Thanapat Boonsanan

Founder/CEO, Thor Kaichon Thai Bamboo Architecture

Industry : Business

Thanapat Boonsanan has found a niche for Thor Kaichon, the company he founded to design and construct innovative bamboo architecture by integrating modern construction techniques with traditional Thai wisdoms. His designs have made a mark at various music festivals around the country and he says his fascination with bamboo stems from its versatility as an environmentally friendly renewable building material. Finding little on bamboo construction on Google, he had to basically write the book himself. His work requires as much craftsmanship as technical know-how—each piece of bamboo is a different size, so working out how to fit them all together, using carpenters who know how to work with different kinds of bamboo is a challenge. He is also keen on sourcing local bamboo and developing a non-toxic treatment for the wood. “My goal is to elevate Thai bamboo architecture to be accepted on an international level and find ways to reduce construction waste,” he says.