Palette of Materials Pavilion: A New Design Landmark at Architect’26 A fresh exhibition concept that unites material diversity, collaboration, and creative inspiration.
Every year, Architect Expo stands as the largest architecture and building technology exhibition in ASEAN. Yet among the thousands of booths spread across the vast halls, materials have traditionally been viewed in isolation — wood as wood, stone as stone, surfaces as surfaces. Many visitors often share the same question:
“Where should I even begin?”
This simple question sparked a new idea — one that aims to transform how people perceive materials within the fair. The result is the creation of the Palette of Materials Pavilion, a new exhibition format designed not merely to display products, but to inspire. The pavilion showcases the power of material combinations, allowing visitors to experience the richness of design possibilities and the collaborative spirit of Thailand’s design community.
Turning a Pain Point into a Space of Inspiration
The concept originated from the keen observation of Nuttapol Techopitch, Architect and founder of Looklen Architects and winner of Thematic Pavilion of the Year for the S-ONE pavilion at Architect’25.
After years immersed in large-scale exhibition spaces, he noticed a recurring gap: visitors could not yet connect materials from different categories into a cohesive whole. Each booth had its own strengths, but there was no central platform where people could see the year’s materials side by side, in context, or begin their journey with a holistic overview.
At the same time, many small and local suppliers lacked opportunities to showcase their materials in a way that communicates their full potential.
“There are so many great materials at Architect Expo, but no shared space that shows how they could speak to each other,”
Nattaphon explains.
This became the foundation for a pavilion that is not just a zone — but an inspirational ecosystem.
Thus, the Palette of Materials Pavilion was envisioned as a directory of inspiration. Visitors can begin their exploration here, seeing the full spectrum of materials — textures, colors, trends, interpretations — all curated into 40×40 cm mood boards crafted from more than 800 real material samples, created by over 40 design studios from different disciplines.
This pavilion is not simply an exhibition. It is a creative testing ground, where designers experiment freely, suppliers witness new interpretations of their products, and visitors discover how materials take on new roles as mediums of creative expression.
A Shared Language of Materials
The pavilion aims to bring designers, suppliers, and visitors into the same conversation — through the shared language of materials. It turns a trade exhibition into a living, breathing dialogue between people and materials, and between materials and architecture.
Architecture of the Pavilion: Light, Layered, and Inviting
At Architect’26, the Palette of Materials Pavilion becomes a striking new destination. The structure features vertical aluminum lines arranged rhythmically around the pavilion — functioning not only as decorative elements but also as the primary structural system. These aluminum members are repurposed entirely from the S-ONE Thematic Pavilion of the previous year, reinforcing the pavilion’s commitment to sustainable design.
“We wanted the pavilion to feel transparent, blurred, and inviting,”
Nattaphon describes.
Inspired by Japanese bamboo forests, the layered aluminum lines form gentle boundaries, creating paths that encourage visitors to wander and explore.
At its center lies a flexible activity space designed for product launches, talks, and workshops — a meeting point where designers, exhibitors, and visitors can interact informally yet meaningfully.
Looklen Architects as the Creative Bridge
As the concept evolved, Looklen Architects took on a role far beyond designing a pavilion. They became curators and system designers, responsible for structuring how designers, exhibitors, and visitors connect through materials.
“How can designers, exhibitors, and visitors stand in the same space and see the potential of materials together?”
To achieve this, Looklen created a collaborative framework — selecting designers from diverse fields (architecture, interior, landscape, graphic design, and content creators) and standardizing the mood board format using real materials sourced directly from exhibitors.
For exhibitors, this becomes a chance to see their materials expressed through a designer’s vision, not just a product sample in a booth. For visitors — architects, designers, contractors, homeowners, developers — it provides a curated understanding of the year’s material landscape.
Looklen’s role is clear:
to be the bridge that aligns every voice into a cohesive experience.
From spatial sequencing to board placement and event programming, they ensure the pavilion becomes a space where ideas, materials, and visitor experiences naturally intersect.
The result is a pavilion where:
- Designers express themselves freely
- Exhibitors see their materials gain new life
- Visitors discover meaningful, inspiring ways to begin their journey through the expo
An Invitation to Create and Explore
The Palette of Materials Pavilion welcomes the entire design community to participate — whether you are:
- a designer eager to experiment with real materials,
- a supplier wishing to see your product interpreted in new creative ways, or
- a visitor seeking inspiration and an overview of material trends for the year.
For visitors to Architect’26, this pavilion becomes a valuable starting point — offering a panoramic understanding of materials, combinations, ideas, and design directions that may spark new possibilities for future projects.
Nattaphon hopes that when the pavilion opens, everyone — architects, designers, material makers, students, or design enthusiasts — will leave with new insights and a deeper appreciation for the connections that materials can create.
Experience the Palette of Materials Pavilion at Architect’26
Discover this landmark of inspiration at Architect’26 — The ASEAN’s Largest Building Technology Exposition, held from April 28 – May 3, 2026, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM, at Challenger Hall 1–3, IMPACT Muang Thong Thani.
