Imagining the future is a way to stimulate creativity that drives designers to see new possibilities in various dimensions. Pong – Amornthep Kacchanon, President of Design & Objects Association, furniture designer and founder of AMO ARTE, furniture that used natural materials with the sustainable idea have chosen the idea of imagining the future to be the core idea of Future Paradise by Design & Objects Association at Bangkok Design Week 2022.

Thai Design 10 Years in the Future

“Most of the Design & Objects Association members are furniture, lamps, and home décors designers. So, this year, we talked about the design in 10 years for each of us. How different would it be from now.” The ‘future’ in D&O view is not necessarily a showcase of advanced technology or innovation. On the contrary, in the future filled with endless production techniques of advanced objects and technologies, delicately made products by human hand that is tangible, full of emotions and stories would be more heartful and even add more value to the products than industrially produced ones. 

Compete with Thai Characteristics that No one can copy

“What connects each brand in the association is we view the future with the growth of craftsmanship. Through sourcing local materials, recycled materials, and eco-friendly innovations that added value to the Thai designed products. We foresee these trends growing a lot in the design industry. We want to portray the local craftsmanship stories for people to reminisce about the human element in the objects more.”

Pong also explained further that it’s difficult for Thai designers to compete with European designers with advanced innovations. While they have support on research and technology we have a distinctive strength of Thai identity that shines globally as well.

“The strength and distinct characteristics of Thai furniture and home décors that can compete with other countries is our creativity with local crafts, the works that present distinctive Thai identity and by blending creativity with local crafts, able to add value to it. Compared to other countries, Thailand may have a higher cost in production but the customers trust and recognize the skilled artisans of Thailand that no other country can compare with.”

A Space for New Experiments

“The showcase is a space for each brand to unleash their works and creativity with a chance to work on something different from their usual products. The furniture brand may create décors or furniture that address the social distancing lifestyle of Covid, which explore the future possibilities of products that fit the changing way of life.”

“This time, there are around 30 studios participating in the showcase. Some of the brands are focused on natural materials such as bamboo and local woods. Some chose to use recyclables and surplus industrial materials which is a solution for future sustainability. There are a variety of works that all the studios have created exclusively for this showcase, functional furniture, decorative furniture, semi-installation lamp, outdoor furniture, public furniture, or even jewelry inspired interior décor.” 

Experience Histories at the Old Printing House

The showcase site of Future Paradise is an old building area on Bamrungmuang road which was Bumrung Nukulkij Printing House. Aside from being an ideal space for the furniture showcase, this place has a significant history. The showcase will also tell the stories of this printing house, “This building has a very special and intriguing history since the Rama V period. It relates to the concept of the past, present, and future of our showcase. Our works present the idea of the future and display it in the building of the past. We are trying to show that in order to go forward to the future, you should also look into the past. As the present is the outcome of the past and what we do in the present will affect the future.”

Lastly, Pong remarked about the showcase, “Although these days people hardly see each other in person, partly we still want people to touch and feel the pieces that cannot be converted into digital files. It’s a craftsmanship that people can physically touch and share the experience which we feel will be nostalgic for a lot of people.” Come and physically feel the craftsmanship in the atmosphere of the past that takes you to look further into the future at Future Paradise, Bumrung Nukulkij Printing House, Bamrungmuang road on 5-13 February 2022 at 11.00-22.00     

Name : Amornthep Kacchanon

Tel. : 0868984635

LINE ID : pongo28

E-mail : info@amo-intergroup.com

The Design & Objects Association

Website : designandobjects.com

Facebook : facebook.com/TheDesignAndObjectsAssociation