Four Industry leader's discuss their projects and plans for the future.

Vasu Virajsilp,

owner of VaSLab Architecture

What projects do you have lined up?
I just finished RWB Thailand, a Porsche body-tuning studio. Now I’m working on the flagship store for Lenso (a car wheel manufacturer), a vacation house in Khao Yai, and a Christian cemetery in Chumphon.
What’s the latest architectural trend in Bangkok?
To be honest, I don’t follow the trends much. Trends come and go, but I believe really good architecture is timeless.
If you could design anything, what would it be?
I have always had the desire to design a museum. I once had the chance to design Noah’s Ark, a Christian museum in a park. But it didn’t get built. Hopefully, I’ll get another chance to complete the design and see it constructed.
What’s the most difficult thing about designing buildings?
To make decent architecture on a low budget. Actually, designing is not that difficult compared to dealing with people who don’t understand or respect an architect’s profession.
What do you think will be the next big thing in architectural design?
Architecture that can withstand and survive natural disasters.
What public spaces do you want to see more of in Bangkok?
More museums and parks would be nice. Bangkokians need more spirituality and less materialistic sustenance.

Boonlert Hemvijitraphan,

owner of Boon Design

What projects do you have lined up?
I’m working on an urban park restaurant in Bangkok and doing interior design for shops as part of the Venezia project in Hua Hin, and, of course, some private residential projects.
What’s the latest architectural trend in Bangkok?
We’re moving away from plain buildings with just the one surface or texture, to multi-layered buildings which play around with different shapes and dimensions.
If you could design anything, what would it be?
It would be a sacred place where people can put into practice the Buddhist teachings; these places are disappearing and being replaced by malls.
What do you think will be the next big thing in the architecture world?
That would be going green and getting back to nature. By going back to the basics, we will get rid of all the complicated designs and just try to make buildings that seem as natural as possible.
What’s the most difficult thing about architectural design?
It’s all about your mindset: if you believe that anything is possible, you’ll have no difficulty designing anything.
What changes can we expect in architectural design in the future?
The growing threat of natural disasters, like flooding, will prompt dramatic changes in architecture, both in terms of design and materials, in order to create stronger and more versatile structures.
What public spaces do you want to see more of in Bangkok?
It would be fantastic to have a community mall that’s somehow integrated with a park, to make you feel as if you’re surrounded by nature, even if you’re in a concrete urban environment.

Pitupong Chaowakul,

owner of Super Machine Studio

What projects do you have lined up?
Classrooms, a small hostel with student facilities. In addition, my office has been very lucky to work on a growing number of culture-related projects. These are very diverse but mostly fun. We are also designing the Big Mountain Music Festival, as we do every year.
What’s the latest architectural trend in Bangkok?
Perhaps buildings with expensive vertical gardens—that’s what I’m noticing many people are incorporating into their projects.
If you could design anything, what would it be?
Police stations. I think they are very interesting in terms of the complexity of the social issues they have to deal with. From what we see in the news, it’s a soap opera in a building: husbands and wives quarrelling, drug dealers and delinquent kids misbehaving. But at the moment, they look very boring. I would like to make them more transparent, friendlier, more fun, more like social facilities that people aren’t intimidated to go into and spend time in. 
What’s the most difficult thing to design?
Definitely a house! Most people who come to an architect office looking for someone to design their house are doing it for the first time. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it just adds to the process. Sometimes architects are like psychologists standing between a couple fighting over different requirements. It’s not always like that, but designing a good house is a very delicate process. It requires time, effort and understanding. I don’t purposely avoid such projects, but over the last ten years, I have only designed one villa in my hometown.
What’s the next big thing in architectural design?
Buildings made with 3D printing technology. It’s not new but it’s started to become more widely available, if only at a prototype level. The technology is already used for objects like furniture. And when it’s cheap enough to be more readily available, it will change everything. Buildings will be built directly from a computer into their physical form. 
What public spaces do you want to see more of in Bangkok?
Museums and libraries. Bangkok needs ten times more of these. It would be nice to have just as many libraries as 7-11s. Wouldn’t it be fantastic to go around the city and see people reading, chatting and learning, instead of shopping or watching soap operas?

Pok Kobkongsanti,

owner of Trop Design

What projects do you have lined up?  
We just completed several projects, including the Hilton Pattaya, Casa de La Flora, Prive' by Sansiri, Zense Gourmet Deck and Quattro by Sansiri. At the moment, we are working on projects in Thailand, China, Singapore and India. In Thailand, we’re mostly working on high-end residential projects and some design for hotels like Hotel Indigo in Phuket.
How has landscape design changed over the past few years?
Over the last 5 years, developers have started paying a lot more attention to landscape design. Now it has become one of the best marketing tools to sell to their customers, for both hotels and condominiums. 
If you could design anything, what would it be?
We would love to design a public park or a plaza.
What architectural/landscape design trend has to go?
All trends will eventually go out of date, but personally I would say those that waste natural resources for no
reason at all.
What’s the most difficult thing about landscape design?
Even the simplest task can be the most difficult if you want to create something new. At my studio, we are trying hard not to copy other designers, or even our own projects.
What’s the next big thing in landscape design?
Going green and environmentally friendly. With global warming, I think this is a matter of urgency. Over the past 20 years, we have continually destroyed the environment, without a second thought. Unfortunately, we no longer have that luxury.
What public spaces do you want to see more of in Bangkok?
Footpaths that pedestrians can actually walk on without having to worry about cars or motorcycles.

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