Redefining design

Assoc Prof Supreedee Rittironk has had a special interest in bamboo, so he decided to research the plant during his PhD in architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology in the US. After returning to Thailand, he became a lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Thammasat University, Rangsit Center. In 2010, he launched an elective class called Bamboo Studio for fourth-year students.

“Bamboo is a wonderful material, but many Thais do not recognise its value. It is often associated with poverty due to its use in local huts, temporary shelters and bamboo litter. Bamboo Studio aims to cultivate more bamboo architecture in Thailand to promote this versatile material. In the past 14 years, we have organised 14 classes of bamboo designers/architects with each batch consisting of 10 to 12 students. The teaching approach of Bamboo Studio is research-based…