From a recreated Thai footpath on a skywalk and a giant checkers board for all ages to an oversized goby fish you can sit and play on, these are some of the works from the Academic Program under the concept “Something to Stay_____On.” The project is developed through a collaboration between EM DISTRICT, Bangkok Design Week 2026, and The Head and The Heart Studio.

“Looking back at the first year of BKKDW, we joined quite last minute—it was really intense. But this year, after many people started talking about it, we opened an Open Call and received a large number of submissions. That already feels like a success right from the start this year,” said Suthavadee Sirithanachai, Suthavadee Sirithanachai, Managing Director of EM DISTRICT.

The main goal remains the same: to support young creatives and give 17 student teams from 10 institutions a chance to prepare for their future as artists.

“We know BKKDW has an Academic Program every year, but it is often shown in more closed spaces. We believe art should be open for people to see and interpret in their own ways.

“Art should encourage people to think and apply ideas to their own lives. That’s why we wanted to see how the younger generation responds to this brief.”

This year’s brief combines Something to Stay_____On with ideas of Thainess and sustainable materials, aligning with the festival theme DESIGN S/O/S. This led to works such as a giant roly-poly doll inspired by traditional Thai ice cream and an oversized mother hen sculpture that can actually lay eggs.

The projects will be displayed across —from EM Station on the skywalk near Phrom Phong BTS to EM Tower, Level M at Emsphere, where large numbers of visitors pass through every day.

“This reminds us not to overlook children and youth. Art doesn’t come only from adults. If we don’t plant the seed of art early, when these kids grow up and enter work or business life, will they think about integrating art into what they do? In the end, everything is about planning ahead, and nurturing creativity from a young age is extremely important.””

Once selected, the students go through training and development with professional artists and designers from different fields, including Simon Pillard, Creative Director behind all visual art for EM District and The Mall Group; Teeranop Wangsilpakun, concept and graphic design expert and founder of TNOP DESIGN; and Rong–Jitsing Somboon, designer and fashion designer. 

“In this project, we also create a kind of role play for the students. They must work as a team, under time limits and budget constraints, and collaborate with all three mentors. Sometimes they suggest materials, and we discuss whether another option might be cheaper or better. We always tell them this is a simulation of real life after graduation. Life is not perfect—you have resources, limitations, and you must learn to adapt.”

Learn more about Something to Stay_____On here:

https://www.bangkokdesignweek.com/bkkdw2026/program/152876