The 2026 "Design Perspectives x Golden Pin Salon" Bangkok Special Edition is set to take place on Wednesday, May 6, at the iconic The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon. Organized by the Golden Pin Design Award in collaboration with the renowned Thai design media art4d, the event will feature celebrated Taiwanese designer Aaron Nieh and architect Ya-Hsin Tseng of hidden-domain studio. In an innovative "Talks on Tap" format, they will join five leading Thai designers and architects to engage in a discourse on the essence of design awards and international recognition.

 

Since opening to global entries in 2014, Taiwan’s Golden Pin Design Award has evolved into one of the most influential international design accolades in Asia. Through its "Design Perspectives x Golden Pin Salon" series, the award fosters cross-border dialogue by gathering past winners, jurors, and local professionals across various cities. Following successful editions in Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Seoul earlier this year, the Salon returns to Bangkok for the fourth time, continuing its deep-rooted engagement with the Thai design community and expanding the cross-cultural dialogue between Taiwan and Thailand.

 

This year’s Bangkok Special Edition centers on the theme "Designing for Recognition: Whose Standards Matter?" The event rethinks the role of design awards—not merely as mechanisms for recognition, but as platforms that shape discourse, establish value standards, and influence the direction of contemporary design practice. Beyond visibility and prestige, the salon will explore how awards serve as strategic tools for professional growth, expanding global networks, and fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration. In an increasingly globalized landscape, the discussion will also delve into how works are translated and interpreted on the international stage, and how designers navigate between local contexts and global expectations. Following the keynote presentations, the event will transition into a moderator-led "Talks on Tap" session, inviting all participants to engage in open dialogue within a relaxed, networking-friendly atmosphere.

 

This salon features an exceptional lineup of Golden Pin Design Award winners and jurors. In the field of architecture and spatial design, Jiravej Hongsakul, founder of IDIN Architects, is among the speakers. His approach is characterized by a commitment to using architecture as a direct and honest response to a variety of questions—whether social, functional, human-centred, commercial, or contextual—without being confined to any singular design ideology. His portfolio includes numerous widely recognized projects, including the hostel PA PRANK (2022 Golden Pin Design Award) and the NANA Coffee Roasters series, which secured consecutive wins in 2023 and 2024, including the "Best of Golden Pin Design Award." Jiravej was also honored with the prestigious Silpathorn Award in Architecture in 2025, recognizing his outstanding contribution as a contemporary artist.

 

　

IDIN Architects’ work - Harudot Chonburi by Nana Coffee Roasters

　

 

The second speaker is Kittithanet Khajornrattanadech, founder of Taste Space, a design studio specializing in food and beverage environments. His cafe designs are widely regarded as icons of modern coffee culture, with notable works such as PAGA Microroastery (2023 Golden Pin Design Award) earning international accolades, including the DEmark Award and the Prix Versailles. Savinee Buranasilpin, co-founder of thingsmatter, also joins the lineup. Her practice explores the delicate relationship between people, place, and nature through the fusion of architecture and installation art. Her project Field Work, which captures the essence of salt pans in Southern Thailand, earned a 2023 Golden Pin Design Award. Her approach will provide a distinct spatial perspective for the salon.

 

　

Taste Space’s work - PAGA Microroastery

 

thingsmatter’s work - Field Work

　

 

In the fields of product and graphic design, Theerachai Suppameteekulwat, designer and owner of Qualy, will share his insights into circular design. Dedicated to overturning the negative perception of plastic, he has long been committed to material research and waste reduction, successfully transforming his family’s plastic manufacturing business into an internationally acclaimed circular design brand. Qualy’s RE-UP Collection, a furniture series crafted from recycled plastics, secured the 2024 Golden Pin Design Award alongside numerous other global accolades.

 

Rounding out the panel is Siam Attariya, design director of Pink Blue Black & Orange and one of the first Thai designers to be inducted into the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI). With over 25 years of professional experience, Siam possesses profound expertise across graphic, exhibition, and digital design. Most notably, he led the logo design for Thailand’s bid to host Specialized Expo 2028, showcasing Thailand’s vision for the future through his masterful skills in visual translation. Having received countless awards and previously served as a juror for the Golden Pin Design Award, he will draw upon his extensive evaluation experience to deconstruct the criteria for "good design" within the context of international competitions.

 

　　　Qualy’s work - RE-UP Collection

 

Pink Blue Black & Orange’s work - Expo 2028 Phuket Thailand

　

 

Representing Taiwan are two speakers with notable international acclaim. Ya-Hsin Tseng is the co-founder of hidden-domain studio. A Harvard Graduate School of Design (MArch II) graduate and licensed architect in Taiwan, she previously worked as a designer at nendo in Tokyo. Her work spans design-driven urban interventions, architecture, interiors, exhibitions, and installations, exploring spatial expressions that balance functionality and imagination. The studio’s projects have received numerous international recognitions, including the 2024 Best Design of the Year at the Golden Pin Design Award for "Young Designers' Exhibition 2024: Beyond Sustainability - The Borrowing Project." At the salon, she will present “Design Awards: External Validation × Internal Calibration,” sharing how a project is read differently across systems, while through iteration and articulation, a design position gradually takes shape.

 

　

hidden-domain studio’s work - Young Designers' Exhibition 2024：Beyond Sustainability - The Borrowing Project

 

 

Another highlight of the lineup is Aaron Nieh, the first Taiwanese designer to be inducted into AGI. His studio, Aaron Nieh Workshop, works across a wide range of fields, including music, culture, and branding. Known for the masterful command of imagery and symbols, he and his studio continually explore new perspectives on graphic communication. Last year, his studio once again received the Best of Golden Pin Design Award for the visual identity of the Taichung Green Museumbrary. At the salon, he will present “Why We Bother,” providing a glimpse into awarded works, a juror’s takes, and why true recognition is worth the hustle.

 

　

Aaron Nieh Workshop’s work - Visual Identity for the Taichung Green Museumbrary

　

 

The “Design Perspectives x Golden Pin Salon Bangkok 2026” on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, will take place from 17:00 to 21:00––with a panel of leading Taiwanese and Thai designers from 17:00 to 19:35, and moderator-led discussion sessions until 21:00 pm––at The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon (Registration starts at 17:00). 

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from designers who have won awards in sustainable product design, spatial design, and graphic design, and share their insights into their strategic design communication and design practice. Registration is now open at https://www.eventpop.me/s/goldenpinsalonbangkok2026

 

 

2026 Golden Pin Design Award Call for Entries

 

The Golden Pin Design Award is accepting entries for its latest cycle. Entry is open until June 24, 2026, at 17:00 (Taipei GMT+8), and an early bird discount is available for those who make their payments before May 13, 2026, at 17:01 (Taipei GMT+8). Entries for commercially available products or designs and completed and operational spatial or integrated design works are accepted. Designers and companies worldwide are welcome to participate! Please visit the official website of the Golden Pin Design Award for detailed registration information: https://goldenpin.org.tw/goldenpin/en