Design PLANT is a collective of furniture designers gathered since 2013 to drive the design industry forward. They have constantly participated in Bangkok Design Week throughout the years with a rotating host from each studio. For this current one in 2022, the studio hosting the Design PLANT Express exhibition is Dew – Doonyapol Srichan, a designer who founded PDM, furniture and home décors brand that transforms Thai traditional woven mat into a cool modern product. Dew is here to tell us about this fun project at the festival.  

The Beginning of Design PLANT

Dew told us about the origin of the “Design PLANT group started with the gathering of 5-6 furniture design studios. The circle of designers in Thailand is not as large as architects or interior designers, but in terms of studios, there are a lot of small-scale studios, with only 2-5 people or 10 maximum. On the other hand, Thailand is one of the best producers of furniture and home décor products in the world, and well-known in the industry for skilful world-class products.”   

“Also, the majority of Design PLANT founders are working in this industry so we thought we should do something that will develop and increase product value. By showcasing the works together is one way to create good vibes and further the market in the industry.”

Dew added, “The Design PLANT name wants to present the idea of planting new seeds of the new designers. This is the key of the collective because, for the new generation of designers to grow, they need a platform to showcase their works. The group gathering supports both the business aspects and drives the design industry to grow larger. We aren’t focused on the competition nor their conditions for works submitted to us. We are open to all designers who just graduated or are still studying to showcase their works alongside the professionals.”

In the past, showcases in this manner have sparked ideas and inspirations for many new designers to continuously develop their work to showcase their works alongside their seniors in the industry.

The Blooming of Design Products

This year there are 44 pros and the newbies are gathered under the name Design PLANT to showcase their work at Bangkok Design Week 2022. Compared to earlier showcases of Design PLANT which have about 20 participating studios, this is growth to lookout for. “People have gotten to know more about us and our works have become a highly popular exhibition because the designers brought their friends. There was one opening that around a few hundred came at once, it’s an effect from Bangkok Design Week that made designs seem more accessible to general people. Aunties can push their food carts past the work. Friends who are not designers are visiting more, unlike before when they think that design works are hard to understand. I feel like this is one of the coolest festivals in Southeast Asia.”  

Behind the “Express” Concept: Not only fast in delivery but customers are satisfied

The concept for the Design PLANT showcase changes every year, depending on the host. In 2021, the concept of the showcase is ‘Domestic’, conditioning the designers to utilise materials within the country to portray the limitations and challenges facing the COVID-19 situation. As for this year, the concept is still about the concern on the pandemic in different aspects. 

“The past 1-2 years, COVID-19 pandemic halted all fair activities which meant that people couldn’t physically see the products in real life. The chance of sales is slim if your products cannot be sold through images or videos. Some designers are creating from their passion and designers who create from the pain point in the market or consumer problems, the latter is currently in high demand. During the pandemic, it became clear that consumer needs have changed, their way of consumption has changed, and fewer people go to the malls.”

“This year, the host is PDM Brand. I want designers to showcase their product designs that relate to anything that has to be delivered during the pandemic. Design PLANT Express 2022 showcases products that are ready to be delivered and sold on an online platform. We are open for products in 5 categories, mother and baby products, electrical appliances, health and beauty products, home appliances, and lifestyle products. These are the categories from our research that are popular on the online marketplace platforms. The other condition is that the products should be able to fit in S, M, L size boxes.”

“We want the designs this year to respond to awaiting group of customers, unlike the previous showcase that focused on new products. I think the products we designed should be valuable to the market and that are functional as well as be admired. I want the designers to consider these aspects as well, not just pretty designs with no sales. With the concept of ‘Express’, I want to challenge the designers to look into how the product is presented through online platforms for the general public to understand.”

For those who are interested in learning more about creative works in business and sparking new ideas, Design PLANT Express is the program for you. Check out the creative works from 44 studios at Creative Space, 5th floor, Thailand Creative & Design Center (TCDC), Grand Postal Building on 5-13 February 2022 at 11.00-22.00      

Design PLANT

Website : design-plant.com

Facebook : facebook.com/Design-PLANT-141504359340956