ASA Platform Selected Materials 2025 is a newly launched initiative aimed at spotlighting innovative materials and products that are shaping the future of architecture and construction. Curated by the ASA Journal in collaboration with the ASA Platform, its mission is to introduce designers, architects, and industry professionals to outstanding materials that stand out for their design, functionality, sustainability, or technological advancement.

This publication serves as the official catalogue for the 2025 edition of the program, offering readers a comprehensive overview of the selected materials. It features in-depth stories and insights behind 14 award-winning brands that have been recognized for their excellence across a variety of categories. Through rich narratives and detailed product information, this book not only celebrates material innovation but also encourages inspiration and informed selection within the design community.

The Outbound issue of the ASA Journal emerges from a context of cross-border architectural practice. It seeks to capture the present moment through the lens of Thai architects working internationally, whose projects showcase design acumen and reveal the evolving role of architecture beyond cultural representation. The featured works encompass a diverse array of building typologies: a private residence in Phnom Penh by EKAR Architects; a solar farm facility in Vietnam by Openbox Group; a commercial building in the heart of Manila by the Department of Architecture; a museum embedded within a shopping complex in Hefei by HAS Design and Research; and the Thai Pavilion for the World Expo Osaka 2025 by Architects 49. 

This issue also includes conversations with firms such as Habita Architects, recognized for their hospitality projects across multiple countries—and CO Temporary Architects, an emerging practice beginning to establish its presence beyond Thailand’s borders.

The definition of vernacular architecture has evolved far beyond its initial characterization, often described as a product of local wisdom passed down through generations without professional architects’ involvement or known as architecture without architects. Nowadays, vernacular architecture has increasingly become a design approach many professional architects embrace, and the relationship between vernacular architecture and its contextual environment continues to be strongly understood. The Lanna architects, in particular, stand out when addressing this subject. The interpretation, use of language, design elements, and architectural creative processes may vary in each architect’s work. Yet, it is interesting and remains to be explored if there are common threads connecting them.

In this issue of the ASA Journal, we look into the origins and evolution of the definition of “Lanna Vernacular Architecture” and present design works by new generation architects from the northern region. Housescape Design Lab, 1922 Architects, Hanabitate Architects, Jaibaan Studio, and Homesook Studio.
These architects interpret the language, elements, and techniques of Lanna vernacular architecture within the contemporary context, reflecting a diverse range of styles across various types of work and each studio’s unique design approach. In addition, this issue interviews Yangnar Studio, one of the design studios that significantly promotes local wood-working traditions in collaboration with a network of architects and designers in the region. The journal also features a conversation with Soft Architect, a group of new-generation architects from Phitsanulok.

The United Nations projects that by 2050, 70% of the global population will live in urban areas. In the coming years, many cities worldwide will grow into mega-cities—urban areas with more than 10 million inhabitants. To meet the needs of these growing populations, cities must prepare for infrastructure improvements, provide essential urban services, and design buildings and spaces that can accommodate higher densities, manage increased consumption and energy use, and create inclusive environments that cater to people of all ages and potentially more diverse ethnicities. Many cities prioritize the well-being of their residents and strive to create harmonious interactions between people, nature, and other organisms.

“Urban Architecture” plays a crucial role in fostering economic growth, elevating the quality of life, and compensating for potential losses in the digital era, such as diminished social interactions or the absence of natural spaces for relaxation. Examples include the design of skyscrapers with rooftop gardens, architecture that preserves the identity of neighborhoods, hotels that not only welcome visitors but also embrace local people and activities, markets that foster casual gatherings, resource exchange across different professional groups, and office buildings that are seamlessly connected to urban transit. These are all examples of urban architecture showcased in this edition of the ASA Journal. Additionally, the issue invites a discussion with Somdoon Architects about the relationship between urban architecture and an interview with Full Scale Studio from Chiang Mai.

As time advances and societal demands change, despite the constraints of physical locations and resources. In light of environmental concerns, demolishing buildings may not always be the optimal solution; constructing new buildings is not inherently the answer. The lifestyles, narratives, and ideologies embodied in architecture from many epochs retain allure and signify memories that transcend not only the individual or familial experiences, but also the collective memories of cities and their inhabitants.

The main focus of this issue of the ASA Journal, “Old and New,” showcases projects by Less Architects, Physicalist, SUBPER, Integrated Fields, and Plan Architect. These works entail converting areas such as offices into museums, residences into showrooms, and galleries or offices, modifying materials, retaining the existing building shells, and augmenting the historical buildings through many complex methods. This method can aid in revitalizing the structures, urban environment, and ambiance they occupy. The issue includes features on ASA Professional and Studio, showcasing dialogues with architects from EKAR Architects and Design In Motion, who have engaged in numerous projects examining the interplay between historical and contemporary architecture.

This special issue of the ASA Journal compiles and summarizes architectural works from various projects published in the journal from May-June 2021 to March-April 2024, which the Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage has had published through the ASA Journal and the ASA Platform. These platforms are crucial for disseminating innovative ideas and advancements in the field of architecture in Thailand. This special edition is delighted to showcase nearly one hundred exceptional recent projects, categorized by building type and organized by completion year from 2017 to 2024. A hyperlink to the complete article in the ASA Journal is also provided to help readers facilitate the acquisition of supplementary information.

This issue includes an introduction written by Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee, which explores the evolution of contemporary architecture in Thailand from the historical crisis period to its response to the rapidly changing landscape today. Following the Asian financial crisis of 1997, the Thai government began to support the creative industry, leading to a revival in architectural design that integrates local resources and cultural heritage. This article discusses the evolution of contemporary architecture in Thailand, categorizing the key characteristics of Thai architects’ approaches to create a unique identity while facing the complexities of the new context.