BANGKOK, 04.04.2025
REGENERATE MATTERS!
The hospitality industry is at a turning point. Sustainability alone is no longer enough – what is needed are regenerative concepts that go far beyond conserving resources and contribute actively to the restoration of ecosystems, social responsibility, and individual wellbeing. How can architecture create spaces that provide ultimate comfort while also being sustainable and transformative? The JUNG Architecture Talks in Bangkok on 4 April 2025 were dedicated to these questions and offered a platform for interdisciplinary exchange among leading architects, designers, and hospitality experts.
What if hotels, resorts, and hospitality spaces were more than places to stay – what if they became adaptive systems? Living environments that interact with their surroundings, minimise ecological footprints, and actively support the regeneration of nature and society? Can architecture be more than an envelope – a medium for wellbeing, biophilic design, and smart hospitality that offers not just comfort, but recovery on a deeper, regenerative level? What does luxury mean in a world striving for sustainability? Could comfort today be more than consumption – perhaps a consciously designed experience that blends nature and technology? What role do biophilic design, zero-waste strategies, cradle-to-cradle principles, and resource-intelligent building technologies play in creating hospitality architecture that is not just environmentally friendly, but truly regenerative? And how can digitalisation not only increase efficiency, but also foster more personal and sustainable hospitality?
These topics were discussed by renowned experts from the fields of architecture and hospitality:
Dr. Polpat Nil-u-bon – Head of International Affairs, Faculty of Architecture, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT), Thailand
Chana Sampalung – Managing Director of Architect 49 (Phuket), Deputy Managing Director of Architects 49 House Design
Corinna Kretschmar-Joehnk – JOI-Design
Maria Lillo Felis – Melon Breakers
The event was moderated by Dijane Slavic of JUNG.
What if hotels, resorts, and hospitality spaces were more than places to stay – what if they became adaptive systems? Living environments that interact with their surroundings, minimise ecological footprints, and actively support the regeneration of nature and society? Can architecture be more than an envelope – a medium for wellbeing, biophilic design, and smart hospitality that offers not just comfort, but recovery on a deeper, regenerative level? What does luxury mean in a world striving for sustainability? Could comfort today be more than consumption – perhaps a consciously designed experience that blends nature and technology? What role do biophilic design, zero-waste strategies, cradle-to-cradle principles, and resource-intelligent building technologies play in creating hospitality architecture that is not just environmentally friendly, but truly regenerative? And how can digitalisation not only increase efficiency, but also foster more personal and sustainable hospitality?
These topics were discussed by renowned experts from the fields of architecture and hospitality:
Dr. Polpat Nil-u-bon – Head of International Affairs, Faculty of Architecture, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT), Thailand
Chana Sampalung – Managing Director of Architect 49 (Phuket), Deputy Managing Director of Architects 49 House Design
Corinna Kretschmar-Joehnk – JOI-Design
Maria Lillo Felis – Melon Breakers
The event was moderated by Dijane Slavic of JUNG.
DR. POLPAT-NIL-U-BON
Dr Polpat Nil-u-bon was born in 1985 in Bangkok, Thailand. He is a highly qualified and experienced architect with a strong background in design and technology, specialising in flood resilience of urban systems in architecture and urban planning. Dr Polpat Nil-u-bon holds a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT), two Master's degrees in Architecture and Environmental Engineering from Chulalongkorn University (CU) and in Excellence in Architecture and Urban Planning from Berlage Institute and TUDelft, and a PhD in Flood Resilience of Urban Systems from IHE Delft and TUDelft, Netherlands. He is currently Director of the Water Adaptation Innovation Centre (WAIC), lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Architecture, Rajamanagala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT), Pathumthani, Thailand. He is also co-founder of the design and research company NPPN.
www.nppn-company.com
www.nppn-company.com
CHANA SAMPALUNG
Chana started his career at Architects 49 after graduating a Bachelor of Architecture with honors from Chulalongkorn University. Soon after, he continued his studies in the United States at the University of Florida and worked for Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill LLP in San Francisco. He became a Partner at Architects 49 since 2006 and is currently the Managing Director of Architects 49 (Phuket) and the Deputy Managing Director of Architects 49 House Design.
www.a49.com
www.a49.com
CORINNA KRETSCHMAR-JOEHNK
Corinna Kretschmar-Joehnk, university lecturer and co-author of numerous design books, founded the interior design firm JOI-Design with her husband and partner Peter Joehnk, which has developed into one of Europe's leading providers of interior and product design for international hotel destinations and has recently also focussed on floating hotel experiences for the cruise industry. The Hamburg-based team designs luxurious atmospheres for global hotels, but also for independent boutiques and lifestyle brands with a young spirit. As keen observers of the world, JOI Design understand how spaces affect people's physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. This enables them to reflect the modern zeitgeist through unique designs that elevate the human experience. Founded in 1984, the studio now has three talented partners to continue Corinna and Peter's forty-year legacy as founders and co-managing directors. The energetic couple remains active in their redefined role as brand ambassadors and senior advisors to JOI-Design - while becoming more involved in the partner office they co-founded in 2018: JOI-Design India. Based in Mumbai, this studio emphasises the approach and strength to develop more projects in this emerging and fascinating country and works closely with the Hamburg office. Under Corinna's leadership, JOI-Design has worked on more than 1,000 hotel projects around the globe and has been honoured with more than 150 international awards, including the if Design Award 2023, the Iconic Award Innovative Architecture 2024 and the German Design Award 2025.
www.joi-design.com
www.joi-design.com
MARIA LILLO FELIS
María Lillo Felis is the co-founder of Melon Breakers, a creative studio dedicated to shaping narratives, designing user experiences, and building communities around brands and their physical spaces to drive positive impact. She also leads and teaches the Master’s programme Creative Direction for Retail at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Madrid.
In 2017, she joined WANNA, eventually co-directing the award-winning branding and interior design studio until 2025. Before that, she built a strong career in advertising, working with agencies and as an independent creative for major brands like Red Bull, Ford, and Mastercard.
Her journey began with a degree in journalism in Spain and Austria, later specializing in Spanish proofreading, branded content, and transmedia storytelling. With 15 years of experience, María is a dedicated creative, a keen observer of society, and a lifelong storyteller. She’s also a proud mom of two toddlers.
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LinkedIn Melon Breakers | Instagram Melon Breakers
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