Prof. Kulthida Songkittipakdee shares “Chameleon Architecture” at Expo Design in Canada

Internationally acclaimed architect Professor Kulthida Songkittipakdee, Co-Founder and Principal Architect of the Thailand-based firm Jenchieh Hung + Kulthida Songkittipakdee / HAS design and research, alongside Professor Jenchieh Hung, was invited to serve as an international keynote speaker at Expo Design’s International Architecture and Interior Conference at the Montréal Convention Centre in Canada.

Co-organized with INT. Design and its visionary Co-President, Brigitte Gadoury, the conference brought together leading architects and designers from Canada, the United States, and around the world, providing an international platform for exchanging ideas and perspectives on contemporary architecture, interior design, and furniture.

Designing for a world in transition

Under the theme “Chameleon Architecture: Designing for a World in Transition,” Professor Kulthida Songkittipakdee shared her architectural philosophy, research, and professional experience, examining how architecture can respond to a world shaped by environmental change, cultural diversity, technological advancement, and evolving human needs.

Drawing on her collaborative practice with world-renowned architect Professor Jenchieh Hung, she explored new relationships between nature, culture, technology, and the built environment. Her presentation emphasized the importance of reconnecting architecture with its local context, natural systems, materiality, and everyday life, while proposing adaptive and research-driven approaches to contemporary architectural challenges.

Reconnecting architecture with its local context, natural systems, materiality, and everyday life.

Chameleon Architecture — Expo Design 2026

A practice where design and research run in parallel

Through the award-winning Thai firm Jenchieh Hung + Kulthida Songkittipakdee / HAS design and research, the two professors have developed an interdisciplinary practice that places design and research in parallel, investigating the relationships between nature, culture, people, and the built environment. Working across architecture, interior design, installations, and research, the studio explores how thoughtful design can transform the way people experience and interact with their surroundings.

Its diverse portfolio includes:

• Museum of Modern Aluminum Thailand
• Simple Art Museum
• High Line Bangkok
• Mega Hill and Common Earth
• Pattani Fishermen Community Hub
• Aluminum Grotto and Public Ground
• The Glade Bookstore
• Forest Villa
• Casa de Zanotta

Across these projects, the practice continues to investigate how architectural form, materials, environmental conditions, and cultural context can work together to create meaningful contemporary spaces.

Leadership, education and international discourse

Beyond her professional practice, Professor Kulthida Songkittipakdee plays an active role in architectural leadership, education, and international design discourse. She serves as Vice President of The Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage (ASA) and Guest Editor of the Journal of the Architects Regional Council Asia (ARCASIA Journal), contributing to the advancement of architectural knowledge and professional exchange.

She has also served on international juries for major architecture and design awards, including the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) – RIBA International Awards: Asia Pacific Awards, Grands Prix du Design Award, International Design Awards™ (IDA), and European Product Design Award (EPDA), reflecting her engagement with architectural excellence and design innovation across diverse contexts.

Her academic appointments further demonstrate her commitment to architectural education and international knowledge exchange. She has been appointed Honorary Professor at Kazan State University of Architecture and Engineering and serves as a Visiting Professor at Tongji University and Chulalongkorn University, as well as an Adjunct/Visiting Professor at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi and an Adjunct Professor at World University of Design, alongside Distinguished Professor Jenchieh Hung. Through these roles, she contributes to dialogue between architectural practice, research, and education, encouraging new perspectives on the built environment.

Thai architecture on the international stage

Professor Kulthida Songkittipakdee’s participation at Expo Design in Montréal, Canada, highlights the growing international presence of Thai architectural practice. It also reinforces the commitment of Jenchieh Hung + Kulthida Songkittipakdee / HAS design and research to sharing architectural knowledge, advancing design research, and contributing to global conversations on the future of the built environment.

Through professional leadership, academic engagement, and international collaboration, she continues to support the exchange of ideas that shape contemporary architecture and its evolving relationship with society, culture, and nature.

Photo credit by Olivier Hétu from Reference Design, Jenchieh Hung + Kulthida Songkittipakdee / HAS design and research.