FLO, THE THAI FURNITURE BRAND, IS CELEBRATING ITS NINTH ANNIVERSARY WITH A DESIGN SHOWCASE FEATURING THE EVOLUTION OF CONCEPTS AND FURNITURE OVER THE YEARS
TEXT: WICHIT HORYINGSAWAD
PHOTO: KETSIREE WONGWAN
(For Thai, press here)
Nine years have passed since FLO introduced its furniture collections to both domestic and international markets. Hundreds of the company’s creations have found their way into people’s lives and serve various functional and aesthetic purposes in all types of spaces. FLO is celebrating its ninth anniversary by organizing a design showcase that features the evolution of concepts and the production of furniture collections that the brand has developed over the years, from late May to July 2023. The exhibition titled “Nine Years of FLO” presents a comprehensive overview of FLO’s visions, sentiments, philosophy, and interests, as well as technical and material solutions. The curatorial program is structured into four distinct zones, occupying the spaces of FLOHOUSE, the brand’s showroom situated on Soi Sukhumvit 36 Street, which was officially opened last year.
Displayed on the first floor of FLOHOUSE is the first zone of the exhibition, ‘Collaborations,’ an experimental project initiated by FLO as a part of the celebration of the brand’s ninth anniversary where five teams of designers are invited to contribute their creative concepts and design products in domains that FLO has not yet explored. Naphakard’s UU stool and bar stool appears in the exhibition space at the front. The minimalist form of the piece incorporates an oriental aesthetic, reminiscent of the brand’s previous work, Sora. The design of a series of black and white stools were developed from a core concept that aimed to utilize as few structural elements as possible, resulting in the use of round pipes, inspired by the ones commonly found in children’s playground equipment. Ease Studio employs their expertise in embroidery and textiles to craft a vibrant bedding collection called Envelop. The product’s name suggests a design that is ‘easy to open’, with details that make it more convenient to change and clean.
UU Stool by Naphakard
Envelop by ease studio
The UBA Lamp, which is on display nearby, was initially developed by Pana Object with the aim of repurposing wood scraps generated during furniture production. The name “Uba” is derived from an ornamental part of a garland from which the lamp’s intertwined elements and arrangement of wooden pieces had drawn inspiration. The lamp has been designed to complement Flow’s Dinsor collection.
UBA Lamp by Pana Object
Sarnsard’s lamp collection highlights the weaving techniques of local artisans in Trang province, Thailand. The collection includes a table lamp, floor lamp, and pendant that feature the intricate ‘Lai Ba’ pattern known for its complex and elaborate details. Khit. Ta. Khon, a designer with an interest in cultural integration in craft, designs a new version of the previously released Fat Boy Chair. The work, titled ‘Nine,’ showcases a newly crafted pattern that reinterprets the graphical elements of the FLO logo.
The lamps that feature the intricate ‘Lai Ba’ pattern by Sarnsard
Nine by Khit.Ta.Khon
The upper floor of FLOHOUSE is where the remaining two zones of the exhibition are located. Void, The Origin features the story behind FLO’s debut collection, Void (2014). The collection was based on the graduation thesis that Naroot Pitisongswat, the founder and design director of FLO, completed in 2012, which focuses on studying and experimenting with different types of joinery for materials such as wood and steel.
Naroot Pitisongswat, the founder and design director of FLO
The following zone, referred to as Continuous FLO, showcases the brand’s design developments through each of the collections over the last past nine years. It includes work such as Join Chair/Join Sofa (2014), developed from the Void collection (2014), with highlighted details of the pieces’ seamless wooden and steel joineries. The works also presents the textural attributes of wood and the contrasting lightness and strength of steel structures, which are integrated into the material chosen for the chairs’ upholstery.
(Left) Join Sofa (2014), (Right) Join Chair (2014)
Join Chair (2014)
The Pokky Stool and Pokky Chair, created in 2015, feature a striking combination of wood and steel joinery. The designs incorporated continuous lines of flowing, curved forms, resulting in the pieces’ weightless appearances and unique gimmicks inspired by the shape of a popular snack. The Blend Armchair, released in 2015, utilizes the same woodworking and steel joinery techniques as the Pokky Chair to achieve a sleek and slender design. The Angle Stool (2016) centers on the idea of easily dismantled joinery, which makes the piece easier to repair and more affordable in price.
(Left) Pokky Chair (2015), (Right) Pokky Stool (2015)
(From left to right) Angle Stool (2016), Blend Armchair (2015), Pokky Chair (2015), Pokky Stool (2015)
The Dinsor Dining Chair (2016) is another product of woodworking joinery techniques. The chair’s design highlights the artisans’ skills and abilities by enhancing the impressive details of the joints, delivering a delicate and lightweight structure while maintaining minimalistic attributes. The Frame Armchair (2020) employs the single finger joint technique to achieve a seamless connection between the leg frame and armrests. The Timber Armchair (2022) is crafted from natural oak wood and designed with simplicity and stackability in mind, making it a practical piece that requires a minimal amount of storage space.
(Left) Frame Armchair (2020), (Right) Dinsor Stool (2019)
The Edge Armchair (2022) features extra pieces of wood at the armrests that provide a sense of enclosure for users while additionally strengthening the chair’s sturdiness and aesthetic appeal. During the COVID-19 lockdown, FLO and Propaganda’s coloration led to the birth of the D Chair Collection (2020). The sketches and lines of Propaganda were met with FLO’s expertise in materials and techniques to create a chair that stands out from other FLO creations.
(From left to right) Edge Armchair (2022), Timber Armchair (2022), Palin Small Stool (2020), Palin High Stool (2020), D Chair (2020)
D Chair (2020)
The Furnist Zone, located indoors next to the warehouse, recounts the brand’s history and body of work dating back to 1994. The exhibition is curated into a timeline that highlights the various developments, problems, and obstacles that Furnish went through before it evolved into FLO in 2014. This part of the exhibition illustrates the very foundation of the FLO, highlighting their vast experience and incredible expertise in furniture design and manufacturing.
