Kotchakorn Voraakhom named 2025 School of Architecture Commencement Speaker
The pioneering Thai landscape architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom will address The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture class of 2025 at the school’s 112th commencement ceremony on May 10, 2025. Voraakhom led the creation of Bangkok's first critical green infrastructure project, Chulalongkorn Centenary Park, and has since brought her vision to life through several groundbreaking works, including the Thammasat Urban Farm Rooftop—Asia’s largest urban farming green roof—and the Chao Phraya Sky Park, the world’s first bridge park spanning a river in a capital city.
“It is our pleasure to welcome visionary landscape architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom as our 2025 commencement speaker,” said Heather Woofter, Dean of The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture. “Her commitment to resilient design meaningfully aligns with our school’s intention to focus on sustainable practices, and we hope her perspective and experience inspires our students as they embark on their next chapters.”
As the CEO and Founder of Landprocess and Porous City Network, her trailblazing work has earned her the UN Global Climate Action Award, Women for Results, and she currently serves as Chairwoman of the Climate Change Working Group for the International Federation of Landscape Architects. She is also a member of the Global Commission on Nature Positive Cities with the World Economic Forum.
Recognized globally, Voraakhom was featured in TIME 100 Next—a prestigious list of rising stars shaping the future—and honored by CNN, The Guardian, and The New York Times. She has become a leading voice in the fight against climate change, named to TIME's list of "15 Women Fighting Climate Change," BBC 100 Women, and Bloomberg's Green 30 in 2020. Voraakhom has played a pivotal role in advancing nature-based solutions on the global stage, particularly from COP26 to COP29.
A TED Fellow and an educator at prestigious institutions such as Harvard, UPenn, and Washington University in St. Louis, Voraakhom holds an Honorary Doctorate in Landscape Architecture from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. As a passionate advocate for landscape-based solutions, she is committed to enhancing urban resilience worldwide and inspiring the next generation of designers to create innovative, sustainable solutions that address the climate challenges of now and the future.
The School of Architecture’s commencement ceremony will take place at 2:00 p.m. in the Hogg Memorial Auditorium on Saturday, May 10th, 2025. Seating is limited to those with tickets, but the ceremony will be live-streamed on the School of Architecture’s YouTube channel.
