Despite the rough start to its fourth edition, Bangkok Design Week 2021 managed to rearrange its schedule last month by offering several online talks which allowed visitors to participate from home and drew 100,000 visitors to its site.
Moving forward, it has turned its focus to an interesting lineup of on-site exhibitions and activities aiming to instil hope and boost the local economy during the ongoing pandemic. Last week, a troop of artists and designers from different fields showed off their creativity through a collection of astonishing artworks, digital installations and design products that brought galleries, cafes and iconic buildings around Charoen Krung and Talad Noi back to life under the theme of "Resurgence Of Possibilities".
For example, the "Bangkok Projection Mapping Competition 2021", a collaboration between Yimsamer and Epson Thailand, boasted cheerful motion graphics under the concept of "Wish" by 19 artist teams and 5 studios from around the world.
Simultaneously, "Eyedropper Fill" and "Occo" transformed River City Bangkok into a mobile clinic, where visitors can undergo mental health assessment through an interactive art installation. Thanks to good feedback, this project is being developed as a self-exploration space that integrates technology and knowledge on a new platform.
"As a result of the Covid-19 situation, 130 to 150 cities have opted to cancel their annual design week festivals this year. However, we are working on our schedule and extending the duration. Under new preventive measures, our event is running from May 8 to July 31, with some programmes cancelled to ensure safety. In June, we are focusing on physical events and the theme of 'Resurgence Of Possibilities' in our daily lives," said Apisit Laistrooglai, executive director of Creative Economy Agency.
Crowdcheck.info is designed as a preventive tool so that visitors can check real-time crowd density in public areas. Photo © Bangkok Design Week 2021
"This year's Bangkok Design Week features around 200 designers, artists and creators and features venues from Charoen Krung to Sam Yan, Ari-Phadipat and Thong Lor-Ekamai. This is a hybrid of online and on-site events. We hope to attract 150,000 to 200,000 visitors and generate 30 to 50 million baht in trading."
On view until July 31 at TCDC, the "Made In Charoenkrung Project 2" blends the skills of older generations with innovative ideas of the young generations to develop the "Goodies Of Charoenkrung District" collection, ranging from food and beverages to drugs and handicraft.
This is a collective effort between eight designers to help eight local entrepreneurs survive in the current commercial environment. For instance, the 90-year-old Kwang Seng Lhong shop was one of the pioneers of the wood bucket market on Songwat Road. With a simple design, they were durable and functional for daily life and Chinese immigrants used them to store milled rice and ferment soybean or liquor before it was replaced with plastic in modern days.
To add value and celebrate local wisdom, Kwang Seng Lhong teams up with O-D-A studio in developing a collection of luxury wood buckets adorned with brass and copper accents, two compartments and lids that can be used as kitchenware or home decorative items.
The old and young generations are sharing their expertise to create a new collection of 'Goodies Of Charoenkrung District'. Photos © Bangkok Design Week 2021
Meanwhile, the 60-year-old Tia Nguan Hieng store has joined hands with Sauce Studio to create new grab-and-go style packages for its famous crispy pork to appeal to urbanites and young customers. Inspired by fortune cookies, the store offers 17 kinds of crispy pork, pork sticks and dried shredded pork in red zipper bags adorned with a motif of auspicious pigs. Customers also get a personal fortune inside, making them a popular gift during the Chinese New Year celebrations.
Famous for its variety of fresh herbal drinks that are good for the heart and help lower blood sugar, the 90-year-old Huatou Yanwoyun shop in collaboration with Nosh.nosh Project has expanded its product line to include bubble milk tea. Using traditional recipes, their pearls are a mixture of bitter herbal beverages and honey or coconut sugar that can alleviate aphthous ulcers.
Another highlight includes crowdcheck.info, an online map created as a preventive tool to assist visitors to plan their art tours. It's the latest innovation from Op-Portunist X Everyday Architect & Design Studio, aiming to make full-fledged social distancing measures easier in real life. Using Bluetooth signals, this web-based platform doesn't only serve as a navigator but also allows visitors to check real-time crowd density in public areas in order to avoid long lines.
The old and young generations are sharing their expertise to create a new collection of 'Goodies Of Charoenkrung District'. Photos © Bangkok Design Week 2021
It will display the number of people and analyse it in relation to the building's capacity on a floor by floor basis. The data is directly sent to the cloud server to reduce privacy threats.
When viewing a programme, visitors can zoom in to a specific location and see four different coloured signs -- green means 50% of space is still available, light blue indicates 75% of the venue is full, pink means you to wait a while before being able to enter, and red indicates that the venue has reached capacity.
From July 3-11, the "Common Air-rea" project will transform Samyan Mitrtown into a green learning centre and gathering space that brings nature and innovation together under one roof. Supported by the Electricity Development Fund, it will use an advanced air filter to improve air quality and solar cells to generate electricity, making it a prototype of eco-friendly common public space in the future.
On the third floor, the "New Interpretation Of Face Wear Design" exhibition will showcase a collection of 26 works from the Mask Design Competition that reflects lifestyle, belief, culture and social issues during Covid-19.
To offer a smart solution for a new normal life, the highlights are the Go Eaze mask that can double as a sleep mask for travellers, the Green Mask which uses plants to purify the air, and the Terrarium Solution mask with simulated ecosystems to generate personal oxygen.
Find out more details at bangkokdesignweek.com.
Next month, the 'New Interpretation Of Face Wear Design' exhibition will boast 26 creative works that reflect our lifestyles during the Covid-19 crisis. Photo © TK 6D
The old and young generations are sharing their expertise to create a new collection of 'Goodies Of Charoenkrung District'. Photos © Bangkok Design Week 2021
