The design concept of two designers from different fields collaborating to create a fantastic work out of ordinary materials.
Don’t miss the outstanding architecture award exhibition at Architect Expo 2022, which is organized by a collaboration of the Northeast’s grooviest fashion product designers and a Northern architectural design studio. Before experiencing the real exhibition at the exposition, in this interview, Khun Chart – Thanachart Suksawas and Khun Kan – Kan Khamhaeng, two architects from Pommballstudio, and Khun Chompoo – Kanchana Chanathephaporn, founders of the brand BWILD ISAN, describe the way of thinking and design process that arose from the two’s common ground, as well as revealing collaboration secrets that any creator from any profession can apply to their work.
The North and Northeast are close to each other on the map. Moreover, from the perspective of the creative design concept, the two regions may share common ground in architecture and fashion design.
“This theme appears to fit our skills and capability, which is to demonstrate the simplicity of design in order to highlight the awards instead.” Khun Chompoo described her reaction when she first saw the Pommballstudio’s works, which were full of coolness, simplicity, and minimalism, and were created by ordinary objects to look more fantastic by composition and repetition, which can reflect the power and have a great impact. Furthermore, it dared to create a similar design using ordinary materials. If it participates in the Co-creation process, the two architectures’ uniqueness may be more perfectly fit, and more common grounds are probably realized.
As a result, rather than simply bringing in symbols of Isan or the north that the Thai people are familiar with, we chose to connect the things that both regions have in common is local. We both dare to play with ordinary things that people overlook and use what is around us as inspiration. They extract stories from nature that always conceal some meaning as a design idea, starting with the limitation of space and progressing to the implied meaning of the design works. For example, the locality of both northern and northeastern people is helpfulness, generosity, and protection, all of which are regarded as the most valuable things in human beings. As a result, a form of wrapping and nesting to protect the valuable things inside represents both the architect’s and the fashion designer’s interpretation of a hidden value in the work.
Create a form based on natural structures
For the design process, Khun Chart stated that they first considered “regular square boxes,” then sought common ground in terms of the two’s identities, materials, architecture, and fashion. Finally, there is the concept of Circulation and the creation of layers that reflect natural forms, as well as award-winning presentations.
They both dissected their square area to form the main Circulation in the middle and the secondary Circulation alley into the outer lobe based on the exhibition space that allows visitors to walk through the middle out of the corner. The inspiration for this style comes from the two’s creative nature, as evidenced by their selection of the shape of a large banana leaf, which Isan people frequently bring to support food or even used as a component of the house in the past.
When a shape is dissected into secondary circulation, it comes in the form of a layer. This section corresponds to the natural shape of “wrapping,” such as overlapping petals or bamboo shoots, wrapping food in local packaging, or wrapping food in banana leaves. This reflects the underlying meaning of “Nature always encapsulates certain values.” “The exhibited work will be arranged inside, like something valuable that has been wrapped up, and it will be easier to watch when it comes to space design,” Khun Chompoo explained.
Furthermore, the walls on display are designed to be softer by emphasizing naturalness through the height, low, and lines of the wall, which mimic nature in another dimension. When combined with the lighting design, the overlap in each wall overlapping gauze lines that are delicately arranged vertically and horizontally will cause the audience to have different views in each corner. You will be able to perceive beauty differently depending on where you walk in.
“A catwalk which is opened to the public”
The perspective created by the overlapping of translucent fabric lines on each wall is inspired by an Isan loincloth pattern with overlapping lines that intersect vertically and horizontally. We don’t collect real loincloths to display, but rather to explore the identity of the Isan loincloth from a different perspective.
Khun Chompoo explained that this was the result of their collaboration, which still reflects the northeast and fashion.
“Trustfully, Isan people normally pay respect to one another. We design space to make the exhibited work as outstanding as possible so that the participants can take beautiful pictures with our designed exhibition background rather than showing our identity so large that it overshadows the value of what must be displayed,” Ms. Chompoo said.
Thai people, in general, associate colorful with fun and joy. However, the Isan people use colors in a variety of ways. Fashion does not depend on a single color, but rather on the user’s suitability and time, so we chose the smoothest colors in this design, which Pommballstudio and BWILD ISAN both agree.
“Our first objective was to create the booth cool enough to take pictures with, as well as to deliver the booth a sculptured appearance.” Regarding the use of materials, colors, and interior space,” Mr. Chat added about “coolness,” which is another point on which they both agree in this design because “we also want it to be a work that is accessible to the general public.” Even if the participants have no prior knowledge of architecture.”
“Others’ working styles are similar to ours, but they work in different fields of business.”
So, what will be the consequence of the co–creation of two designers from two different professions and two neighbouring regions? For Khun Chompoo, personally, this is an opportunity for her to see that there are others doing similar things in different industries. We can broaden our awakening by exploring different possibilities together. More architects will be known in the fashion and related industries, resulting in greater integration and collaboration in ways such as participating in experiments with new materials, etc. “Because anything is possible, I believe the next exposition will be more enjoyable.”
“What will change is that we will have more creative friends, see other people’s inspiration to create design work, and learn to develop our own work as well.” Everyone expresses their creativity in their own unique way.”
Both would like to invite everyone to come and see how powerful a minimal design can be, as well as have fun together in order to generate creativity. “Perhaps you can get new ideas to apply in many businesses’ works that will change after the COVID 19 pandemic.” “This year’s interesting theme to focus on is likely diversity and uniqueness.”
Architect Expo 2022 will take place during 26th April – 1st May 2022 at Challenger Hall, IMPACT Muang Thong Thani. Any interested visitors can register at https://bit.ly/3t73Fzw. For those who are interested in space reservation, please visit our website at www.ArchitectExpo.com/2022/space-reservation/ or contact us at +66 02-717-2477 and [email protected]
