#Publicspace

A new wave of Asian design ingenuity is capturing global attention, as the recently announced shortlist for the prestigious World Architecture Festival (WAF) 2025 highlights eight standout projects from East and Southeast Asia. These groundbreaking works—from courtyard homes in Beijing to nature-inspired city halls and eco-friendly pavilions—demonstrate how architects from the region are redefining the dialogue between tradition, community, and sustainability in contemporary spaces. Their inventive approaches signal important trends for Thailand’s own built environment and public policy as the nation seeks more resilient, inclusive, and culturally rooted architectural solutions.

A powerful new wave of research and personal accounts is shining a spotlight on a persistent and striking divide: while European countries embrace children and families in nearly every sphere of life, American society remains hobbled by policies and attitudes that seem, at best, indifferent—and at worst, openly hostile—to children’s needs. The consequences reach far beyond inconvenience for parents, rippling through childhood development, public health, and even social cohesion.

This conversation about child-friendliness erupted once again following a viral first-person essay in Salon by a Philadelphia-based mother who described her travels through Berlin, London, and Dublin, highlighting the profound differences between Europe and the United States in daily life with children. Her observations draw attention to issues confirmed by social science research, expert commentary, and decades of comparative policy analysis.