Design jury: interior architecture at Thammasat University

May 13, 2024.

It was a great pleasure to be invited by my colleague Boonanan Natakun to jury the final design projects of third-year interior architecture students at Thammasat University. The site, Khlong Bang Luang, a canal-side neighborhood in Western Bangkok, is experiencing rapid touristification. I was impressed with the students’ diverse proposals, which ranged from a tourist center to senior facilities, and included retail and restaurant concepts.

It is fascinating to see how different types of designers approach the same site. As someone who teaches urban design and planning, where aspects such as color, material, aesthetics, and furniture do not receive critical attention, I was captivated by the level of specificity and detail that interior architects devote to these elements. Although these can be considered taste-based questions, and taste is subjective, I was humbled by the insights from other panelists who shared their perspectives on design language, on what is considered as beauty in interior architecture. 

(Photo credits: Boonan Natakun)