The Power of Lighting Podcast – JUTI Architects, Thailand

Designing Light for Faith, Heritage, and Community

Unilamp is proud to feature JUTI Architects, Thailand, in this episode of The Power of Lighting Podcast. Led by Mr. Juti Klipbua to shares insights from the renovation of St. Raphael Catholic Church in Pak Nam, Samut Prakan, a historic riverside church serving the local Christian community for over a century.

In this episode, the conversation focuses on architectural restoration, structural respect, and the integration of indirect lighting to enhance spiritual atmosphere while preserving the church’s original identity. The project reflects how lighting can transform heavy concrete architecture into a space that feels light, calm, and meaningful.

About JUTI Architects

JUTI Architects is a Thailand-based architectural company known for its thoughtful approach to contextual design and restoration projects. The company emphasizes structural clarity, spatial experience, and the careful coordination of architectural and engineering systems.

In the renovation of St. Raphael Catholic Church, originally rebuilt in 1979 with a distinctive parabolic concrete roof, JUTI Architects reinterpreted the building’s identity through the concept of “Sail of Faith.” Inspired by missionary journeys by boat and the church’s riverside location facing the sea, the design reinforces the building’s symbolic form while improving functionality for today’s users.

Rather than altering the original structure, the team focused on enhancing its qualities especially the dramatic curved roof through precise lighting integration and concealed system upgrades.

Why Thoughtful Lighting Was Essential

During the podcast, Mr. Juti explains that lighting was central to achieving the renovation goals. Because the church’s roof curves in three dimensions and the concrete slab is thin, lighting design required careful technical study and on-site adjustments. Key considerations included:

• Indirect lighting to softly reflect off the parabolic roof
• Concealed building services to preserve structural purity
• Careful glare control for elderly and general users
• Precise luminaire positioning to avoid unwanted shadows
• Soft, gentle illumination that enhances spiritual ambiance

To realize this concept, collaboration with a reliable lighting manufacturer was essential. Technical support, accurate photometric performance, and dependable product quality ensured the lighting design could be executed as intended.

For Mr. Juti, successful lighting design depends on strong coordination between architect, engineer, and lighting specialist where design vision is supported by engineering precision.

Moving Forward with Meaningful Architectural Lighting

As restoration and adaptive reuse projects continue to gain importance in Thailand, JUTI Architects remains dedicated to preserving architectural heritage while enhancing building performance and user comfort. Through close collaboration with trusted partners like Unilamp, ensures that lighting solutions faithfully support the original design intent while delivering long-term reliability and visual quality demonstrating how architecture and lighting can work in harmony to serve community, history, and faith

Watch the Full Interview

Hear directly from Mr. Juti as he shares the story behind the renovation, the challenges of lighting a complex concrete structure, and the philosophy behind the “Sail of Faith” concept.

Click below to watch the full episode.

For more information, visit www.unilamp.co.th or contact online@unilamp.co.th