FUTURARC INTERVIEW
Who I am and my work should not be defined by my gender.
CK: What made you focus on the landscape as your profession? KV: I think there is much to be done about urban planning—many issues like flood and drought risks demand our urgent attention. Landscape architecture, particularly in the public realm, allows me to realise the potential there is in positive social and environmental change, especially in Southeast Asia where awareness about sustainable development, climate impacts and other future uncertainties is still low.
But to solve such global issues, we need to move beyond site-specific to urban and regional scales—we need to tackle it systematically, connecting the micro and macro to address other root causes of the challenge.
CK: You founded Landprocess, a landscape architecture design firm, and Porous City Network, a social enterprise. What are the goals for these organisations; what do you hope to achieve through them? KV: Landprocess is a landscape architecture and design firm that provides the services of innovation, design and documentation for construction—this is a fairly straightforward business model and entity. On the other hand, while we are trying to solve problems of the public realm, we need an organisation that deals with aspects like collaborating with local communities, educating youth or being a design facilitator, where your client might not be able to afford to pay you for your services. Porous City Network serves as the platform to do this kind of work.
As Landprocess manifests landscape designs by our clients, Porous City Network takes these innovations and the lessons learnt to offer education, climate advocacy and permeable interventions to communities and NGOs. These two organisations have different roles, but work towards the same goal in building urban resilience and adaptability for a more sustainable future.
CK: You received your Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Harvard University’s Harvard Graduate School of Design. What are some key takeaways in terms of practices or mindsets that have impacted you or your work the most? KV: The mindset of leadership is what I’ve taken away most from Harvard. I’ve come to realise that the ‘leader’ isn’t a position you take, but rather a path of courage—the courage to act, teach and do beyond what one believes to be their limit.
It’s one thing to learn the technical aspects of landscape architecture—you can now read about it anywhere online—but it is another to actually learn what it takes to become a good designer: to compete constructively against yourself, share the lessons you’ve learned with others, and take initiative in creating that change you’ve always wanted to see. I’m grateful to have learned that at Harvard and hope every design school will instil that in their students.
CK: Speaking of courage and empowerment, what are some of the challenges that you face in the workplace as a female architect, and how did you overcome them? Any advice that you would like to share with your female colleagues in the industry? VK: Working in a male-dominant profession, I inevitably sometimes feel like (and sometimes am) the only female at the table. It makes me question whether my colleagues see me Kotchakorn or ‘the woman’, but I don’t think gender should be an obstacle to anyone. We need to shift the narrative away from this and focus instead on individuality and what each person can bring to the table.
As a female designer, I’ve never felt inferior—I am not and shouldn’t be. But I do wish there could be more of us at the table to stand up for each other. As an Asian female, there are certain stereotypes we are pressured to fulfil. We are told be quiet and kind, but I think we need to speak up clearer and louder, not aggressively or disrespectfully, but truthfully sharing our perspectives and insights. And if you’re not allowed to do that, do not allow it to happen merely for the sake of avoiding conflict or finishing the project—speak up and fight for what you believe in and what the city we love should be.
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