Assoc Prof Supreedee Rittironk has had a special interest in bamboo, so he decided to research the plant during his PhD in architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology in the US. After returning to Thailand, he became a lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Thammasat University, Rangsit Center. In 2010, he launched an elective class called Bamboo Studio for fourth-year students.
Feel Fan, designed by Supakorn Buaban. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)
"Bamboo is a wonderful material, but many Thais do not recognise its value. It is often associated with poverty due to its use in local huts, temporary shelters and bamboo litter. Bamboo Studio aims to cultivate more bamboo architecture in Thailand to promote this versatile material. In the past 14 years, we have organised 14 classes of bamboo designers/architects with each batch consisting of 10 to 12 students. The teaching approach of Bamboo Studio is research-based and hands-on design and construction," explained Assoc Prof Supreedee.
To demonstrate new ideas and cutting-edge concepts for bamboo as well as display designs to the public, students from the 13th and 14th classes of Bamboo Studio are showcasing furniture designs at the exhibition "Innovalu" at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC).
Piyathida Tha-it, a student from Bamboo Studio, explained that "Innovalu" is a wordplay that combines the English word innovation with the Thai word valu, which means bamboo. As a result, "Innovalu" means bamboo innovation.
"The exhibition is a showcase which will hopefully encourage people to become interested in the uses of bamboo. It also displays the skilled workmanship that designers from Bamboo Studio have created. People will have a chance to view creative furniture made from bamboo they have never seen before. There is a utilisation of unique and innovative techniques to create furniture. Some pieces may incorporate structural materials to provide support. The furniture, which utilises various types of bamboo including culms, strips, woven bamboo, bent bamboo and more, is created from the ideas and abilities of designers," said Piyathida.
Assoc Prof Supreedee Rittironk, the founder of Bamboo Studio.
Assoc Prof Supreedee added: "The objective of 'Innovalu' is to showcase new ideas of bamboo furniture displayed as art, but also functional and realistic pieces. The exhibition also demonstrates the versatility of bamboo beyond typical furniture commonly seen in traditional settings. While innovative bamboo furniture can be seen in many countries, it is not as prevalent in Thailand. Bamboo is one of Thailand's local materials. It is important to highlight what Thai designers can accomplish with bamboo."
"Innovalu" displays 19 pieces of furniture and a couple of architectural models designed by aspiring architects. Some highlighted pieces are Lamai Chair, Vilan, Hug and Feel Fan.
Designed by Chayaporn Kositsakul, Lamai Chair is a functionally designed chair that showcases the elegant curves of bamboo. A special feature of Lamai Chair is that its backrest can be adjusted to three different angles -- 90, 120 or 180 degrees. This allows it to transform into a reclining chair or a bed, adaptable to various needs and purposes.
Another bamboo designer, Wanwisa Wongruangmas, has three cats, so she designed Vilan to be a space for interaction between owners and their cats. Wanwisa explained that cats like to sit on their owner's chairs, so she wanted to create a chair that cats could share with their owner. The chair features platforms that cats can jump up to and sit or lie on. Dangling from several locations around the top area of the chair are bamboo toys designed to resemble balls of yarn for the cat to play with. The seat is constructed from multiple pieces of bamboo which Wanwisa guarantees to be very strong and stable.
Vilan by Wanwisa Wongruangmas.
Due to stress from studying, Darin Saensamran was inspired to design Hug. Darin explained that the concept of Hug is to provide comfort and warmth to chair users who may feel lonely. When users sit on this chair, they will feel like they are being hugged.
Feel Fan designed by Supakorn Buaban is a large bamboo chair with curved lines that can accommodate people sitting together. Supakorn was inspired to create a chair that serves multiple functions, allowing many people to sit or lie down beside each other. Supakorn mentioned that he and four or five of his friends used to sit together on Feel Fan, demonstrating its practicality.
At Bamboo Studio, students also learn about the strengths and weaknesses of bamboo. As a bamboo expert, Assoc Prof Supreedee explained that bamboo is lightweight and flexible, but has strong fibres. It can be used within three years after planting but will be at its strongest in the fourth year. This is what makes bamboo a sustainable resource as it grows quickly compared to timber or other kinds of wood which take 20 to 25 years to mature. However, if bamboo is not treated properly, it can break easily and be susceptible to damage from moths and termites.
With the right knowledge and practice, many students at Bamboo Studio turned their ideas into designs and achieved recognition through several international awards. These accolades include winning the third prize at the 5th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao-Greater Bay Area ASEAN International Colleges Design & Construction Competition for Half Pavilion and an honourable mention award at the 2022 International Bamboo Pavilion Design in Vietnam for Fantastic Five.
Students from Bamboo Studio at the Faculty of Architecture and Planning at Thammasat University.
Piyathida, a member of the design team who created Fantastic Five, believes that Bamboo Studio helped her win the award and being part of the project has been a worthwhile experience.
"We gained a deep understanding of bamboo because we learned the process of cultivation, the method of caring for bamboo, and the various ways it can be utilised. We have acquired both theoretical knowledge and practical skills by engaging in hands-on activities and creating real works. The hands-on experience has allowed us to learn about and understand bamboo even more, enabling us to accomplish things we have never done before. We have encountered challenges and learned from mistakes, working together as a team. This helps us gain new ideas and techniques from each other, which we believe is truly valuable," said Piyathida.
The final project in Bamboo Studio involves every student designing and building together such as a pavilion, a sculpture or a bridge. The projects are constructed at a location chosen by a sponsor. Through these practical projects, some students established architectural design companies which focus on using bamboo as their main construction material including Bamboosaurus Studio and Giant Grass Design Studio.
Piyathida hopes that the exhibition will encourage people to see the potential of bamboo from new and different perspectives. At the same time, Assoc Prof Supreedee aims to raise awareness about bamboo designs.
"I hope the exhibition will bring more awareness of bamboo designs either in architecture, furniture, craft or art. I hope that the government will recognise the importance of this material, and provides support in terms of policies and funding for research and projects. Hence, Thailand can compete with other countries like Vietnam, Indonesia or China that know and use bamboo resourcefully. This will also benefit bamboo producers and bamboo entrepreneurs and boost the economy."
"Innovalu" by Bamboo Studio runs at People's Gallery, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre until Sunday. Admission is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/tectbamboostudio.
'Innovalu' displays bamboo furniture designed by aspiring architects.
Lamai Chair designed by Chayaporn Kositsakul.
An architectural model.
