“High Line Bangkok,” designed by HAS design and research, strategically explores the relationship between lampposts and trees, creating a play of light and shadow, infrastructure and nature. The result is a dynamic spatial atmosphere that evolves throughout the day. In the morning, the installation functions as a rainbow, casting shadows across the plaza. At night, the pavilion transforms into a beacon, extending and amplifying the light in the plaza.
The intervention proposes a prototype that enhances urban infrastructure both aesthetically and functionally, integrating principles of tropical architecture and sustainable urban strategies such as shading, ventilation, and arcade-like spatial conditions.
High Line Bangkok by HAS design and research. Photograph by DOF Sky|Ground.
Project description by HAS design and research
High Line Bangkok is an innovative zero-waste thematic pavilion that reimagines and elevates Bangkok’s urban infrastructure. By transforming ordinary electric lighting posts into meaningful public space, the project redefines infrastructure as a social and spatial asset for citizens. Although Thailand has millions of streetlights lining its roads, they rarely engage public life in a meaningful way. Architects Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee, founders of HAS Design and Research, propose an aesthetically driven and socially participatory transformation that reinterprets public infrastructure for tropical living. The pavilion integrates shading devices, natural ventilation, and arcade-like spatial qualities, while incorporating locally recyclable Thai fabrics with existing streetlights—highlighting both sustainability and cultural heritage.
Situated in the heart of Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district for Bangkok Design Week, the pavilion stands at Bangkok City Hall Square, a prominent public space in front of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration City Hall. The site has previously hosted installations by internationally renowned architects, including the Dutch architectural firm MVRDV. This year, the Thai architectural firm Jenchieh Hung + Kulthida Songkittipakdee / HAS Design and Research was invited to present High Line Bangkok as a major public engagement project for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Creative Economy Agency. In collaboration with the urban research firm Urban Ally, the project underscores Bangkok’s growing influence as a global design hub, showcasing Thailand’s soft power through culture, art, architecture, and urban innovation.
High Line Bangkok occupies the expansive public plaza in front of Bangkok City Hall. The plaza functions not only as an extension of the civic complex but also as one of Thailand’s most significant public gathering spaces. Through in-depth observation and site research, the architects identified a distinct behavioral pattern shaped by Thailand’s tropical climate. During periods of intense daytime heat, people naturally gather in shaded areas beneath large trees. At night, as temperatures cool, activities shift toward illuminated zones surrounding the lighting posts. This contrast reveals the critical role of shade and light in extending daily life and activating public space—particularly within tropical environments.
In response, the design strategically explores the relationship between electric lighting posts and trees, light and shadow, and infrastructure and nature by utilizing the existing streetlights as the primary structural framework of the pavilion. Rather than introducing new foundations or permanent construction, the project minimizes material consumption and embodies an alternative architectural approach—transforming existing urban infrastructure into spatial and social catalysts for civic life.
High Line Bangkok creates a dynamic spatial atmosphere that evolves throughout the day. In daylight, it appears as a rainbow-like installation that captures natural phenomena, casting vibrant, colorful shade across the plaza and forming a comfortable semi-outdoor environment for public use. At night, the pavilion becomes beacon-like, extending and amplifying light across the square while reinterpreting everyday urban lighting as a symbol of collective life and civic identity.
The project proposes a prototypical design strategy that enhances urban infrastructure both aesthetically and functionally, integrating essential principles of tropical architecture such as shading, ventilation, and arcade-like spatial conditions. More importantly, it redefines the role of public infrastructure by allowing citizens to directly experience how thoughtful design can improve everyday urban life. Through High Line Bangkok, architects Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee explore the evolving relationship between public infrastructure and tropical lifestyles, emphasizing sustainable urban strategies, active public engagement, and the continued enhancement of the city’s vibrancy.
