Sourcing local materials
Exploring and experimenting with local materials is part of strengthening relationships with our land and with the craft workers, artisans and communities that bring art and architecture to life. It’s part of how we express gratitude and our commitment to lasting projects that grow with us.
Bamboo
Wood
Earth
Textile
Sourcing local materials
Bamboo
Experimenting with the abundance of bamboo
Retracing centuries of construction and design with bamboo in Asia, we
build
pavilions and art installations for rest, discovery and play.
Structures like Forbidden Fruit were built using bamboo left over from previous years and with flooring made from local prayer mats
Bamboo tentacles extended from an island in
‘Rhizome Colony’ in 2017
Bamboo tentacles extended from an island in
‘Rhizome Colony’ in 2017
Leeroy New’s biomorphic installation wove bamboo into a natural space, combining unique sculptural experiences. The Filipino artist-designer’s immersive installations often use objects directly sourced from the material culture of his current environment.
Bath House’s floating network of bamboo has
offered Wonderers a place to cool down and relax
VARIATIONS OF BATH HOUSE’S BAMBOO CONSTRUCTION
Bath House’s floating network of bamboo has
offered Wonderers a place to cool down and relax
Designed by Ab Rogers Design, Bath House was first constructed in 2018 entirely out of bamboo and reclaimed barrels. Termites ate the bamboo in the first iteration, allowing us to reimagine the venue’s design. As we rethink and rebuild with resilient materials, bamboo continues to play a part in each iteration of the venue, in structural components and custom-made mattresses.
A thatched bamboo roof over Unconditional Space was part of a redesign by Ab Rogers Design in 2022 and provides shelter and respite from the heat
Theatre of Eats has undergone several changes in its look and feel, yet it has always been sheltered and embellished with bamboo.
Theatre of Eats has undergone several changes in its look and feel, yet it has always been sheltered and embellished with bamboo.
First named Feasting Hall, our home for dining experiences was built out of steel and bamboo by Design Qua Studio, living on our old site from 2014–2017. Once we moved to new land in 2018, we rebuilt the venue as Theatre of Feasts. Ab Rogers Design made a kitchen from bamboo that was illuminated by sculptural chandeliers, creating a sense of intimacy for diners.
When it was reimagined in 2023, the venue featured a bamboo dome and with an unbroken circle of tables laid around a central kitchen, fully open to the elements.
Constructed by MPD Studio in 2019, the
undulating shape of Theatre Stage was inspired by
Japanese basket weaving, incorporating bamboo
and thin folded wooden fronds.
Sourcing local materials
Wood
Building with wood for resilience
From hardwood to hemp, we found different ways of investing in
modular and semi-permanent structures in The Fields.
Solar Village is a geometric structure built from interlocking wooden panels
Solar Village is a geometric structure built from interlocking wooden panels
Some parts were transported from Burning Man to The Fields in 2017, while others were produced on-site to reimagine the constantly evolving shapes of Solar Stage. The honeycomb structure was made and engineered by Gregg Fleishman out of sustainably sourced wood. The modular framework requires no nails for each reimagined reassembly of our spiritual home for sunrise and sunset.
Open Kitchen was built in 2022 as a permanent venue made from reclaimed wood
Designed by architect Boonserm Premthada, this structure is home to traditional, inherited culinary traditions. The vast manse was made from 30-year-old hardwood timber rescued from a nearby tobacco factory.
Living Stage has evolved in its use of reclaimed wood, taking new life through artist interpretations
In 2015, Living Stage was designed by Joel Stockdill and featured two colossal phoenixes sculpted from reclaimed wood.
It was reimagined using hemp in 2018 by designer and artist Adam Pollina as a monolithic yet minimalist tribute to sustainability. This was the first time a stage had ever been constructed from the material, using five tonnes of bundled hemp branches and standing at nearly 15 meters and twice its width.
LIVING STAGE
Discarded wood and wooden pallets can be found in the framework of refill stations, art installations, public seating platforms, top-up stations, bathrooms, kiosks, dining tables, Japanese karaoke-inspired Cheese Shack and the framework of Pavilion Tents in Boutique Camping.
Soi Stage by Shrine and Joel Stockdill was constructed from wood and bamboo from the surrounding area of Chonburi in 2014
Salvaged wood and wood panels were given new life as they were shaped into two water buffalos standing sentry on either side of the stage.
Sourcing local materials
Earth
Earth creates refuges for rituals
Earth is a haptic material versatile enough to be used in any
building, path or art installation.
As we design and construct in The Fields, we involve dissolvable objects, structures and insertions that can be left in place to fall, crumble and decompose—returning to the land at the end of their tenure and leaving no scars behind.
Embrace embodies earth and change
Embrace embodies earth and change
A rammed earth pavilion made by Hear & Found x Nanu Youttananukorn in 2020 enveloped a fallen tree that once stood in The Fields.
The installation has since evolved into a living tribute of interconnectedness to love, care and indigenous wisdom. Embrace now shelters soundscapes of traditional lullabies and hosts hands-on activities like natural color-making and handcrafted games.
‘Kissing Bench’ by Shiva is a playful structure made from local bricks that first appeared in 2024
Earth Rounds formed a new, permanent home in Wonderness
Made by Jan Glasmeier of Simple Architecture in 2023, our home for wellness workshops was housed in hand-formed bricks made from earth, water and rice husk. Through trial and error, the local site team perfected the formula, ensuring ample stock for future expansion.
Earth rounds formed a new, permanent home in Wonderness
Farm Stage was built and surrounded by materials grown from the soil
17 rais of sticky rice were grown, harvested and assembled into the Farm Stage in 2017, taking inspiration from the Isaan tradition where farmers build ornate rice palaces from leftover rice straw. Designed by PO-D Architects, the structure extended into rice paddies within a working farm—connecting nature, culture and music.
17 rais of sticky rice were grown, harvested and assembled into the Farm Stage in 2017, taking inspiration from the Isaan tradition where farmers build ornate rice palaces from leftover rice straw. Designed by PO-D Architects, the structure extended into rice paddies within a working farm—connecting nature, culture and music.
A wattle and daub earth mixture created Enfold
Enfold was made by Imaginary Objects and Banjerd Atelier in 2023 using mud cement and a thin lattice of natural binders like straw. This courtyard invites Wonderers to explore ambient, atmospheric textures of sound.
ENFOLD
Enfold was made by Imaginary Objects and Banjerd Atelier in 2023 using mud cement and a thin lattice of natural binders like straw. This courtyard invites Wonderers to explore ambient, atmospheric textures of sound.
An amphitheater carved into the earth invited discovery and dialogue
ECO PAVILLION
Eco Pavilion, now Unconditional Space, utilized landscaping and planting in 2018 to create seclusion and space, with the intention of allowing the area to naturally reconfigure over time as plants grew and the soil shifted. Mounds of earth sheltered a man-made crater beneath handmade, hand-painted cotton umbrellas from Chiang Mai. It has since grown into a solid shelter, becoming a permanent venue in 2023.
Carved so deep into the soil as to feel subterranean, Unconditional Space by Ab Rogers Design uses the earth it stands on, with regionally sourced and fired bricks. The venue’s roof and sunken structure alleviates the heat both from the sun and stored in the soil, while attracting Wonderers seeking shelter from the elements and creating moments of discovery.
UNCONDITIONAL SPACE
‘2500 Bricks’ by Elin Eyborg traced areas with sun-dried mudbricks
In 2019, this installation explored the collaboration of performing dancers with brick masters A and Ga and sculptors Teeraporn Khuankhwaisap and Pongsakorn Srimuang.
Directed by Laurence J Moss
Sourcing local materials
Textile
Textile as the color, texture and memories of materials
Fabric shelters us in The Fields, weaving through art and rituals
Over one kilometer of fibers covered Forbidden Fruit in 2024
FORBIDDEN FRUIT
Over one kilometer of fibers covered Forbidden Fruit in 2024
Locally sourced, coarse hessian fabric—made from jute plants—was dyed using sappan, turmeric and other botanicals. With natural texture and sunset-inspired colors, these folds of textile cocooned the dance floor and bars, encouraging natural movement towards the stage and nearby lotus pond.
Strips of recycled fabrics bordered Creature Stage
CREATURE STAGE
Strips of recycled fabrics bordered Creature Stage
With Indorama Ventures, we created woven textiles from plastic bottles collected from recycling bins around Bangkok in 2019. These bright backdrops arced over our more eclectic performances, standing out both during day and night.
Wonderers gather in Indigo World to learn and join in each process of traditional indigo dying
We planted indigo in The Fields in 2024 and introduced an inaugural harvest to the living, communal traditions of Indigo World with Phillip Huang. We grow, pick, ferment and transform these native plants on-site. From sunrise to sunset, Wonderers gather to dye their own clothes in custom-made ceramic vats that were sculpted by Pinaree Sanpitak.
In and around this communal space, we gather, experiment with brilliant hues of blue and experience other workshops and wellness activities. People gather for dining programming, crafting workshops, yoga and soundscape performances.
‘DO WE DREAM UNDER THE SAME SKY’ in collaboration with Rirkrit Tiravanija
In collaboration with artist Rirkrit Tiravanija, DO WE DREAM UNDER THE SAME SKY was hand-painted on the fabric draped across the Indigo World tent in 2023, celebrating the dye that has survived as part of our shared history.
Off-cut silks offered shade at ‘Marmalade Sky’
Created by all(zone) in 2017, this 35x35m waffle canopy was made of almost transparent fabric. Utilizing silk fabric donated by Jim Thompson, units hung loosely from poles, giving them an organic shape that rose and fell with breezes.
Created by all(zone) in 2017, this 35x35m waffle canopy was made of almost transparent fabric. Utilizing silk fabric donated by Jim Thompson, units hung loosely from poles, giving them an organic shape that rose and fell with breezes.
Movement in fabric guides entries to The Fields
Our entrance design changes from year to year, with textiles billowing and welcoming Wonderers as they enter The Fields for the first time. The motion, color and texture provide a physical transition that eased Wonderers into a state of curiosity, play and discovery.
WONDERFRUIT ENTRANCE
Our entrance design changes from year to year, with textiles billowing and welcoming Wonderers as they enter The Fields for the first time. The motion, color and texture provide a physical transition that eased Wonderers into a state of curiosity, play and discovery.
‘Woven House’ by Trojans Collective was introduced to The Fields in 2019
The winning design of our open-call competition—SUPER GREEN, SUPER CLEAN & SUPER LEAN—used weaving techniques across Southeast Asia to construct a geometric structure of locally-dyed fibers and bamboo.
The winning design of our open-call competition—SUPER GREEN, SUPER CLEAN & SUPER LEAN—used weaving techniques across Southeast Asia to construct a geometric structure of locally-dyed fibers and bamboo.