The Thailand Creative and Design Center (TCDC) is an agency under the Creative Economy Agency (CEA) with a mission to inspire creative thinking in society and propel Thailand’s creative economy.
At the beginning of the 21st century, TCDC, with a strong vision, aimed to create more creative spaces not just in Bangkok but also to extend this social impact across the entire country.
Surin, a legendary province of Thailand, is renowned not only as the hometown of Thai elephants but also for the expansive Phanom Sawai Forest Park. Additionally, local silk weaving, inspired by the natural surroundings, is a significant cultural heritage of the region.
These unique elements have established Surin as one of the most impressive cultural destinations, elevating Thailand’s symbolism and addressing social issues from a different perspective.
The new Thailand Creative and Design Center Surin (TCDC Surin) is located in the old stadium, a large arena previously used for local events and activities. The site is also close to the airport and Wat Buraparam temple.
With this unique location and background, HAS Design and Research founders and architects Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee proposed a transformative approach to convert the old stadium into a new cultural symbol for TCDC Surin. During the weekdays, Hung And Songkittipakdee (HAS) designed the new TCDC Surin to be covered by hundreds of local pine wood panels.
These panels provide two distinct surface textures: one side features a white-gray texture painting that symbolizes Thai elephants playing in the soil mud, while the other side showcases a silk-fabric texture painting, giving the appearance of textiles draped over the stadium, thus creating a new image for TCDC Surin.
On the weekends, these local pine wood panels can display exhibition posters and movie advertisements, connecting outdoor and indoor events. Before entering the interior space, residents and visitors can also enjoy the Silk Event Plaza, watching movies in an open-air theater setting in front of TCDC Surin.
The interior space is defined by two main functions. One is the Silk Lab, composed of thousands of local pine wood strips that form an impressive slanted wall. This wall provides a laboratory space for research, exhibition, storage, and innovation related to local silk and traditional fabric.
The other function is the Co-Creation area, made from hundreds of local pine wood panels that can serve as bookshelves, silk displays, workshop areas, and exhibition spaces. The exposed ceiling reveals the existing stadium structure, featuring rough concrete and stepped ceiling elements, which evoke a sense of nostalgia for visitors.
The design of TCDC Surin is not just a renovation project for the old Surin stadium. In this project, architects Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee utilized local pine wood panels that metaphorically represent the unique natural resources that nourish both Thai elephants and silk-fabric craftsmanship.
The two sides of the panels on the façade of TCDC Surin also simulate local elephants lying on the ground, creating a relaxing and creative space for visitors, students, and inhabitants to imagine a new future by bringing a gathering space. Source by HAS design and research.
- Location: Surin, Thailand
- Architect: HAS design and research
- Lead architects: Jenchieh Hung, Kulthida Songkittipakdee
- Design Team: Jenchieh Hung, Kulthida Songkittipakdee, Saralchana Pueakhachen, Rossrut Bannangkool, Thanyatorn Saelao, Pech Panha Pen
- Structural Engineer: Buncha Layangkoon
- Electrical Engineer: Sutee Preechachiaw
- Site area: 2,650 sq.m.
- Gross built area: 320 sq.m.
- Design year: 2024
- Images: Courtesy of HAS design and research
