Surprisingly little is known about the way people use space, especially in architectural studies in Thailand. The meanings of personal space can be referred to space in the geographic sense as an area that belongs to oneself, commonly discussed with reference to the idea of territory and home. Architects and interior designers may provide the blueprints for the spaces in which we live and work but little works have demonstrates that the significance of building is determined as much by their occupiers as by the vision of their designers. Within the apparent of monotony of apartments in Bangkok and repetitive apartment corridors, variety appears as each unit is modified by its inhabitants. This research explores the ways in which city dwellers in Bangkok transform their own personal space as an expression of themselves, whilst still dwelling within the structure imposed on them by architects and planners. There seems to be a relationship between the shaping of the physical world and the ideological view of that world. The research aims to examine the personalization of the dwelling space itself and the individualization of the immediate environment. The research deals with the characteristics of low-cost apartments or housing schemes and examines the alterations people make to reflect their needs. The main research evidence comes from the surveys of interior spatiality, photographic documentation and interviews of inhabitants. In Bangkok where space is limited, city dwellers cramp into small unit apartments and make such places their homes. The research asks several questions: • How people living in low-cost apartment responses to space they own and how they alter architectural space to make the place their own? • What are the meanings of things or the significance of material possessions when relating to the idea of personal space? • What are the possibilities for architects and designers to use the understanding of such personal space to inform their design?