ATELIER MAYASURA

NOT THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH ‘MAYASURA,’ BUT THOSE WHO HAVE HEARD ABOUT OR ACTUALLY READ THE MAJOR HINDI LITERARY TEXTS WOULD REMEMBER THAT THIS SANSKRIT NAME BELONGS TO ‘THE GOD’S ARCHITECT.’

Not that many people are familiar with “Mayasura,” but those who have heard about or actually read the major Hindi literary texts Ramayana and Mahabharata would remember that this Sanskrit name belongs to the giant who is one of the most interesting characters in the two epics. The name, which translates to ‘the God’s architect,’ is derived from Mayasura’s role of providing architectural advice to Vishwakarma, including the design and creation of the ‘Maya Sabha’ he did for the five Pandava brothers famed for its spectacular ornamentation of stones and gemstones. Judging from his creative track record, it comes as no surprise why the magnificence of the giant became the name of the new furniture showroom in Sukhumvit 31, ‘Atelier Mayasura.’ Founder, Waan Booth, has put together an incredibly eclectic collection that includes lamps and decorative items from the 19^th Century, the Molar Chair by Wendell Castle (1969), one of the most prominent pieces of furniture in the history of design (circa 1940s and 1960s) and the Diamond Chair by Harry Bertoia (1952), among other things. Looking more like a galleria of sculptures than a furniture showroom, one thing that makes Atelier Mayasura stand out is the atelier’s meticulous ‘fixing and upholstering’ of some of the pieces with Thai silk, adding the Thai flair to these foreign works of furniture in the most stylish way.