How did you become interested in lighting?

“I came into this field by chance. I wasn’t really looking at the field of lighting design. I studied industrial design and went on to New York for my further studies. I received my master’s degree in interior architecture there. Then my sister came to New York to study and my parents wanted me to stay there to look after her. So
I decided to apply for a second master’s degree and entered a lighting design course at the Parson School of Design. During the first semester, one of my professors, a well-known lighting designer in New York asked me to work with him. I would work with him every day from 9 to 5.30 and then I would attend classes from 6 to 9. Our professors were all lighting professionals, so they could only lecture in the evenings. When I returned to Thailand, I joined my present company. I have been here for 12 years. So you see, everything happened by chance.”

Have things changed in the course of your career?

“Certainly. Fourteen years ago, when I told my father that I was going to study lighting design, he asked: ‘And what are you going to do with that?’ Back then, people didn’t understand this field of study and its significance. It has changed a lot since then. Back then, we had to tell people why they needed a lighting designer for their building. We no longer have to explain why they need to hire us now.”

Is there a Thai lighting style?

“I think people like very high levels of lighting. In offices, people are used to a lot of daylight, so when you make lights in offices dim, people tend to work less or are not as efficient. I believe Thais are used to bright lights and therefore prefer them. For my projects, I like to make a mock-up to show the client. To help them understand. We show them what the effect will be, rather than use words. We show them colours and light effects on those mock ups. So they can see for themselves before they give approval. The use of colour also depends on culture. Some meanings are lost on some cultures if they relate to colours differently.”

Where do you get the inspiration for your design?

“When you talk to the architects and the rest of the project team, you get a rough idea about what can be done. I sometimes go to sleep and see the design in my head. The first thing I do then, is to write it down as soon as I wake up! I then discuss it with the design team for their opinion and only then do I come to any conclusion. There are a lot of influences. Every designer is unique. The next person you interview will be different from me.”

Can you tell us about some projects you have done?

“There is a famous rooftop restaurant here called Sirocco. It was a job we did about five years ago. The building is old and the interesting thing is that nobody thought it would be a successful restaurant. But the owner had a
long vision and wanted to make the best of its beautiful view. It is now fully booked two weeks in advance. You first arrive on the 60th floor. It is a stage, a dining deck with a view of the Chaopjraya River. The challenging thing about this project is that everything is outdoors. There are no ceilings for lights. We had to use indirect
light to provide the dining area with illumination. There are Spanish stairs and that is where all the lighting is integrated. The building has a dome of gold. We lit the gold and lit up all the columns. The gold dome seems far away from the dining deck, but it still reflects back the light into the dining area and that is wonderful. We wanted
to create something very romantic. The lighting brings out an excellent contrast between the old and the new. I think that is one of the reasons it is very successful.”

What kind of experience do you want people to have through your lighting?

“I think it also has something to do with an integrated design (architecture, interior, landscape and lighting design). For example, I did the lighting for a spa destination resort, called The Barai at Hyatt Hua Hin.”
“You go into the space and you are fully submerged into its environment. Whether you like it or not. You will remember the experience. It becomes a memory.”

How do you see the lighting trends in Thailand in the next five years?

“I see two things. First, there is the awareness of energy conservation due to the green-house effect. This will affect lighting globally. This makes the task of designing very challenging, because while you want to achieve an aesthetic result, you also have to pay a great deal of attention to energy conservation. Second, people’s perspective will change. People will give greater importance to lifestyle. Today, kids like to be by themselves, in their own world. They listen to iPods and mp3 players. They are gradually moving away from football and sports that involve coming into contact with other people. I believe that in 5-10 years, the lifestyle will change and so will lighting design. There will be a greater need for personal space. Everyone might live in a cocoon – in their own little world. Perhaps we may even return to using the candle for lighting…”