9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 At this very moment, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with every breath we take, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 major ... cities [br]across the globe are sinking, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 including New York, London,[br]Tokyo, Shanghai, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 New Orleans, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and as well as my city, Bangkok. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Here is the usual version[br]of climate change. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is mine. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Nothing much, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 just a crocodile on the street. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughter) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is an urgent impact[br]of climate change: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 our sinking cities. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Here you can see urbanization of Bangkok, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 growing in every direction. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Shifting from porous,[br]agricultural land -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the land that can breathe[br]and absord water, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to a concrete jungle. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is what parts of it look like[br]after 30 minutes of rainfall. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And every time it rains, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I wish my car could turn into a boat. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This land has no room for water. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It has lost its absorbent capacity. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The reality of Bangkok metropolitan region[br]is a city of 15 million people 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 living, working and commuting on top[br]of shifting, muddy river delta. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Bangkok is sinking more[br]than one centimeter per year. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Which is four times faster[br]than the rate predicted at sea level rise, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we could be below sea level by 2030, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 which will be here too soon. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There is no coincidence that I am here[br]as a landscape architect. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 As a child, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I grew up in a rowhouse 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 next to the busy road[br]always filled with traffic. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In front of my house, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 there was a concrete parking lot, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that was my playground. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The only living creature I would find, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and had fun with, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 were these sneaky little plants[br]trying grow through the crack 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of the concrete pavement. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 My favorite games with friends 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 was to dig the bigger and bigger hole[br]through this crack 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to let this little plant creep out -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 sneak out more and more. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And yes, landscape archtitecture[br]gives me the opportunity 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to continue my cracking ambition -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughter) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to connect this concrete land[br]back to nature. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Before Thais -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 my people -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we were adapted to the cycle[br]of the wet and dry season, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and you could all us amphibious. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We lived both on land and on water. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We were adapted to both. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And flooding was a happy event[br]when the water fertilized our land. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But now flooding means disaster. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 2011, Thailand was hit[br]by the most damaging 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and most expensive flood disaster[br]in our history. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Flooding as turned central Thailand[br]into an enormous lake. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Here you can see the scale of the flood[br]in the center of the image 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to the scale of Bangkok[br]outlined in yellow. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The water was overflowing from the north, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 making its away across several provinces. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Millions of my people, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 including me and my family, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 were displaced and homeless. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Some had to escape the city. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Many were terrified of losing[br]their home and their belongings, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so they stayed back in the flood[br]with no electricity and clean water. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 For me, this flood reflects clearly[br]that our modern infastructure -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and especially our notion[br]of fighting flood with concrete 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 had made us so extremely vulnerable[br]to the climate uncertainty. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But in the heart of this disaster, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I found my calling. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I cannot just sit and wait[br]as my city continues to sink. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The city needed me, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I have the ability[br]to fix this problem. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Six years ago, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I started my project. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 My teams and I won the design competition[br]for Chulalongkorn Centennial Park. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This was the big, bold mission[br]of the first university in Thailand 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for celebrating its hundredth anniversary 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 by giving this piece of land[br]as a public park to our city. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Having a park sounds very normal[br]to many other cities, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but not in Bangkok, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 which has one of the lowest[br]public green space per capita 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 among megacities in Asia. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Our project's become the first[br]new public park in almsot 30 years. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The 11-acre park, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a big green crack at the heart of Bangkok, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 opened just last year. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Applause) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thank you. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Applause) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 For four years, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we have pushed through countless meetings 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to convince and never[br]giving up to convince 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that this park isn't just[br]for beautification or recreation; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it must help the city deal with water; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it must help the city[br]confront climate change. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And here is how it works. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Bangkok is a flat city, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so we harnessed the power of gravity[br]by inclining the whole park 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to collect every drop of rain. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The gravity force pulls down[br]the runoff from the highest point 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to the lowest point. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This park has three main elements[br]that work as one system. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The first, the green roof. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is the biggest green roof[br]in Thailand, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with the rainwater tanks[br]and museum underneath. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In the dry season, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the collected rain can be used[br]to water the park up to a month. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The runoff on the green roof[br]then fall through wetlands 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with the native water plants[br]that can help filter 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and help clean water. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And at the lower end, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the retention pond collects[br]all of the water. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 At this pond, there are water bikes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 People can pedal and help clean water. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Their exercise becomes an active part[br]of the park water system. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When life gives you flood, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you have fun with the water. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughter) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Centennial Park gives room for people[br]and room for water, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 which is exactly[br]what we in our cities need. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is an amphibious design. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This park is not[br]about getting rid of flood. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's about creating a way to live with it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And not a single drop of rain[br]is wasted in this park. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This park can hold and collect[br]a million gallons of water. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Applause) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thank you. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Applause) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Every given project, for me,[br]is an opportunity 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to create more green cracks[br]through this concrete jungle. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 By using landscape architeture as solution, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 like turning this concrete roof[br]to an urban farm, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 which can help absorb rain, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 reduce urban heat [...], 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and grow food in the middle of the city. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Reuse the abandoned concrete structure[br]to become a green pedestrian bridge. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And another flood proof park[br]at .. ... University, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 which nearly completes the biggest[br]green roof on an academic campus yet 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in Southeast Asia. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Severe flooding is our new normal. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Putting Southeast Asian region, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the region with the most coastline, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 at extreme risk. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Creating a park is just one solution. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The awareness of climate change[br]mean we -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in every profession were are involved in, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 are increasingly obligated[br]to understand the climate risk 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and put whatever we are working on[br]as part of the solution. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Because if our cities continue[br]the way they are now, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a similar catastrophe will happen again 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and again. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Creating a solution[br]in these sinking cities 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is like making impossible possible, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and for that, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I would liek to share one word[br]that I always keep in mind. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That is, "Tang Jai." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Tang Jai's literal translation -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for Tang is to firmly stand, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and Jai means heart. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Firmly stand your heart at your goal. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In Thai language, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when you commit to do something, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you put Tang Jai in front of your work, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so your heart will be in your action. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 No matter how rough the path, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 how big the crack, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you push through to your goal, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because that's where your heart is. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And yes, Thailand is home. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This land is my only home, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that's where I firmly stand my heart. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Where do you stand yours? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thank you. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Applause) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thank you. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 [Kob Kuhn Ka] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Applause and cheers)