Designers of Mountain and Water: Alternative Landscapes for a Changing Climate | Marisa Chearavanont

The Sinographic compound (山水), denoting “mountain and water,” is widely shared across many Asian contexts, with different regional traditions and approaches. As shanshui in China, sansui in Japan, and sansu in Korea, the term has historically referred to creative artistic and philosophical visions of the natural world, combining the vital elements of a fully dynamic landscape. With climate change underway, what contemporary elements and dimensions of nature are necessary for designing and building sustainable spaces for human habitation and flourishing? Contemporary landscape architects from Northeast and Southeast Asia are trying to answer this question by rethinking the relation between social and natural forms. Their aim is to design habitable futures at the intersection of the two. This conference will feature leading landscape architects and scholars from China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, as well as Australia and the US, to discuss the perspectives, histories, politics, and most compelling projects of sustainable design in the Asian context. This conference accompanies the exhibition Designers of Mountain and Water, which will be on display in the Druker Design Gallery from January 20 to May 15, 2026. Curated by Jungyoon Kim, Associate Professor in Practice of Landscape Architecture at the GSD, the exhibition features more than 55 works of landscape architecture by 23 practices in Asia. Keynote Speaker: Marisa Chearavanont is a philanthropist, social entrepreneur, and cultural patron whose leadership spans contemporary art, gastronomy, education, and innovation. She is the founder and chairwoman of Khao Yai Art Forest and Bangkok Kunsthalle, pioneering a new approach to contemporary art as a catalyst for cultural and ecological renewal, community engagement, and human well-being. A dedicated supporter of the arts, Mrs. Chearavanont’s long-standing vision is to advance Thai contemporary art on the global stage and to champion art as a medium of healing. She has contributed her expertise to advisory councils of leading institutions, including Tate Modern, the New Museum, the DIA Art Foundation, M+ Museum, and the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. Mrs. Chearavanont previously founded and continues to chair the BUILD Foundation, which provides educational access and infrastructure for underserved communities, and the Chef Cares Foundation, which promotes compassion through gastronomy. She also serves as Special Advisor to the Senior Chairman of the Charoen Pokphand Group. 00:00 Welcome by Sarah Whiting 05:26 Opening Remarks by Gary Hilderbrand 15:19 Presentation by Jungyoon Kim 32:54 Keynote Introduction by Nicholas Harkness 47:41 Keynote Presentation by Marisa Chearavanont 01:15:59 Panel Discussion