“Villagers cultivate rice as it is their invaluable asset.” This sentiment encapsulates the cultural and agricultural foundation upon which the Lanna Rice Research Center at Chiang Mai University is built. In Northern Thailand, rice is more than a staple crop—it is a symbol of identity, a living heritage, and a vessel of intergenerational knowledge. The architecture of the center, designed by Hanabitate Architects under the direction of Prof. Dr. Nawit Ongsavangchai, was developed to express these ambitions through spatial clarity, contextual sensitivity, and long-term sustainability.

Beyond its clear functional achievements that meet both experimental goals in the lab and everyday needs for people of all ages, the project has also earned international recognition, winning the Golden Pin Design Award 2024 in the Spatial Design category and being finalist for the Architizer A+Awards 2025.