Discover the Spirit of Bangkok 1899 with Susannah Tantemsapya
Last year, during the super lively Southeast Asia debut of the E+C Pavilion in Bangkok at CCAT (Creatives For Climate Action Thailand) conference 2024, my partner and I had the absolute joy of meeting someone truly inspiring: Susannah Tantemsapya. The vibe at Bangkok 1899, where all the magic happened, was just incredible. We cooked up a fun panel discussion, made friends for life, and seriously learned a lot. But beyond all the environmental talk and new connections, one thing that really stuck with us was the heart of Bangkok 1899 itself, and Susannah, the incredible woman behind it all, who, by the way, gives the best hugs.
Bangkok 1899 is so much more than an old building; it’s a living, breathing testament to how you can beautifully blend history with a passionate drive for a sustainable future. To really get what makes it tick, you gotta know about Creative Migration, the organization that pours so much life into this amazing cultural hub. As Susannah put it,
“Creative Migration is a women-of-color-led, international arts organization based in Los Angeles and Bangkok. Our mission is to bring together cultural and climate diplomacy with a special focus on collaborative community building through intersectional practices.”
Susannah kicked off Creative Migration in California back in 2005. Then, in 2018, she brought it’s awesome work to Thailand, opening Bangkok 1899 with some crucial support from Ford Philanthropy and The Rockefeller Foundation. What’s even more impressive, their commitment to our planet goes way back, even before this big move.
“Since 2011, our nonprofit has employed environmentally regenerative practices throughout our projects and day-to-day operations, implementing its own Climate Policy to reduce the carbon footprint of all projects and operations,” – Susannah shared, showing just how long they’ve been all about being green.
A House of Innovation Reborn
The story of Bangkok 1899 starts with this gorgeous old building, designed by the Italian architect Mario Tamagno way back in 1899. It used to be the private home of Chao Phraya Thammasakmontri, who’s widely seen as the father of modern education in Thailand. After sitting empty for about 12 years, the owners, seeing its incredible potential, let Creative Migration give it a new life for non-commercial use. Susannah lit up when she talked about the inspiration.
“It was a house of innovation for its time.” – Susannah Tantemsapya
Her vision for restoring it was super clear: respecting the architectural intention. Even without the original blueprints, those soaring ceilings and naturally breezy spaces feel perfectly suited for modern living. The second floor, especially, is a chameleon, easily transforming from artist residencies to offices, or even hosting cool stuff like sound baths, film screenings, and workshops.
Sustainable Style, Old and New
The design process for Bangkok 1899 was a beautiful dance between honoring its past and embracing modern, eco-friendly ideas. Creative Migration, with architect Alexander Sanpradit leading the charge, made sustainability a top priority every step of the way. They cleverly reused and repurposed existing building materials. A huge step toward saving energy was adding insulation to the attic (a first for the place!) which helps cut down on energy use and actually cools the building by a whopping 10-20 degrees Celsius. Ceiling fans, strategically placed on those high ceilings, keep the air moving, so they barely need the air conditioners. Plus, all the green spaces around the building – a backyard, front yard, and lots of plants create natural cooling systems, shrinking its environmental footprint even more.
But sustainability at Bangkok 1899 goes way beyond the building itself. They’re super careful about waste management, diverting tons of trash from landfills and recycling through awesome local initiatives like Precious Plastic Bangkok and Studio UpCircle. Even their water choice shows their commitment: “We purchase bottled refillable glass drinking water for the Creative Migration team.” These partnerships make sure everything from batteries to light bulbs and e-waste gets recycled the right way. They even do regular audits to check their waste practices. Materials get reused and repurposed until they’re truly done. The building’s insulation, tons of natural light, and using only LED lighting all work together to save energy. Digital gear runs on rechargeable batteries, temperatures inside are kept steady to avoid AC spikes, and all air conditioning systems are turned off when not in use.
Right inside Bangkok 1899, you’ll find Na Cafe, a wonderful collaborative space that uses food and drinks to connect, inspire, and create social change. Through Na Projects and the cafe, they run vocational training programs for at-risk youth, host a monthly chef’s table by urban refugees, and have beverage programs that are all about plastic-free practices.
Connecting Climate and Culture
The recent E+C Pavilion event, which dove into how climate, culture, and entertainment intersect, was a perfect fit for Bangkok 1899. Susannah put it beautifully:
“Bangkok 1899 is not only a restored historical landmark, but our hub also acts as a living model of sustainability through our day-to-day operations and programs.” – Susannah Tantemsapya
They even put out Climate Impact Reports for all their big events, showing exactly how they’re tackling climate adaptation and mitigation. The hub, Susannah says, “serves as an example of pro-environmental behavior through our actions.”
Having the first E+C Pavilion in the Asia-Pacific region at Bangkok 1899 was also super natural, thanks to Susannah’s own involvement. As a Nonprofit Advisor for E+C and a member of the UN Climate Change sectoral initiative Entertainment and Culture for Climate Action (ECCA), it was just meant to be. The conference, which Creative Migration produced with Creatives for Climate Action – Thailand, was all about sparking conversations and connecting global players with the local community. “Creative Migration is increasingly involved in this global, intersectional space,” Susannah confirmed.
Relevant: What Does Entertainment + Culture Have to Do with Climate Action?
The Heart of the Journey
For Susannah Tantemsapya, transforming this historic building into a sustainable cultural hub has been incredibly rewarding, even though it’s been a tough climb. “From the start, establishing Bangkok 1899 seemed like an impossible project that many people told me couldn’t happen; it wasn’t ‘realistic,'” she openly admitted. Not growing up in Thailand, she faced big challenges navigating the language, culture, and systems. But she powered through.
“But I made it happen, so it has been incredibly rewarding to have navigated this challenging path of architect/environmental conservation, community development, fundraising, business/property management, curatorial practices, etc.” – Susannah Tantemsapya
And imagine, they even survived the craziness of COVID-19, having just opened their doors in early 2019!
Keeping the place running still has its quirks. “Many local Thais find the concept of an open, egalitarian space strange,” Susannah observed. And explaining new sustainability models focused on climate adaptation and mitigation isn’t always easy. While terms like UNDP SDGs are thrown around a lot, people often don’t fully grasp them. Susannah believes “the most significant and understandable change comes from community-driven DIY projects that many of our partners do. This is what we aim to highlight and support.”
“The grassroots level can influence larger systems, and the folks with the least resources are often the most innovative.”
The ongoing challenge, she notes, is figuring out how to make these systems more efficient with the right support, whether it’s for places like Bangkok 1899 or community programs like Studio UpCircle. Despite these hurdles, Susannah’s optimistic: “I believe this is changing, and gathering people at events like the E+C Pavilion can often spark the right kind of collaboration.”
Bangkok 1899 truly shines as an example of what can happen when passion, respect for history, and a deep commitment to the future all come together. It’s a beautiful tribute to Susannah Tantemsapya’s amazing vision, and a place that truly embodies a connected, sustainable world.
