Domesticating the Chaos

Abstract

        One way to look at the term ‘urban’ is its association with a more chaotic or a less predictable situation, not only in terms of the relationship between inhabitants, but also the relationship between the inhabitants and the other agencies in the urban system. This leads to question whethera more predictable ora more ordered situation mightbe imposed. In the primitive society, an approachin dealing with chaos is to impose a well, hence orderly, symbolic universe onto the domestic sphere. In the contemporary society, although the order within the domestic sphere remains assignificance as in the primitive society, it becomes more secular and gears towards Scientific references, forexample, cleanliness and hygiene. Thus, the order in the contemporary domestic sphere no longer rehearses the same relation with the external chaos, when comparing with that of the primitive domestic practice. Moreover, it becomes increasingly inclusive in the private sphere.

        This paperexplores the way in which the symbolic order is used in a contemporary domestic sphere in responding to the urban chaos with special reference to the Thaidomestic architecture in the urban area of Bangkok. The evidence suggests that the application of the symbolic orderisusedasaremedy against the urbanchaos. Yet, it presents aprofoundly complex situation. Not only the situation induces a complicateway of inhabiting the domestic sphere, but it also portrays itself as a domestic chaos.