Thai artist and influencer turns rooftop into inspiring urban farm

In the heart of Bangkok’s concrete jungles, Amata Chittasenee (Pearypie) is transforming rooftops into thriving urban gardens. Once a renowned makeup artist, she now pursues her PhD in biodiversity and ethnobiodiversity while nurturing an oasis atop her condo, showcasing how limited space can yield boundless impact in urban farming.

What began as a personal project during the COVID-19 lockdown driven by the desire to grow safe food for her family has transformed into a vibrant example of food security, biodiversity preservation, and community-rooted sustainability in one of Southeast Asia’s most densely populated cities.

A garden grown from crisis

In 2020, as grocery shelves emptied and global uncertainty loomed, Pearypie looked upward, literally. With limited space and a deep desire for control over her food source, she began converting her rooftop into a garden.

Today, her rooftop garden is home to many plant species, all grown without synthetic chemicals. From leafy greens to edible flowers, natural dyes to medicinal herbs, every crop is cultivated with care, intention, and imagination. She delights in waking each morning to tend the garden.

Waking up very early to nourish the plants brings me so much joy.” - said Khun Amata Chittasenee (Pearypie)

As a makeup artist and visual storyteller, Pearypie brings the same artistry to her garden. Some plants are used in her work as pigments, ingredients, or inspiration, bridging nature and creativity in unexpected ways.

Nature first, chemicals never

What sets her approach apart isn’t just the setting, it’s the philosophy. Together with her partner, Dr. Jirawan Kumsao, she uses only natural methods: brewing compost liquids and relying on native pollinators.

Committed to biodiversity, Pearypie has established a mini seed bank, preserving indigenous varieties, ensuring resilience against pests, diseases, and climate shifts. For Pearypie, growing food is also about protecting culture and genetic diversity.

Inspiration across borders

Early in her rooftop journey, Pearypie visited DakAkker, a pioneering rooftop farm in Rotterdam. That experience planted powerful ideas: circular growing systems, community-centered food models, and building ecological resilience in urban environments.

She brought those insights home and made them tropical. Her Bangkok garden is now a living proof that sustainable farming belongs to no single climate or country, but to people willing to innovate with heart and humility.

Urban farming in the tropics: not without challenges

2025 brought volatile weather such as extreme rains, heatwaves, sudden storms, underscoring the unpredictability which all linked to climate change.

Instead of giving up, she adjusted, changing plant varieties, shifting schedules, learning from the garden in real time.

This year the weather has been erratic; I’ve had to rethink planting plans and daily care routines in response to global-warming impacts. - said Khun Amata Chittasenee (Pearypie)

From private garden to public inspiration

Though not open daily, the 'Pearypie Sky Garden' has become a hub for learning and connection. It’s hosted workshops, visits, and community gatherings. For some, it’s their first glimpse of urban agriculture in action. For others, it’s motivation to grow something or anything at home.

Urban farming in Thailand is still emerging, but projects like this one signal a shift. In a city better known for its skyline than soil, growing your own food is a small but powerful act of agency and resilience.

What’s next: growing beyond the city

Pearypie’s commitment to sustainable living is reaching beyond Bangkok. Her next chapter is taking root in the north of Thailand, where she is developing “Pearypie Farm Studio” a creative home garden project in Chiang Dao, Chiang Mai.

Blending farming, community, and artistry in a rural setting, this new endeavor reflects her ongoing passion for reconnecting with the land this time, on a broader and even more immersive scale.

Why it matters

Even a single garden on a rooftop, balcony, or small plot of ground can become a node in a larger network of food security. This is especially important for urban centers like Bangkok, where growing space is limited, but the need for sustainable, local food continues to grow.

The Agricultural and Nature team of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Thailand recently had the chance to visit Pearypie’s sky garden. What we found was more than just vegetables. It was a vision of sustainability, shared learning, and global solidarity.