In our ongoing series Design Dialogues, we engage with forward-thinking architects and designers who are shaping the built environment through innovative approaches and culturally grounded design philosophies. By delving into their creative processes and notable projects, we aim to uncover valuable insights that inspire both established professionals and emerging talent.

In this edition, we are pleased to feature Dersyn Studio, a design practice recognized for its ability to create fluid, context-driven architecture that harmonizes with its natural surroundings. With a strong emphasis on cultural sensitivity and environmental consciousness, Dersyn Studio’s work transcends conventional design boundaries, offering immersive spatial experiences that respond to both human and environmental needs.

In this conversation, Dersyn Studio shares their perspective on integrating traditional Thai culture with modern architectural language, designing adaptable spaces, and navigating the balance between creativity, functionality, and client expectations. Their approach to design—rooted in the understanding of local context, environmental influence, and human interaction—underscores their commitment to creating architecture that is meaningful, sustainable, and timeless.

Join us as we explore Dersyn Studio’s design philosophy, where each project is a thoughtful response to its surroundings, resulting in spaces that connect people with nature, culture, and one another.

Dersyn Studio emphasizes innovative thinking. How do you cultivate a culture of creativity within your team while maintaining project timelines and client expectations?

Sarawoot Jansaeng-Aram: Dersyn Studio are always emphasize innovative thinking in every work which we had conducted for both in the past and from now on to the future, we consider the value in culture and believe that it can last long integrated with the architecture. These ideas and creativities are gathering from various kind of sources depend on each of the project, many ideas need time to cultivate itself before it can use to represent something, some of them can imply in our work even it doesn’t exhibit major concept.

To us, the idea design has its own development further through the period of time until nowadays, which means the path of sharing idea among our teams are set towards the goal and conditions in each of our project. The research need to be analyze via design process, the consultation with expert in each field area for both local and international level also take influence and always develop our design. All relevant conditions are carefully consider to meet the client expectation and the goal concept of our work.

Miti Tikaan is designed to adapt its spaces based on the guest’s perception. Could you elaborate on the design strategies you used to achieve this flexible and transformative spatial experience?

Sarawoot Jansaeng-Aram: Miti Tikaan is designed by the coalescence of the axis direction of X, Y and Z which is reference from the environment at the site area. The shape and form of the architecture including the direction and orientation of the building get reflected by the nature of the site, the direction of sun path or wind flow, the spectacular scene of the Tiger cave Temple behind architecture. These condition has shaped the architecture in the ways that can create empty space or opening void in each of the area which also shaped the guest’s perception in some unique space refer to the story sequence that cannot predicted until they actually experience the space by stepping inside directly .

The story sequence which we design for the guest’s spatial experience for each of the space are considered as the volume of architecture design, these flexible and transformative experience are not represent it directly with the building. It doesn’t mean the building can move or shift by physical itself but it can indicate that these designed space has its own significant features and specify flexible experience to the guest.

The concept of ‘MITI’ revolves around viewpoint and dimensions. How did you integrate this idea into the architectural and interior design elements to create varied experiences for different visitors?

Sarawoot Jansaeng-Aram: As of our idea ‘MITI’ are main part in the concept and the project name, viewpoint and dimensions is the meaning of MITI in Thai language. So the integration of this idea to our design can also refer to the previous question which show that the environment context around the site area all are reflected and influence in varied design elements.

Miti Tikaan dream to be unique resort which have the space that flexible and can adapt the function itself to another which mean it’s not need to have 1 function per 1 area according to resort’s guest. This resort can be emphasize in privacy and the space of activities inside can be adapt to each individual and specific private groups of guest.

The quality for each space will be the same but the experience of the guest will be different every time when they visit.

Dersyn Studio works on diverse project types. How do you approach designing for different cultural and functional contexts while preserving a consistent design philosophy?

Sarawoot Jansaeng-Aram: Our Architecture in our eyes refer to the liquid which can flow to each of place according to their space and environment, the shape and form will go along with the condition that scope but not limited to our ideas.

Information, Budget, Our Designer’s Expertise, and Belief, all these limitation specify the frame of design format. However, our philosophy align to keep open-mined and find the best solution that impact our design, these condition may limit and conflict of our ideas but how to find the common area between this are the duty for us to solve.

We try to maintain our focus on our concept ideas for each of our projects while responding to the cultural and functional contexts, it is true that we cannot ignore some relevant limitation and just go along with fancy design thinking, we have to respect its individual culture and condition and blend it with the thoughtful design to bring the best outcome to the society.

Solvaree Amphawa emphasizes a seamless blend of comfort and nature. How did you approach this integration in the design to ensure a genuine connection between guests and the natural environment?

Sarawoot Jansaeng-Aram: Many design elements in Solvaree Amphawa project play significant role in each of their part. Firstly, the relationship between the scale or elevation level of the architecture and the natural contexts play as important key in our design, the blending combination of this criteria can result in the feeling of the people who touch this experience to not become estranged with the natural architecture.

Next, the Materials that we choose are non-chemical usage for both during production since factory or in the operation after construction finished, we care not only for the aesthetic to show the harmony in nature but the actual quality and properties of it in term of functional also. This also link to next criteria in our design strategies which is Universal design and Space functional that can act as another main idea when we designed.

For examples, the transition space before the guest enter the resort villa. The idea come from the Traditional Thai house which has this space act as transition and common space within the Thai family. We apply this though into our design to ensure the experience for the guest will be feel fascinated with the conform of architecture and natural environment.

In achieving energy efficiency, you utilized vernacular space design for natural ventilation and thermal mass cooling. What were the key considerations when implementing these strategies in Amphawa’s hot and humid climate?

Sarawoot Jansaeng-Aram: This is response to the specific local context like Amphawa, the key considerations are the environment criteria which will affect the design. For instance, humidity, temperature, heat, wind direction, the position and size of pond or water elements.

To achieving the suitable solution for energy efficiency, the following criteria on above will reflect to how we implement it in the Solvaree design.

One of the solution call chamber zone which is integrated with stack effects, the structure of the roof create Stack Effect which help to bring wind ventilation flow through the building and go up to the ceiling void. The top have wing to block the heat that come inside the building. Another strategies is the orientation of the building which orient to response the direction of pond and wind to get the best suitable position of the building in planning design.

With a global portfolio, how does your team adapt architectural solutions to local regulations and cultural sensibilities without compromising design integrity?

Sarawoot Jansaeng-Aram: We respect the value of people as human being, the architecture was built to response the demand of user which means the design can combine and join the difference of people, culture, belief and their unique activities together.

We conduct research seriously during our design process, we always discussed among our team to bring the best solution outcome to each of the work. It is certainly that some cultural sensibilities or local regulation can affect our design, then the study of their culture is very important to find the solution that can solve by architectural elements as we are architect not the scientist or activist, if we know how they lived, what they want, how they spend their time in daily life routine or even their unique cultural activities, if we understand them then we can design the adapt the suitable thing for them.

The design concept of The Manour draws inspiration from the traditional Thai Manora dance, reflecting gestures of modesty and gentleness. How did you translate these cultural elements into architectural forms while maintaining modern luxury and spaciousness?

Sarawoot Jansaeng-Aram: The key ideas concept for this project is not only just form the reflecting gestures of modesty and gentleness of Thai traditional dance called ‘Manora’ but also including the space that been created by their dance style. Another characteristic of Manora is doing a pyramid of acrobat, many members in dance group will create this posture during performance.

We adapt the space that found when some posture was created to the physical concept of architecture and build the character to the building. As we also reflect the southern Thai traditional culture to the traditional vernacular element design, it reminds that some old thing can still be acknowledge in the form of modern presentation while maintaining the key culture inside the design.

The Manour emphasizes the idea of ‘Connected’ spaces, both physically and visually. Could you elaborate on the design strategies you implemented to achieve this seamless integration within the indoor and outdoor areas?

Sarawoot Jansaeng-Aram: Integrating with the Thai traditional house design which has the common space at the center of the area, the courtyard play the same role as semipublic and semiprivate area and connect the others function in the house together.

We design the courtyard with swimming pool that can access as much as 3 ways to living room, dining area and bedrooms and it’s still can connected with not just physically but visually also through opening void element along the wall and façade area. This courtyard are also considered as the first transition space of the wind flow which received the flow and then spread it to others area in the residence.

In a constantly evolving architectural landscape, what is one question you believe architects should be asking themselves today to remain relevant and impactful, and how does Dersyn Studio integrate this reflection into its creative process?

Sarawoot Jansaeng-Aram: “When we create a new architecture, the old one will be destroyed, how do you confident enough to say that the new architecture will be better than the replaced one”

We believe that this question can remind all the architects and designers to consider about the thing we create all the time that this can effect a lot of things around it. The people, environments or society even in some large scale effect or in very tiny detailed. The impact can cause the change to the surrounding.

Our Dersyn team always question this when we design something, we don’t care if it just small project or the huge one, everything have its own uniqueness to consider. When we design, it’s obviously affect the others thing more or less but we can choose that we want to actually make it in better way, which means this architecture can affect more benefits than the drawback especially for the surrounding context area. We cannot guarantee that the work we create will be loved by everyone, but we can assure that at least we can answer this question.