Saiki Design formulated a design for the Thai Garden that created connections to this peripheral garden from the main garden space, featured a custom stone-lined reflecting pool surrounding the pavilion platform and focused on selection of plant material to form a multi-season framework and backdrop for the Thai pavilion. The garden itself is composed of ornamental grasses, hardy bamboos, woody plant material and other Wisconsin-hardy plants that are arranged alongside annuals to emulate the lush, tropical landscapes of Thailand.
One of the major challenges of the project was to site the ornate Thai sala, or pavilion, a gift to the University of Wisconsin–Madison from the Thai Government and the Thai Chapter of the Wisconsin Alumni Association. Olbrich Botanical Gardens was selected as the location for the structure with the City of Madison and Saiki Design honored the simplicity and beauty of the gold leaf-clad teak structure by incorporate the new pavilion into the rest of the gardens while setting it apart with pavements, reflecting pools and lawn panels.
