A century ago, the peri-urban landscape of Rangsit field—located 25 miles from central Bangkok—was filled with paddy fields and swamps, envisioned as the most productive rice-farming land in the world. After years of unregulated urbanization, the once fertile marshlands have transformed into paralyzed concrete developments—no longer able to breathe, absorb water or grow food. To revive the land on which it stands, the Thammasat Urban Rooftop Farm (TURF) unites principles of modern landscape design with traditional agricultural knowledge of rice terraces, transforming wasted space into Asia’s largest organic rooftop farm.

Thammasat University (TU) is Thailand’s second-oldest educational institution, and is home to the  landmark building housing the rooftop farm. The mound shape of the building is inspired by the founder of this campus, paying respect to prominent economist Dr Puey Ungphakorn. “Puey" means "mound under the tree," or “nourishment,” in Thai. Its H-shape also symbolizes TU’s long-standing advocacy for egalitarianism and democracy. Divided into four equally-accessible sections, each chamber represents a core element of democracy—people, liberty, equality, and fraternity. The green roof addresses “nourishment” through food security, renewable energy, water management, urban biodiversity, and air pollution reduction in one integrative solution. It is a model for adaptive, climate-resilient urban living.

RICE TERRACES FROM A MOUNTAIN

Inspired by the ingenuity of traditional agricultural practices on mountainous terrains across Southeast Asia, TURF’s landscape architecture integrates the mound form with an earthwork of rice terraces and modern green roof technology. The 236,806 sq. ft. cascading rooftop slows down runoff 20 times more efficiently than conventional concrete rooftops.

As rainwater zigzags down the slopes, each level of TURF harvests runoff from the previous cell, forming unique clusters of micro-watersheds along the terrace to help absorb, filter and purify rainwater while growing food for the campus. At the end of its journey, four retention ponds await on each wing, capable of holding up to 3,095,570 gallons of water once combined. These ponds significantly reduce the volume of stormwater leaving the site while mitigating unexpected flood and storing excessive runoff for future use during drought. Reusing stored water, TURF’s on-site water management minimizes the water footprint on food production. Solar-powered pumps push stored water upward for roof irrigation. Furthermore, the cascading layers of plantations enrich the soil’s nutrition, reducing the amount of soil mass lost during heavy rainfall, and preventing particulate airborne toxins from entering natural water bodies.

FEEDING PEOPLE FROM A SINGLE ROOFTOP 

Today, urbanization has rapidly consumed agricultural lands, pushing food sources further away from cities and consumers. By 2050, 80 percent of the world’s population will live in cities. To ensure global food security, and prioritize human and environmental health, cities must utilize wasted spaces to produce food efficiently and sustainably.Thailand ranks as one of the top five importers of pesticides in the world. Intensive mono-crop agriculture continues to expand, scouring natural food sources and leaving trails of chemical toxic waste behind. By replacing 75,300 sq. ft. of what would have been another wasted concrete rooftop with an urban organic farm, TURF promotes sustainable agriculture, crop diversity, small farm systems and improved nutrition.

Restoring urban biodiversity and tackling forthcoming climate irregularities, the urban farm not only feeds people, but also nourishes them. TURF grows more than 40 edible species—including an original rice strain bred by TU academics, indigenous vegetables herbs and trees. Ranging from water-tolerant to drought-resistant, each variant is suited to the unique microclimate created by sunlight exposure, water flow, and the roof’s elevation.

Beneath TURF, a café—a green canteen for the campus and community—serves fresh produce from the farm right to the table. TURF provides up to 20 tons of organic food to the community each year, equating to 80,000 meals annually. In close proximity to the urban farm, the canteen completes the holistic and sustainable food production system, reducing waste and CO2 emissions from start to finish. By the end of the cycle, all organic waste is recycled back as compost to fertilize crops for the next harvest. TURF also serves as a source of employment for the community. Its 60 percent revenue from campus canteens is shared among students and staffs who help tend to the crops, and the remaining used for its maintenance. As part of the curriculum, TURF offers workshops on sustainable agriculture to pass on knowledge about Thailand’s agricultural heritage and foster a sense of community. Throughout the year, TURF invites the community to seasonal seeding, weeding and harvesting to educate the next generation on living a sustainable lifestyle, in preparation for climate uncertainties.

POWERING A COMMUNITY FROM AN UNUSED ROOFTOP

Littered with unproductive rooftops, Bangkok can easily reach up to 40˚C, as concrete soaks up sunlight and reflects heat, creating urban heat islands. Taking advantage of the abundance of sun in a tropical climate, TURF harnesses readily available solar energy to provide a source of infinite clean energy.

Capable of producing up to 500,000 watts (an equivalent of 25,000 electric light bulbs) per hour, TURF can generate its electricity to irrigate the urban farm and power the building beneath it. For optimal energy generation, the 38,373 sq. ft. of solar panels—covering 16 percent of the space—are placed on the roof's southern side for continuous sun exposure. With green power and passive cooling, TURF pivots away from reliance on fossil fuels. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions from energy consumption related to air conditioning and also improves insulation to retain a cool building temperature.

CASCADING ROOF AS PUBLIC SPACES

By carving into the mountainous architecture and maximizing the use of the inclined surface, TURF utilizes every level of the terrain to create multi-functional public spaces. Twelve individually designed areas on the slopes serve as oval-shaped outdoor classrooms, while small pockets dispersed along the staircases provide intimate social spaces and access to the crops. TURF rewards those who climb to the top with a 360-degree panoramic view of the university centered in an urban farm and under the open sky. A large amphitheater provides an accessible and flexible recreational and educational space for all visitors. 

In front of the building’s entrance, a terraced amphitheater grandly welcomes everyone, designed with universal outdoor access to the second-floor auditorium. The life-size sculpture of the university’s two founders brings back their presence and the principles of democracy and sustainability that the institution was founded upon. Built on the land of one of Thailand’s leading universities, TURF provides a platform to learn and share across various disciplines. Through year-round workshops on sustainable agriculture, it provides knowledge for 40,000 campus residents and the surrounding community to use at home.

PASSING ON LAND AND KNOWLEDGE TO THE NEXT GENERATION

Situated in one of the most climate-vulnerable cities, TURF is an iconic landmark showcasing TU’s commitment to urgently address and develop solutions to the climate crisis. By integrating architecture and landscape architecture, it serves as a model in building climate-resilient spaces with available and wasted resources in densely urbanized areas. In addition to climate change education, it also addresses underlying ecological issues and social equity through food production, energy, waste management, water management, and the local economy to create a sustainable vision for our future.

As lush green turns to dry brown, TURF is a realistic, but hopeful solution that puts modern urban dwellers back in tune with ancestral agricultural practices. The landscape architect implemented a holistic approach inspired by local ingenuity. Carried on through several generations of farmers who learned from the land and water they lived with—TURF encapsulates the history of Thai agriculture, landscape and native soil, embedded as lessons to communities and city builders on how to adapt to and embrace climate challenges in building sustainable cities of the future.