Pimboon Wongmesak

Pimboon Wongmesak has been interested in architecture from a young age. She currently works for a leading firm in the field and runs her own business, renovating and refurbishing previously mixed-use buildings in Bangkok and converting them into rental properties. Committed to her success, she takes an active role in her company’s operations. As a result, she says she’s learned a lot from the hands-on approach and is proud of her achievements. “It gives me a sense of accomplishment and giddiness that I am able to run a business with satisfying results from my own creation,” she says.

Pimboon now studies the Master in Business for Architecture and Design at IE University, having secured her place when she won the third Outstanding Architecture & Design Thesis Award. The contest is open to graduates who hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in architecture, design, interior design, product design, graphic design, landscape design or other related fields, who graduated between 2012 and 2023 and were ranked in the top 25% of their class. As the prize, winners gain admission to either the Master in Business for Architecture and Design or the Master in Architecture, along with receiving a scholarship that contributes towards their chosen program’s tuition fees.

The focus of Pimboon’s project for the award—which she had also used as the basis of her undergraduate thesis—was the Gandhi Memorial Hall in Yangon, Myanmar. After identifying that many of the city’s historical buildings were being neglected due to unprecedented urban development, Pimboon sought to preserve the legacy of the building and its association with important past historical acts while creating a space that can bring value for both private and public use, now and in the future. This connection between old and new is something that has become of real focal point in Pimboon’s career.

“The Outstanding Architecture & Design Thesis Award made me aware of a program that met all my needs and granted me an opportunity I never knew I would have.”

Before pursuing postgraduate study, Pimboon witnessed firsthand the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on businesses, particularly in the field of architecture, where there was a heavy reliance on travel and physical movement. However, as a recent graduate entering the job market, she also saw it as an opportunity to start experimenting with new technologies that would enable her to do her work online.

This was a pivotal moment for her as she saw that traditional methods could co-exist with new, more modern ways of working. As she explains, “It was then that I actually understood that architecture—and consequently architectural design and business—did not have to be one or the other, but could be a blend of both worlds. The contrast of these two positions intrigued me.”

Pimboon was hired by a top architectural firm where she witnessed the intricate relationship between business and design. And while she gained a lot from the role, she also craved the chance to learn more and apply her skills in more complex environments. Her roots may be in architecture but, with her new-found interest in business, she was looking for a program that would allow her to explore both fields. The Master in Business for Architecture and Design at IE University was the perfect fit.

The Master in Business for Architecture and Design is a program that unites business and architecture to train forward-thinking professionals who can create impactful solutions. Through a blended format of both in-person and virtual study, the 15-month program takes a multifaceted approach that focuses on giving students the range of skills that are needed to succeed in today’s world.

Pimboon’s experience in the program so far has been extremely positive. Apart from academic growth, she also values the network that she has been able to develop in her time here. “Getting to meet many people from different cultures, careers and points in life, with various experiences, opinions and positions, is greatly insightful and allows me to think in more broadened viewpoints.”

Pimboon believes that the program will open many doors in her career. She hopes to apply the in-depth knowledge she is gaining to her own practices and to be more forward-thinking. As far as job opportunities go, alongside allowing her to apply for positions such as consultant or strategist, she also hopes to pass on her knowledge by becoming a professor.

Pimboon is pleased with the changes that have come from winning the Outstanding Architecture & Design Thesis Award. “It granted me an opportunity I never knew I would have, and I am very thankful for the chances it has given me.” IE University is proving to be the perfect setting for her to hone her skills and nurture her aspirations.