Khon Kaen University Student Claims Top Honors in National Design Contest

The Faculty of Architecture at Khon Kaen University extends its heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Ratchanon Leklaem, a fourth-year architecture student, for his achievement in the national ASA Architectural Rendering Competition 2026. His submission, titled “Path to the Sacred Light,” successfully reached the final round, with the winners announced during the Architect’26 exposition.

Reflecting on his design philosophy, Mr. Ratchanon explained that for the preliminary round, his goal was to transcend a mere presentation of a building. Instead, he aimed to convey the experience of entering a space through the perspective of a “journey.” By utilizing corridors and architectural elements as focal points, he drew the viewer’s eye, creating the sensation of physically walking through the environment. He also emphasized the importance of breathing “life” into the image by incorporating people, animals, and atmospheric details to provide both aesthetic beauty and emotional resonance.

For the final round, Mr. Ratchanon deepened his concept by focusing on the themes of “home” and “warmth.” He sought to depict a moment in life rather than just a structure—capturing the essence of returning home, the anticipation of being awaited, and the bonds of family. “A rendering is more than just a beautiful image; it is an artwork designed from our feelings and imagination,” said Mr. Ratchanon.