design the walkway, and used parts of the leaf—its venation and petiole to design Chor Pho Ngern (a bouquet of silver Bodhi), Ta Kraw Pho Tong (a woven stem golden Bodhi), and Salak Karn Pho (a bolt of Bodhi petiole). They were assembled at the top of the sculpture. In addition, there are Hor Song Pet Champi Ngai, and Hor Song Pet Champa Kwam inspired by the Buddhist chapel at Wat Chaeng. The sculpture was designed in a shape of a diamond and was mounted with Prachin Buri provincial emblem. Singha or the lion statues found from walls and Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr Building were used as components of the sculpture. They were mounted at the four corners of the sculpture’s foundation. The quality of the design was assessed by the evaluation of Content Validity Index: CVI on the following topics: the sculpture reflected Prachin Buri’s identity; the sculpture harmonized with the landscape; the sculpture contained aesthetic values; the sculpture contained durability and integrity, the sculpture possessed uniqueness; and the sculpture re-corrected the landscaping problems. In conclusion, all topics bear acceptable quality, while the iCVI was ranged 0.67-1.00, and the averaged iCVI was at 0.945 which conformed the determined criteria.