Oddly shaped football pitches encourage community sport in Bangkok

Once underused spaces in the Thai-capital of Bangkok are being transformed into oddly shaped football fields in a project designed to improve community cohesion and recreational activity.

The collaboration, between Thai real estate developer AP and advertising firm CJ Worx, has had to adapt some irregular spaces altering the traditional concept of a rectangular football pitch.

The project is focusing on empty lots in the densely populated and impoverished neighbourhood of Khlong Toei, which were once unused or just places to dump rubbish, but are now covered with artificial pitches - albeit strangely shaped ones - for local residents to play on.

Nestled among apartment blocks and packed urban housing zones, the four fields created thus far are made up of a variety of shapes, including a trapezoid, a U and an L shape.

Designers said children in Khlong Toei had no spaces to express their creativity, as the right conditions did not exist to create traditional football pitches.

However, as explained in a YouTube video to promote the project, they thought ‘outside the box’ to deliver these innovative solutions.

Aside from the sporting fields, a series of play areas have also been developed to encourage outdoor activities.

Locals spoke of the shared spaces bringing the community together.

One player explained “we never see each other even though we're in the same flat."

Images show the oddly shaped football pitches. Lower images show the transformation of an area filled with rubbish into a space for sport. All images courtesy of CJ Worx.

10th February 2016 - CHINA TO HAVE 20,000 SCHOOLS SPECIALISING IN FOOTBALL BY 2017

11th October 2012 - NIKE ‘FOOTBALL IN THE GAP’ PITCH TO OPEN IN CHRISTCHURCH

28th August 2012 - CREATING A GRASSROOTS FUTSAL LEGACY FOR THAILAND

6th July 2010 - PIONEERING SPORT AND EVENT COMPLEX TO OPEN IN THAILAND