In today’s world, marked by rapid urban development and pressing environmental change, one of the key pillars of sustainable living is the thoughtful management of transforming urban land into green spaces. These areas are invaluable resources for modern society.

When we talk about green spaces in Bangkok or other cities, the meaning extends far beyond large public parks or roadside trees. It encompasses a wide variety of carefully designed spaces that elevate people’s quality of life, conserve the environment, and provide beauty and tranquility. They offer city dwellers a much-needed relief from urban chaos, while reconnecting them with nature.

What is the Meaning of Green Space?

The meaning of Green space refers to areas that are designated for nature, vegetation, and balanced ecosystems. These include public parks, roadside greenery, urban farms, or even patches of forest within city boundaries. Their primary purpose is to improve quality of life, restore ecological balance, and mitigate the effects of climate change.

Since most of today’s population lives in urban areas, green spaces in Bangkok and other cities have become central to sustainable development. They are not only places for leisure and visual appeal but also play vital roles in mental health, ecological restoration, and temperature regulation within cities.

Discover the 6 Types of Green Spaces and Their Role in Sustainable Urban Development

According to the Phase 2 Green Space Management Guidelines (2023–2027) from Thailand’s Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP), green spaces can be divided into 6 types of green spaces based on the characteristics and usage. These categories ensure systematic urban planning and long-term sustainability.

1. Public Green Spaces for Recreation and Landscape

These spaces are designed for leisure and wellbeing. They include parks, lawns, and landscaped gardens where people can relax, exercise, and connect with nature. They also enrich the aesthetic appeal of the city. 

2. Utilitarian Green Spaces

Beyond beauty, these spaces have economic functions. Examples include urban farms, community agriculture plots, and rooftop vegetable gardens. They generate income while enhancing urban food security. 

3. Linear Green Spaces along Infrastructure

This includes green walkways, cycling paths, riversides, canals, and areas alongside rail lines. Such continuous corridors connect the city’s natural networks, making green spaces in Bangkok more accessible to the public. 

4. Community Economic Green Spaces

These areas generate economic benefits for local communities, such as urban farms, community allotments, or rooftop gardens. They lower food costs and provide a hub for shared activities, strengthening social sustainability. 

5. Natural Green Spaces

Comprising mangroves, wetlands, and urban forests, these areas safeguard biodiversity, rehabilitate ecosystems, and allow city dwellers to experience nature more closely. 

6. Green Spaces Awaiting Development

Vacant or underused land such as roadside plots, spaces beneath expressways, or abandoned lots have strong potential to be converted into future green spaces. Transforming these spaces injects vitality into cities and enhances residents’ quality of life.

What Can Be Created in Green Spaces?

Although the meaning of green space often refers to trees or open areas, these spaces can also be developed into a variety of sustainable forms that transform city living:

Public Parks and Recreational Areas

Spaces where residents of all ages can relax, improve mental wellbeing, and socialise after work or on the weekends. They act as the “lungs of the city”, lowering stress and raising the overall quality of life. 

Green Buildings

Green space is integral to sustainable building design. Green buildings incorporate eco-friendly architecture, energy efficiency, and water management systems. Standards typically require a minimum tree-to-open-space ratio (e.g. one tree per 100 square metres of open land) to balance usage with environmental impact and enhance occupants’ health and wellbeing. 

Urban Farming Projects

Vacant lots can be transformed into vertical farms or condominium kitchen gardens. These projects promote safe food consumption and strengthen bonds withing the community.  

Urban Nature Conservation Areas

Urban forests or botanical gardens preserve biodiversity, provide habitats for native species, and serve as educational resources for youth and conservation enthusiasts.

Green Spaces in One Bangkok

As Thailand’s first fully integrated smart city and sustainable district, One Bangkok views green space not only as decoration but as a cornerstone of modern city design, linking people’s lives back to nature. This vision positions the development as a model for a smart green city in Bangkok, where innovation and sustainability come together to enhance quality of life.

The development has allocated more than 50% of its total land to open and green areas, effectively creating a vast central park in Bangkok. This commitment balances environmental, social, and lifestyle needs.

Benefits of green spaces in One Bangkok include:

Supplying Fresh Air to the City

Every tree is carefully selected to suit Bangkok’s tropical climate, absorb carbon dioxide, purify the air, and lower surrounding temperatures, thereby creating a cooler and more comfortable environment. 

Designed for Accessibility

Rooted in the concept of “Connectedness”, green spaces in One Bangkok are fully accessible for pedestrians, cyclists, and wheelchair users. Shaded walkways, parks, and rest areas are integrated across the development. 

Blending with Buildings and Lifestyle

Buildings in One Bangkok incorporate green spaces and open landscapes in line with green building standards, allowing residents and visitors to interact with nature throughout their daily lives. 

Supporting Biodiversity

One Bangkok applies a “Biodiversity Corridor” approach, linking green areas into compact ecosystems that restore urban biodiversity.

It is clear that green spaces are resources that not only help maintain balance between nature and urban development but also play a vital role in enhancing people’s overall quality of life. Creating green spaces in cities helps reduce air pollution, increase recreational areas, and provide healthier environments for all. Moreover, they support sustainability across different aspects of urban development, particularly in densely populated areas such as Bangkok.

One Bangkok stands out as one of the leading green space developments in Bangkok, designed to balance the environment with urban convenience. As part of its vision to become a smart and sustainable city, the project focuses on landscape design that increases accessible green spaces in Bangkok, enabling people to reconnect with nature in every aspect of daily life.

References

1. Urban green spaces and sustainability: Exploring the ecosystem services and disservices of grassy lawns versus floral meadows. สืบค้นเมื่อวันที่ 3 กรกฎาคม 2568 จาก https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1618866723001036.
2. แนวทางปฏิบัติงานเพื่อขับเคลื่อนการจัดการพื้นที่สีเขียวอย่างยั่งยืน ระยะที่ 2 (พ.ศ. 2566 – 2570). สืบค้นเมื่อวันที่ 4 กรกฎาคม 2568 จาก https://www.onep.go.th/ebook/eurban/eurban-publication-20230322-1.pdf. 
3. คู่มือเกณฑ์การประเมินอาคารเขียวภาครัฐ (กรณีอาคารเดิม). สืบค้นเมื่อวันที่ 4 กรกฎาคม 2568 จาก https://www.pcd.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/pcdnew-2020-05-27_02-56-49_371654.pdf.