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Ebba: le sedie modulari che ricordano gli scarabocchi https://www.design-miss.com/ebba-le-sedie-modulari-che-ricordano-gli-scarabocchi/ Due studi #design di #Bangkok, #Kaoi e #THINKK hanno dato vita alla #collezione di #sediemodulari #Ebba, ovvero tre #sedie a #sdraio che possono mutare d’aspetto a seconda dei #braccioli che decidiamo di applicare.
Preserving Craftsmanship and Thai traditions. Discover part of it at #baanlaesuan #craftfurniture #thinkkstudio #tailimfurniture #nuclistudio (at Bitec Bangna Hall) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMiyCJDj70c/?igshid=1958w3qsawtdd
Ebba: le sedie modulari che ricordano gli scarabocchi https://www.design-miss.com/ebba-le-sedie-modulari-che-ricordano-gli-scarabocchi/ Due studi #design di #Bangkok, #Kaoi e #THINKK hanno dato vita alla #collezione di #sediemodulari #Ebba, ovvero tre #sedie a #sdraio che possono mutare d’aspetto a seconda dei #braccioli che decidiamo di applicare.
#THINKKstudio #lovelymobile💖 #designplant2020 #สะดวกซื้อ #bkkdw2020 (at Warehouse 30) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8EfZGEj6XS/?igshid=1kfymw16ws5mo
#Thinkktogether #Thinkkstudio #bkkdw2018 . . . . . #design #thinkk #thai #craft #bangkok #designweek #inspire #inspo #minimal #explore #graphic #graphicdesign #product #productdesign #art #creative #ootd #quotes #life #style #igdaily #instadaily #instagram #instamood #photooftheday #l4l (at Bangkok, Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/BvLaEIVHDmu/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1tqhq0ye8m5dj
Keep Thinkking
A country’s design economy and it’s cultural landscape are often linked. In Thailand, a new generation of Thai designers having studied abroad, are now returning home with a passion and loyalty many modern cities would die for. With easy access to modern manufacturing and age-old knowledge in craft methodologies, it’s no surprise that this new generation is making waves in both local and international waters.
Paving the way are two designers Decha Archananan and Ploypan Teerachai of Thinkk Studio, whom having no connection to the media or designer-royalty backgrounds, are the quiet heroes in the local product design scene. We visit them at their studio off Sathorn Road, a space that emotes much of the gentle energy we enjoy in their work.
How did you get into products? Have graduated from Lat Krabang University, we first started working with an interior design company. We learned a lot then because the company also handled the production and importing of furniture. Once there was an order from overseas, it was quite an expensive piece, but we liked it the moment we saw it. Around that time, we noticed that many local manufacturers had begun copying designs from overseas, and we felt that there was an opportunity for Thai manufacturers to make original local designs instead of importing from overseas. If we could design and produce in Thailand, we would get a combination of quality and value.
After working there, we took part in a couple of workshops, where new designers had the opportunity to meet entrepreneurs who would select products to put into production. We also started sending our work to many competitions. One of the highlights was getting an Honorable Mention for the Young Designers category at the Singapore Furniture Design Award 2010. There were about 30 works in total, and we got the joint second award together with another Singaporean candidate. That year, there was no the winner as both works were chairs. The name of our chair was Scrap Facet.
Having had some experience in making products, we felt that we really enjoyed the process. So we thought we would would like to gain more knowledge and decided to pursue further studies overseas. One left to Lausanne in Switzerland, and the other to Sweden.
D: We went separate ways because we wanted to get different experiences. Also at the back of our minds we had thought that we would come back to work together, and the specialization of study would allow us to share knowledges. I studied at ECAL because I liked the style of their works. My major was in luxury design, but it was not like the mass luxury you see in Louis’ [Vuitton’s] work. The company we collaborated with was a luxury brand making watches, crystal and silverware. It was fun.
P: We both liked to buy second-hand furniture and most of which were of a certain retro-scandinavian style. I like the Scandinavian style because it is claim, beautiful, and uses simple material. So I studied at Konstfack, and took space interiors, architecture, and furniture design courses, eventually graduating with a major in Interior Architecture. Those foundations formed the core of what I emphasize when I design furniture.
And your thesis works garnered quite a bit of interest in the design community. D: My workpiece was Weight Vases. There were many web blogs that picked up on it, which designers liked to follow. The graduation display drew the attention of three companies from America, Italy, and France. In the end the French company “Specimen Editions” purchased the Weight Vases. This was one of the first workpieces from Thinkk studio, from which people started getting to know us.
P: It was a little pressurising because I studied for 2 years, and Decha’s Weight Vases had done really well. My thesis work was the CONST lamp. That year, my workpiece was selected to show in “Rossana Orlandi”, one of the more popular design galleries in Milan. Thankfully people liked it.
D: One of the publications called it the best of Milan in 2012.
P: The CONST lamp was well received by the media, then a furniture brand from Sweden also bought one of our works. I was very happy because the Milan fair was big for us, and they credited the piece to Thinkk Studio. Not all of our work would be popular all the time, some works were exhibited and they went by quietly, or nothing happened. This was vastly different from our home, where we were merely students without reputation, but overseas the media paid attention to our work.
For products, it’s all in the details.
Then you returned to start Thinkk Studio. What is the concept behind the studio? We don’t have a fixed style because there are many stories and inspirations we come across during the work process, but we can not use them all. Our framework is more of focusing on the idea - a lot. We choose to develop the one that we feel is a challenging but idea. The idea will be developed to a good work through thinking, thus “thinkk”.
Your works have a sense of smooth, clam energy. We like work which is honest, and in its real material. We don’t like what is unnecessary, so things must have a reason, response, or application in use. We’ve come to a stage where we don’t think there is a need to decorate much.
You recently worked with COTTO. This was another form of collaboration. COTTO is a manufacturer of sanitary wares and tiles. At that time, we thought the phrase “Another Perspective”, which led us to thinking of toilets that had another view. The work was titled ‘Lavanity’, combining the functions of a vanity area with a lavatory.
How was it like to show at Milan? The preparation time we had before going was really short. We also heard that *Wallpaper had set up a studio outside the city, and would be selecting distinguished works to feature in their magazine. Some of our friends’ works were selected, and we hoped, but not much - because our work was big and might be difficult to move. So we thought it might not be selected since our group was quite new and very small, and not many people knew about us. However, there was lots of interest after the opening of the fair. Many people were interested and someone was looking at our details. We thought they were students. They gave us a business card, and they turned out to be stylists from *Wallpaper, and asked to take a photo of our work for the magazine.
Would you say there are similarities between interior work and making products? Yes. In interior design, you’re looking at the overview and think in big scales. For products, it’s all in the details. We begin to look at centimeters, millimeters, and more details. Interior design has it’s positive impact on product work as well. When we design a product, we think about the environment and atmosphere it functions in, that’s part of it.
What would you say makes a good design? We think it should respond to the need of users, the production system of manufacturers, and of course, explain our idea well.
Thinkk Studio is Decha Archananan and Ploypan Teerachai. Interview & Photos: Bom surachead & Thinkk Studio for The Makers’ Journal.
