If you've ever strolled through One Bangkok, a large mixed-use project in central Bangkok, beyond the office buildings, shopping centers, and lifestyle spaces that catch the eye, another feature sets this project apart: the integration of nature into urban life through green spaces, activity plazas, and public areas that invite people to engage and enjoy.
But did you know that behind all the landscape architecture of One Bangkok's outdoor public areas (except for the hotel section) is the work of a Thai design firm, P Landscape, founded by a Thai woman?
She is “Pui” Wannaporn Pornprapha, founder and managing director of P Landscape, a landscape architecture firm with projects spanning over 30 countries worldwide, and who recently made history as the first Thai to receive the 2025 Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) Alumni Award.
This award is not just a mark of one designer's success but also reflects that Thai knowledge and expertise can produce work recognized internationally and contribute to shaping future urban development.
Wannaporn's journey began with an interest in nature and environmental changes around her, which she developed into a focus on design studies.
She graduated with a second-class honors bachelor's degree in architecture from the Faculty of Architecture at Chulalongkorn University, then pursued a master's degree in Landscape Architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design in the United States, completing her studies in 1995.
Her education at Harvard provided not only design knowledge but also shaped her thinking to view spaces through the relationship among nature, culture, and people, forming a crucial foundation for her later work.
After returning to Thailand in 1997, Wannaporn founded P Landscape (PLA), starting as a small design studio in Bangkok and gradually growing into an internationally operating landscape architecture firm.
Today, P Landscape has three offices—in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Shanghai, China—with projects in over 30 countries across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Approaching its 30th year in 2027, P Landscape's distinction lies not only in expanding internationally but in a design philosophy Wannaporn has consistently embraced: good spaces should not be created by a one-size-fits-all formula but must begin with understanding the unique identity of each place.
In the past, landscape architecture might have been seen merely as aesthetic additions to buildings or real estate projects, but for Wannaporn, landscapes play a much broader role.
Green spaces can connect people with nature, build relationships between places and communities, and help solve environmental issues facing cities.
Her core design philosophy is to understand each area's differences—whether terrain, climate, culture, lifestyle, or people's behaviors—and interpret these elements into contemporary design work.
For example, designing green spaces in densely populated Bangkok should not focus only on creating beautiful gardens or increasing tree numbers but must consider how each area connects to surrounding ecosystems.
Wannaporn explains this concept through the image of an Urban Green Jigsaw, viewing green spaces of all sizes—from large public parks to small open spaces in developments—as pieces that connect to form the city's green network.
When these spaces are designed coherently, they can help reduce heat, provide shade, bring nature into daily life, and improve the city's ability to cope with environmental challenges.
This is why landscape architecture is not merely about aesthetics but is part of laying the foundation for a quality city.
Looking back, P Landscape's work is not limited to real estate projects in Thailand but spans various types, from luxury hotels and public spaces to ecological restoration and heritage projects abroad.
In Thailand, one well-known project is One Bangkok, where P Landscape designed all the outdoor public landscaping except the hotel, focusing on creating spaces that link urban activities with nature and connect the green network to Lumpini Park.
Another significant work is King Rama IX Park, developed on the former Nang Loeng racecourse's 279-rai site, where Wannaporn was part of the core design team.
The challenge for this site was not only to create a large public park for relaxation but also to serve as part of Bangkok's water management system by designing a number 9-shaped pond as a retention basin while selecting tree species to absorb dust and reduce noise.
Abroad, P Landscape's projects show their ability to work effectively within different contexts.
At Rosewood Phuket, a coastal resort built on an area previously affected by a tsunami, the design focuses on restoring coastal ecosystems by preserving large trees, replanting native species, managing rainwater, and treating wastewater for reuse within the project.
The Integral Eco-Industrial Campus in Guilin, China, is another example where landscape architecture addresses a degraded industrial site by restoring topsoil, using constructed wetlands for water treatment, and creating ecosystems to attract local wildlife back to the area.
This work was also selected for exhibition on landscape and climate change at Harvard University in 2026.
Another culturally insightful project is The Oberoi Rajgarh Palace in India, restoring a 350-year-old royal palace into a luxury hotel by reinterpreting Mughal and Rajasthani palace layouts, including courtyards and ancient pools, to suit modern use.
All these projects reflect the same philosophy: good design must start from understanding nature and the place's identity, not applying a uniform style everywhere.
After nearly three decades of work, Wannaporn reached a major milestone by being selected as one of the 2025 Harvard GSD Alumni Award recipients.
Established by the GSD Alumni Council in 2021, this award honors alumni demonstrating professional excellence, leadership, and societal benefit through design and development of the built environment.
Each year, no more than five recipients are chosen worldwide by design experts. Wannaporn was recognized for inspiring leadership and dedication to creating environments that value both cultural and natural diversity.
She formally received the award at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, on 26 Sep 2026 GMT+7, as one of the 2025 honorees.
This recognition made her the first Thai to receive this honor and stands as evidence that design rooted in local context can reach the global stage when future cities require more than just beautiful green spaces.
However, landscape architecture today faces evolving challenges, especially in Southeast Asian cities confronting floods, droughts, rising temperatures, and urban expansion. Wannaporn believes future urban design must move beyond relying solely on concrete infrastructure towards building blue-green infrastructure that works with natural systems.
A key example is shifting the mindset from fighting water to designing cities that coexist with it through water retention, increasing permeable areas, and leveraging ecosystems to mitigate climate impacts.
Ultimately, a good city should not be measured only by building heights, investment value, or project aesthetics but by quality of life, resilience to change, and balance between economic development and nature.
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