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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Update & Visitor Guide
Wonder of Fabric Outdoor furniture by 4 Thai designers, made to touch, sit, play, and even play table tennis
Get ready to sit, lie down, and relax on playful, well-made outdoor furniture—from sofas with space for board games to dining tables that turn into ping-pong tables after the meal.This is the return of Wonder of Fabric, a design exhibition by DOTS Design Studio in collaboration with textile specialist Homework Fabric and 70-year furniture manufacturer RES (Kunakij). Four Thai designers were invited to create four outdoor furniture pieces, exploring new potential for fabrics we are familiar with.“We wanted to explore new potential for Homework’s fabrics beyond furniture upholstery or curtains, looking for new techniques and possibilities for the material. This continues from last year, when we invited designers to collaborate at Bangkok Design Week.”Krit Phutpim, founder and designer of DOTS Design Studio, has long been involved with BKKDW. This year, his clear goal is to extend design into real business opportunities, presenting outdoor-ready fabrics developed by Homework to meet local needs during a time when imported fabrics were limited.“This year, we wanted to take a more business-focused approach. We partnered with an outdoor furniture factory, Kunakij Furniture Industry, which mainly works with aluminum and has recently rebranded as RES, focusing on outdoor living. Since our directions align, we decided to collaborate.”This direction also reflects the growing trend of outdoor activities.“We design based on data, from market trends to product development. After COVID-19, we clearly saw that people were looking for outdoor activities to escape staying indoors. When this trend happens, new products and services naturally follow.”The result is four outdoor furniture pieces by Thai designers, on display for hands-on use at the courtyard of House No. 1, Charoenkrung 30. Visitors are invited to sit, lie down, relax, and use the furniture freely.“We want people to interact with our work because we don’t design just to show. We design for real use. People can touch, sit, and use everything. Imagine House No. 1 turning into a pop-up café or resort where visitors can enjoy the space freely.”The collection includes a stylish outdoor sofa set with fabric board games like tic-tac-toe and chess, a dining table redesigned from Kunakij’s iconic chair that also works as a ping-pong table, and two other pieces that change roles, serving as a sun umbrella during the day and a light pole at night.“After this project, we have two hopes. First, that the two factories will work together to develop these products into real businesses, whether for sale or future exhibitions. Second, if the project works well, it could spin off into a new sub-brand created by both factories together.”Learn more about Wonder of Fabric:https://www.bangkokdesignweek.com/bkkdw2026/program/143976Bangkok Design Week 2026 DESIGN S/O/SFull Program : https://www.bangkokdesignweek.com/en/bkkdw2026/program📍29 January – 8 February 2026Charoenkrung – Talat Noi, Phra Nakhon, Pak Khlong Talat, Bang Lamphu – Khaosan, and others
09 Jan 2026
DESIGN S/O/S - It’s time to take action and design our way forward for today and tomorrow.
In a world facing crises from climate change and economic instability to growing inequality, we can’t just wait. This year, we begin creating our own ways to survive and thrive. Because design is not only about beauty, but a force that helps us adapt and move forward with confidence.Do not wait for the crisis to arrive. Now is the time to activate your creative mode and unleash your “survival” ideas you’ve been waiting to “actualize”. Whether you’re a creator, designer, entrepreneur, thinker, dreamer, critic, connector, or doer, this is a call for you to join us. Let’s “take action” in design, and survive — together.No heroes needed. No waiting for someone else to save the day.It’s time to act for our world and our future.S – Secure Domestic Setting new standards, awakening waves that boost the domestic market.“Secure Domestic” is about building a strong foundation and raising the standards of Thai design, while energizing the local market. When Thai people value and choose Thai design, the creative economy becomes a powerful force driving the country forward.This idea goes beyond economics, it’s also about using design to improve our cities and society, helping us move confidently in a constantly changing world.O – Outreach Opportunities Creating new opportunities, fostering collaborations, and confidently taking a step towards the global state.If “Secure Domestic” is the strong foundation, “Outreach Opportunities” is the branch that reaches out to the world — creating new global possibilities. It means Thai designs that speak to people everywhere, collaborations with international brands and institutions, and spaces for sharing ideas and innovation across borders.Design has no boundaries. It’s a universal language that connects us and highlights Thailand’s potential as a true design hub of Asia.S – Sustainable Future Exploring bold and innovative paths to a sustainable future, ready to take on every challenge ahead.Good design doesn’t just respond to the present, it looks toward the future. “Sustainable Future” means using design as a driving force to create new ways for life, cities, and the planet to move forward, helping us face future challenges with confidence and stability.“Design” is not just for a few, it’s a power that moves people, cities, businesses, and the world.It’s time to turn creativity into action and make ideas happen, whether you’re a thinker, dreamer, designer, or doer.
12 Nov 2025
A conversation with Sarawut Panhnu, designer of the Bangkok Design Week 2026 Key Visual
“Thainess” is a concept we all recognize instantly. Yet behind this familiar image lies one of the biggest challenges for designers, “What kind of Thai is it?” and “How can Thai design stand out?”When this idea became part of the theme DESIGN S/O/S for Bangkok Design Week 2026, we couldn’t help but wonder how the festival’s Key Visual designer, Sarawut Panhnu, would interpret it.So today, we sat down with Sarawut to talk about the creative process behind the Bangkok Design Week 2026 Key Visual, from his view of DESIGN S/O/S as a wake-up call to how he infused his signature Thai-pop style into what he calls his first truly serious approach to Key Visual design.Interviewer: Before we get to the Key Visual, let’s go back a bit. When did you first become interested in art and design?Sarawut: It started in early high school. I realized I loved drawing but didn’t know what to study next. When I moved back to my hometown in Lopburi, I found a vocational school with a fine arts program, so I joined. Later, I continued at Poh-Chang Academy of Arts, majoring in traditional Thai painting.Interviewer: Coming from a traditional Thai painting background, how would you describe your current style?Sarawut: I call it Thai Pop — bright, playful, and contemporary, but still rooted in Thai elements like patterns and composition. Some works are satirical or slightly surreal, depending on my mood. My personal pieces often tell small stories from daily life, like a visual diary.The shift happened about seven years ago when I moved back to Lopburi. I used to restore murals in Bangkok, but there wasn’t that kind of work back home. I reconnected with old friends doing street art, graffiti, and other creative work that reflected their own lives. I wanted to do that too — to let art mirror real life. So I began mixing what I loved, like cartoons, books, and old songs, with the traditional techniques I learned at Poh-Chang. It gave me both strong foundations and room to play.Interviewer: When did you first start working in design?Sarawut: I’d done some album covers before, like for Phum Viphurit and H 3 F, and also the opening scene for the series The Believers. Back then, my work was purely painting on canvas — no digital tools at all. I’d scan the finished piece and pass it to the team for further editing.Later, brands started reaching out, and I realized I had to adapt. Paintings weren’t always practical for brand use, which required digital or vector files. So I began learning digital tools, starting with an iPad and gradually moving to vector programs. Friends helped me with techniques, and over time I shifted from canvas to digital — while keeping the brushstroke feel of painting.Interviewer: So this is your first time creating a Key Visual?Sarawut: Not my first design project, but my first time doing it seriously and in full scale.Interviewer: How do you define a Key Visual?Sarawut: I see it as creating the overall mood and identity of a project. Since I’m not trained as a designer, my process is more intuitive — I start by sketching and composing in my own way. Then I collaborate with my graphic designer friends, Dashflash Worldwide and Blue Wave, who help refine the layout, graphics, and details. Through this, I learned a lot about how designers think and work.Interviewer: When you first received the theme DESIGN S/O/S, how did you interpret it?Sarawut: When I first saw the theme DESIGN S/O/S, I felt it was more like a wake-up call – a signal urging Thai designers to rise, think, and create in their own way. And the first person to receive that signal was me. So I wanted to awaken my creativity by building on what I already have: reimagining Thai identity into something new.Interviewer: In a world that’s moving fast and full of challenges, how do you see design as a tool to help us “survive”?Sarawut: I believe design has always been part of our lives — from ads and art to something as simple as a coffee cup. If we want to survive today, we must truly understand what design means.Now, with social media, nothing feels outdated anymore. Everyone understands taste and trends, often without realizing it. Inspiration is everywhere, right in our hands. The world already runs on design — and that’s why I believe design is our way to survive.Interviewer: What does “Thainess” mean to you?Sarawut: For me, Thainess is something close and familiar. It’s part of everyday life, not something distant or abstract. If it’s too far removed, it stops feeling real. Thainess is found in Thai patterns, one of Thailand’s most iconic motifs. It’s all around us, woven into the surroundings we’ve seen all our lives.Interviewer: And what’s the “flavor” of your Thainess?Sarawut: I’d say rainbow flavor (laughs). My work is never fixed. It changes with time and what’s happening around me. Like life — sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter, sometimes spicy. But this year, I’d say it’s rainbow flavor — bright, sweet, and fun.Interviewer: How did you connect DESIGN S/O/S with Thainess in your process?Sarawut: I looked at last year’s event first, since it already explored Thai identity quite a bit. So this year, I focused on my own perspective — reinterpreting Thai patterns, culture, and everyday life I’ve known for over a decade into something more contemporary, playful, and in tune with today’s world.Interviewer: From concept to creation, how did you turn the idea into the Key Visual?Sarawut: I started by researching the word “design” (laughs). Since I didn’t come from a design background, I wanted to understand it better. I realized design is a way of planning life, which made me see Bangkok as a city of design shaped by its people. I brought those stories into the Key Visual and added my own sense of Thainess.If you look closely, you’ll see traditional Thai patterns hidden in the image — not directly, but subtly within the composition. Just like in the past, when these motifs were part of everyday life, I reinterpreted them in a modern way. I began by sketching the concept and layout, then worked with two designers to refine it into a complete piece.Interviewer: Is there a character you like most in the Key Visual?Sarawut: Not really — they all represent real people in Thailand’s creative scene, not fictional ones, so I like them all (laughs). If anything, the Thai pattern itself is the true character of the work. But I’m also drawn to the running figure — it captures movement, energy, and how design lives in people’s everyday lives.Interviewer: Lastly, what would you like to say to those coming to Bangkok Design Week 2026? What can they expect?Sarawut: You’ll see fun works and a new flavor of Thainess you might not have seen before. Some will love it, some maybe not — and that’s okay. I think it should be a space where people can feel differently and freely. Next year, the festival’s flavor might change again, but what will always stay the same is the joy of creating and discovering something new every year.
08 Nov 2025
Announcement of Participant
Announcement of ParticipantBangkok Design Week would like to give a sincere appreciation for all applications. We are delighted that you are a part of this festival. Your participation in Bangkok Design Week 2026 drives the growth of the Creative Industry.List of the Participants for Bangkok Design Week 2026BKKDW2026 Supporters:EM DISTRICTMarc Jacobs ______________________________________BKKDW2026 District HostPak Khlong Talat District: Splendour Solis Co.,Ltd.Phra Nakhon District: OPPORTUS CO., LTD.Bang Lamphu – Khaosan District: Sonjai House Co., Ltd.______________________________________List of BKKDW2026 Program Partners:• ExhibitionFestival Venue103PAPER SHOPA440 Sound LabABSOLUTE BEGINNER CO.,LTDArisara StudioaRoundPBanglamphu everythingbendi-BANGKOKcc.studioCerebrum DesignCommunity Architecture by ArchSUCreative Economy AgencyDECIDEKIT x Humans of Flower Market by ArchSUDek Korat x Pratintip Artist DEmark AWARD, กรมส่งเสริมการค้าระหว่างประเทศ (DITP)Design PLANTEA-CREmbassy of Italy—Italian Cultural InstituteEphemeral SoundsEuangarayaFall Studio Fascinating Bangkok – Art Empowers Enterprises [CHINA]/Nanhai Youth Chamber of Commerce & RUI+ Digital Culture InnovaFlower BloomFlower GardenFriends Making WorkGola GalleryHomework fabricHong Kong in Venice 2025 Roving ExhibitionHumans of Flower Market by ArchSU x PGVIS x WeParkKOLABLee X Kenji X MarkLive Life Detailmarionsiam, AVNWS (THAILAND) CO.,LTD.MEXmflex factoryMitt Mind TreeMoong PattanaMUNIENulty Lighting Design ConsultantsOne to ThreeOpenschoolParnak StudioPART HardwarePBBO X Farmgroup X Veig X HannPDMBRANDPHAYANCHANAPor Laew DeePrem.artisticRERUNNRTUS-BangkokSchool of Architecture, Art, and Design – KMITL, KMITL x Monash UniversitySHERPUBLIQSplendour SolisSUPERNATURESSUTO x Banglamphu EverydayTemple of DuskThan-T x ChoraleeTHINKK TogetherTwinehideViaBusYour Own Venue333Gallery608 GalleryABAC Architecture + Design, Assumption Universityadot°Alexander LamontATT19BANGBAMRUSTUDIOBangpho Creative CommonsBangkok TwinCharoen Life Charoen Ratclick!, คณะสถาปัตยกรรมศาสตร์และการผังเมือง มธ.CODE LifestyleCrystal Design CenterDesign Driven Innovation, FabLab BangkokDesigner of the Year, Faculty of Decorative Arts, Silpakorn UniversityEyedropper FillFaculty of Decorative Arts, Silpakorn University (คณะมัณฑนศิลป์ มหาวิทยาลัยศิลปากร)Farm to Table Fascinating Bangkok – Art Empowers Enterprises [CHINA]Floorament x co-incidence.process.coffeeFlying Fish Coffee CompanygalvaniiGump’s Cross x Canvas and coi+mARCH, Master of Architectural Design, Chulalongkorn UniversityJingshu YingKitt.Ta.KhonKnuckle OliveKoyori Project 2025LivelyhoodMadskill BangkokMahanak AllyMEA SPARK พิพิธภัณฑ์การไฟฟ้าไทยMMAD GalleryMobella GalleriaMontien Hotel Surawong BangkokNeighbourmart x CEANKUST x SU in Partnership with OneBangkok OIC, Mojito EntertainmentOLD DAISY CAFEOp-portusP.tendercoolPakklong Market (2552) Company Limited POMEProject77RTUS-BangkokSchool of Architecture and Design (KMUTT)Sewing Machine MuseumShma x we!parkSilpacheep, Faculty of Decorative Arts, Silpakorn UniversitySingdes Thaicra, Center of Innovation for Society (CIS)Sriwiang GallerySuankularb Wittayalai SchoolSumphat GallerySwinghoodTaiwan Creator AroundThe AA Visiting School BangkokThe XYZ art and culture centerUrban AllyVertierWastemattersWater Sensitive Cities Australia Monash Universitywe!parkXD49 LimitedWomen and Men Progressive Movement Foundation (WMP)เลาะมูลลงโขง, คณะศิลปกรรมศาสตร์ จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย, Broduction___________________________________• Talk Festival VenueBOP Buddy Of ParentsDesign PLANTIALD Southeast AsiaLUKYANGSteve Leung Design Group Ltd.TTALABYour Own VenueA49Floorament x co-incidence.process.coffeeGame Dev HubKnuckle OliveSchool of Architecture and Design (KMUTT)Splendour Solis___________________________________• Workshop Festival VenueChula x UQ Fascinating Bangkok: Art Empowers EnterprisesIkebana S/O/S Workshop + ExhibitionLUKYANGMission EarthNulty Lighting Design ConsultantsratiSAGAWSHERPUBLIQSplendour SolisTHINKK STUDIOYIMSAMERYour Own VenueBangkok Community RadioBanglumphu EverythingFlooramentGachaGlasglow HomedecorGump’s Cross x Analog Sky FlowIsan Wellness SoundscapeKlongsan Makelamunlamai.craftstudioSriwiang GalleryThe Roots Routes ___________________________________• EventFestival VenueBUCA – Bangkok Urban Cycling AllianceCreative House By CEAFascinating Bangkok – Art Empowers Enterprises [CHINA]Flower RunFlower WalkPlayerfromneighborPor Leaw DeeYour Own Venueart4dBanglumphu EverythingBrass Forward: A Decade of MasayaCloud 11 X Documentary ClubDepartment of Industrial Design, Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn UniversityELPA SHAWEntertainment ProjectFaculty of Decorative Arts, Silpakorn University (คณะมัณฑนศิลป์ มหาวิทยาลัยศิลปากร)FlooramentFoundation for child developmentGor.Gor.Nor.Group x WIPGump’s Cross x EkarIsan Wellness SoundscapeKnuckle OliveMarshall LivehouseMic-macOo La LabPGVIMPhilippine Fashion ShowcasePlay SpaceRTUS-BangkokStorywiseTeam Song Wat Board GameUNESCO___________________________________• TourYour Own VenueBanglumphu EverythingFaculty of Tourism And Hospitality, Dhurakij Pundit UniversityICONSIAM x BMA x Op-portus x Urban AllyPhra Nakorn SaejengRTUS-BangkokTermStationTHEPLOCATIONThe Roots Routesพื้นที่อิ่มสุข (Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation (WMP))ริทัศน์บางกอก x เม้าตึก___________________________________• Music & PerformingFestival VenueDo A Lot TeamFascinating Bangkok : Art Empowers EnterprisesYour Own VenueCornea Cochlear Club & Entertainment ProjectIsan BoyMarshall Livehouseฉายอรุณ CHAI – ARUN ___________________________________• MarketFestival Venue1DADA.luckydoggsABEARABLEAELINE CAG47 STUDIOaircraft colaApicchaAri Modular ArtsaveworldBaan Maew MaewBailey BlossomBangOnBASIC TEEORYBlunder StudioCaliiicoCapyperCASOCat Me FiveCharm-learn studioCHECQO.Chofa StudioCLYTIECOMMACOSUNEarl’s LabFeiphet FlawershowerGalagaluiGlasglow HomedecorGOODAFTERNINEGump’s CrossHOM MATABAImluck.inboxStreetwearJIIRA KH EDITIONS (KICK IT TO THE HIGHWAY)KUSULiiktaLily.JoyLocal Made GoodsMachii MonsterMAKINDI TAKOYAKIMAMADManyMuchMoreMarionsiamMAT ARCHERMeMiann StudioMl3printMonjeed – Juice Meets JoyMormormorMr.OmeletORITHAIPeachfulPHAYANCHANAPica StationeryPLAYPlay a lotPloenjaiPoetiqRESINDROMERock Me JewelrySADSANDT Sedar.WSeptem 3D Printed Fashionsmall things matterSONITESpirulina SocietyStudio ToapoSummerstuff.marineTAKIThaCHATRA (ธฉัตร)The PeridotThe Salary DuckTofu FightingTourniqueTTwenty.two.aprilTwo in RowVenacavaWA.Sculpture StudioWastemattersYee Sib EdYume houseZEBRAZZomjeen handmadeคาราเมรุxอ้อยใจชงกะบ๊วยดมตะใจกล้า บ้าบิ่นYour Own VenueKnuckle OliveMarshall LivehousePM Studio x SONJAI HOUSEFor inquiries about festival participation, please contact program.bkkdw@cea.or.th———————Bangkok Design Week 2026Design S/O/S29 Jan – 8 Feb 2026.#BKKDW2026#BangkokDesignWeek#DesignSOS
01 Nov 2025
BANGKOK DESIGN WEEK 2026 DESIGN S/O/S
BANGKOK DESIGN WEEK 2026DESIGN S/O/SIn a world that’s moving faster and facing greater challenges, the question “What can design do?” remains. For us, it’s no longer just a conversation but a signal to act – a call to explore and create tangible solutions for the challenges ahead.This year, Bangkok Design Week 2026 is sending out the signal DESIGN S/O/S, not a call for help, but a declaration that design is the tool and the force that will help us move forward together.S – Secure Domestic : Design to Strive – Setting new standards, awakening waves that boost the domestic market.O – Outreach Opportunities : Design to Offer – Creating new opportunities, fostering collaborations, and confidently taking a step towards the global state.S – Sustainable Future : Design to Survive – Exploring bold and innovative paths to a sustainable future, ready to take on every challenge ahead.In the past, “Thai design” may not have received the recognition it deserved. Today, we invite everyone to see it through a new lens that is playful, adaptable, and contemporary. By reinterpreting Thai roots, from patterns and materials to craftsmanship and traditional techniques, in fresh and innovative ways, we create designs that remain unmistakably Thai. Not by imitating others, but by embracing our own identity — a direction that Bangkok Design Week continues to champion as it brings Thai design onto the global stage.Bangkok Design Week 2026 invites you to tap into your creative energy and start making things happen. Don’t wait for challenges to come, turn your ideas into something real.No matter who you are, a creator, a designer, an entrepreneur, a thinker, a dreamer, a critic, a connector or a doer, it’s time to take action and design our way forward, together across Bangkok.📍29 January – 8 February 2026Key Visual: DESIGN S/O/S designed by Sarawut Panhnu#BKKDW2026#BangkokDesignWeek#DesignSOS
22 Oct 2025
BKKDW2026 Open Call
Open Call for ApplicationNow – 30 September 2025“BKKDW is a platform where creators can showcase their potential through design and creative works in a variety of programs that blend harmoniously with the urban context.”Bangkok Design Week 2026 (BKKDW2026) launches its 9th edition from 29 January to 8 February 2026, under the theme Design S/O/S. Creative battlefields are activating across Bangkok, empowering professional and emerging talents from every discipline, armed with diverse weapons of ideas spreading citywide. The festival will forge new alliances, expand into global markets, and create proving grounds where bold ideas come to life. Together, we will build a city resilient and ready to face any challenge through the power of design.The festival invites everybody from all walks of life who believes in the power of action to come together to use creativity as a power against the crises and find new, intangible solutions.BKKDW2026 will be held across the areas of various districts in Bangkok. It is open for participation in various forms, including showcase & exhibitions, talks, workshops, events, music and performing arts, tours, markets, promotions, and projects.Those who are interested in participating can refer to the details and apply here: https://www.bangkokdesignweek.com/en/bkkdw2026/get-involved/program-partner Download PDF: Participation handbookhttps://bit.ly/BKKDW2026-OpenCall-EN For more information on the participation in the festival, please contact: program.bkkdw@cea.or.thFollow us www.bangkokdesignweek.comFB/IG: bangkokdesignweek X: @BKKDesignWeekLine: @bangkokdesignweek#BKKDW2026#BangkokDesignWeek#DesignSOS
15 Aug 2025
