Excerpt: Thai Architecture Pavilion, an exhibition designed by HAS design and research, aimed to weave the essence of Thailand into the very fabric of Guangzhou. A “sharing” exhibition space was designed, inspired by the local villages and Cantonese culture. The space features tracing paper on the ceiling, a nod to Thai construction drawings, allowing visitors to explore the exhibition freely and blurring the boundaries between individual works, creating a dynamic, hidden display space.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] Commissioned by the Guangzhou Urban Planning Exhibition Center, HAS Design and Research took on the challenge of crafting the Thai Architecture Pavilion. This exhibition, a collaboration with renowned architects Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee—curator and critic of the “Thai Contemporary Architecture Exhibition” in Asia—brought together twelve prominent Thai architectural firms for a large-scale showcase in Guangzhou.
The pivotal question posed by Hung And Songkittipakdee (HAS) was profound: “Why does the current exhibition space resemble a fast food restaurant, devoid of discernment? These spaces merely transport exhibition content from storage to a larger storage, detached from the local context.” In response, HAS design aimed to weave the essence of Thailand into the very fabric of Guangzhou. Thus, the exhibition was aptly named “Thainess ─ Thai Contemporary Architecture Exhibition.”
Guangzhou, with its vibrant manufacturing landscape, particularly in the Baiyun district known for its fabric production, served as an inspiring backdrop. The architects embraced this local richness by incorporating local textiles, inviting ten Thai designers to handwrite Thai alphabets representing the names of the participating architectural firms. This fusion of local materials with Thai content created a space that was not only visually engaging but also transformed the initially stark corridors into a ceremonial hall of warmth and relaxation.
The twelve architectural firms represented a tapestry of talent, including Walllasia, Stu/D/O Architects, Studiomake, Situation based Operation (SO), Research Studio Panin, Duangrit Bunnag Architect Limited (DBALP), Department of ARCHITECTURE, Community Architects for Shelter and Environment (CASE), CHAT architects, Bangkok Project Studio, Architectkidd, and all(zone). Many of these architects, having graduated from Chulalongkorn University before furthering their education at prestigious institutions in the United States and Europe, have returned to Bangkok to develop their ideas. Their philosophies—such as “humble autonomy,” “harmonious design strategy,” and “sustainable construction management”—reflect a shared commitment to innovative architecture.
In contrast to traditional exhibition spaces that often isolate exhibits, the architects’ research into local villages and Cantonese culture inspired the design of a “Sharing” exhibition space. Each architect’s work is gently delineated by tracing paper on the ceiling, a nod to its use in Thai construction drawings. This design not only grants visitors a sense of freedom and flexibility in exploring the exhibition, but also blurs the boundaries between individual works, inviting a more integrated experience. The varied ceiling becomes a dynamic, hidden display space, transforming how audiences engage with the architecture.
“All of our designs stem from research. These studies delve into current social phenomena, reflecting them in our architectural expressions. If architects find themselves without land to build upon in the future, this research will continue to document the unique phenomena of our time, allowing the poetry of architecture to endure.” — HAS Design and Research
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