Mega Mat: Transforming Plastic Waste into a Sustainable Urban Experience

At Bangkok Design Week 2025, MVRDV unveiled the “Mega Mat,” a striking public installation designed to highlight the potential of recycled plastic while raising awareness about Thailand’s waste management challenges. Positioned in Lan Khon Mueang Town Square, outside the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority City Hall, the project exemplifies innovative material use by repurposing over 500 recycled plastic mats. The Mega Mat not only enhances public space but also serves as a powerful infographic, visually representing the country’s plastic waste processing methods.

Design and Material Innovation
Inspired by the traditional Thai “Sua” mat, a household staple used for sitting, the Mega Mat transforms this everyday object into an expansive urban-scale installation. A total of 532 modular mats, woven with traditional Thai textile patterns, were used to construct an 875-square-metre surface. Each module measures 1.8 by 0.9 metres, allowing for post-event reuse—some mats will be donated to temples, others repurposed as yoga mats, and some upcycled into products like bags.

The project demonstrates the versatility of recycled plastic, encouraging architects, landscape designers, and product developers to explore sustainable alternatives in their designs. By scaling up a familiar object into an urban element, MVRDV showcases how design can merge sustainability with cultural heritage.

A Public Space as an Infographic
Beyond its functional role, the Mega Mat serves as an educational tool. Its bright gradient colours visually communicate the current state of Thailand’s plastic waste disposal: red represents plastic waste sent to unsanitary landfills, orange indicates waste processed in sanitary landfills equipped with pollution barriers, yellow highlights uncollected plastic waste, and green signifies the portion of plastic that is successfully recycled.

This visually engaging approach transforms the installation into a compelling public awareness campaign, aligning with contemporary urban design strategies that integrate storytelling and social impact. The colours, with their concentric arrangement, also reference the colourful roofs of the nearby Wat Suthat Thepwararam temple.

Sustainability and Circular Design
MVRDV’s initiative at Bangkok Design Week aligns with global sustainability efforts, demonstrating how circular design principles can be implemented in urban spaces. The reuse and upcycling strategy of the Mega Mat ensures that its material impact extends beyond the event, setting an example for waste-conscious design solutions.

Additionally, one corner of the Mega Mat is lifted to create a sheltered exhibition space, mirroring the curving roofs of nearby Wat Suthat Thepwararam. This space offers visitors information about Thailand’s recycling challenges and the lifecycle of the materials used in the installation. The installation also encourages public interaction, providing an inviting space where visitors can sit, relax, and engage with the surrounding urban environment.

Relevance for Architects and Designers
For architects, landscape architects, and product designers, the Mega Mat exemplifies how recycled materials can be seamlessly integrated into functional public spaces. The project underscores the potential for sustainable design to shape urban environments while preserving cultural narratives. By merging material innovation with public engagement, MVRDV provides a model for future developments that prioritise sustainability and education.

Collaboration and Future Prospects
The Mega Mat was developed in collaboration with the Creative Economic Agency, PTT Global Chemicals, and the Embassy of the Netherlands. It is part of MVRDV’s broader commitment to sustainability, complementing their other initiatives such as the Carbon Confessions exhibition in Munich and the development of the CarbonScape software to optimise emissions in architectural projects.

The project is also connected to MVRDV’s ongoing work in sustainability and circular design, reinforcing the firm’s commitment to transitioning towards a low-carbon, “Paris-proof” portfolio. Through this project, MVRDV highlights the importance of material circularity, advocating for the integration of recycled plastics in public spaces. The Mega Mat serves as both a playful urban intervention and a serious commentary on the pressing issue of plastic waste, reinforcing the role of design in shaping a more sustainable future.

Source: MVRDV
Photos: DOF Sky|Ground