About¶
Hi! I’m Porpla — welcome to my Fabricademy Journal!
Over the next six months, I’ll be exploring where textiles, digital fabrication, and biology meet. For the first half I’ll be working remotely (thank you Fabricademy team for making that possible!), and then I’ll join EchoFab in Montréal to dive in hands-on. This journal will be a mix of experiments, side notes, and discoveries.
Assignments¶
And in week 13 I proposed my final project.
About me¶
I like to think of myself as a “hybrid,” borrowing John Maeda’s definition (see his words here ). It’s the best way to describe me right now: part curious learner, part explorer, part bridge-builder. I thrive where fields overlap and new ideas spark. These days, I’m weaving a path through design, technology, and material exploration — experimenting at the edges and shaping ideas into experiences that invite awareness, spark connection, and make life feel more alive. Fabricademy feels like the perfect container for this journey, with its mix of mentorship, community, craft, tech, and imagination. Over the next six months, I’ll be diving into embodied interaction, living materials, and playful experiments — while also exploring how these practices might grow into ventures that nurture both people and planet.
My background¶
I was born in Chiang Mai and grew up between Thailand and the U.S., so I’ve always felt at home in the spaces where cultures, ideas, and people overlap. Drawn to both art and science, I chose architecture as a bridge between the two — a way to shape how people live and feel in space. (And honestly, I just wanted to design a beautiful home for my parents one day.)
Over time, I’ve realized architecture isn’t only about buildings — it’s about people, care, and the experiences that connect us. That realization opened me up to design as a broader practice of healing and awareness. Now, I explore how creativity, technology, and materials can act as living partners — sparking connection, curiosity, and a sense of wonder.
Previous work¶
Architecture¶
At Syracuse Architecture, I first discovered that architecture could be more than just buildings. Still, I followed a more traditional path after graduation. I’m grateful for those experiences and proud to have contributed to shaping lives through the built environment. Yet, I’ve always felt drawn to explore further — so I’ve sought out new opportunities through online courses, community projects, and side experiments that expanded how I see design.
Living Wall Village, Pattaraporn (Porpla) Kittispakajon and Geraldine Vargas, 2016 |
Open Book Boynton Yards Building Two, Architectural Resources Cambridge, 2023 |
American Repertory Theater (A.R.T), Architectural Resources Cambridge, 2022 |
Shutesbury Public Library, Oudens Ello Architecture, 2024 |
Research and Speculation¶
School also nudged me to think beyond the obvious — to use design as a way of questioning, reimagining, and opening doors to new possibilities. Those moments of curiosity have stayed with me, and they keep fueling the kinds of projects I explore today.
In the Absence of Things — Re-Imaging the Lost Palmyra Arch, Pattaraporn (Porpla) Kittisapkajon, 2018 |
Browsing en la Bodega, Pattaraporn (Porpla) Kittispakajon and Geraldine Vargas, 2018 |
Community Organizing¶
After graduation, I began to see how design skills could ripple outward into community life. Through my work with Boston for Thai Democracy, I discovered how design can empower people, amplify voices, and support movements that matter.
Taboo Monument, Boston for Thai Democracy, 2020 - Present
Recent Explorations¶
Lately, I’ve been curious about what happens when the things we create aren’t just static objects, but active partners in shaping our lives. That’s led me toward interactive design, bio design, and playful experiments at the edge of craft, tech, and imagination.
Seeds of Coexistence, Pattaraporn (Porpla) Kittisapkajon, 2023 |
Interactive Game Hot Rituals, Pattaraporn (Porpla) Kittisapkajon and Jennifer Groarke, 2023 |
Responsive Object Journal, Pattaraporn (Porpla) Kittispakajon, 2024 |
Bio Composite Testing, Pattaraporn (Porpla) Kittisapkajon, 2024 |
Personal Website¶
