High Line Bangkok at Bangkok Design Week

High Line Bangkok at Bangkok Design Week

High Line Bangkok at Bangkok Design Week is a zero-waste pavilion designed by acclaimed architects Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee of HAS Design and Research, reimagining public space through sustainable urban thinking.

Developed in collaboration with Urban Ally, an urban research and planning team, the project elevates urban infrastructure through aesthetic transformation while reflecting Bangkok’s creative potential, with support from the Creative Economy Agency (CEA) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

High Line Bangkok is a thematic pavilion located in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district for Bangkok Design Week and is widely known as the People Square Pavilion. The project invited several renowned architects, including the Dutch architectural firm MVRDV, who designed the Mega Mat in 2025. In 2026, the award-winning Thai architectural firm Jenchieh Hung + Kulthida Songkittipakdee / HAS Design and Research was commissioned by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Creative Economy Agency to design the pavilion for 2026. In collaboration with the urban research firm Urban Ally, the project showcases Bangkok’s design soft power through culture, art, architecture, and urban thinking.

High Line Bangkok is situated on the large public plaza in front of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration City Hall (Bangkok City Hall). This plaza functions not only as an extension of City Hall’s civic space but also as one of Thailand’s most important public gathering grounds. It has hosted numerous large-scale cultural events and has served as a memorial venue in remembrance of Queen Sirikit. As the central governmental authority of Thailand’s capital, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration safeguards domestic security through comprehensive urban infrastructure while striving to create a sustainable future envisioned by its citizens. Consequently, this plaza is frequently used by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration as a platform to articulate Bangkok’s urban values and aspirations.

Through in-depth observation and site research, architects Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee identified a distinct behavioral pattern shaped by Thailand’s tropical climate. During the intense daytime heat, people naturally congregate in shaded areas beneath large trees and streetlights throughout the plaza. At night, as temperatures cool, activities shift toward illuminated zones around streetlights. This contrast highlights the critical role of shade and light in extending daily life and activating public space particularly in tropical environments.

In response to this insight, the design strategically explores the relationship between light and shadow by utilizing existing streetlights along the plaza as the primary structural framework of the pavilion. Rather than introducing new foundations or permanent construction, the project minimizes material waste and aligns with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s vision of a zero-waste, sustainable future. The pavilion thus embodies an alternative architectural approach, one that transforms existing urban infrastructure into spatial and social catalysts for urban life.

High Line Bangkok creates a distinctive spatial atmosphere that transforms throughout the day. In daylight, it appears as a rainbow-like installation that materializes natural phenomena and casts colorful shade across the plaza, forming a comfortable semi-outdoor shaded space for public use. At night, the pavilion becomes beacon-like, solidifying and extending light across the square while reinterpreting ordinary urban lighting as an element of collective life and civic identity.

The project proposes a prototypical design approach that not only enhances urban infrastructure aesthetically but also integrates essential principles of tropical architecture, such as shading, ventilation, and arcade-like spatial conditions. More importantly, it redefines the role of public architecture, allowing citizens to directly experience how thoughtful design can improve everyday urban life. High Line Bangkok reflects the shared philosophy of the Thai firm Jenchieh Hung + Kulthida Songkittipakdee / HAS Design and Research, Urban Ally, and Masco Enterprise Thailand, while also demonstrating the Creative Economy Agency’s and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s deep commitment to the well-being of both the city and its people.