Tomohiko Yamanashi | Photo: Don Amatayakul
ART4D SPEAKS WITH TOMOHIKO YAMANASHI, ARCHITECT OF NIKKEN SEKKEI, TO EXPLORE ALL THE THINGS CONCEALED IN HIS WORK, INCLUDING SCIENCE, CULTURE, SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE ROLE OF THE ARCHITECT IN THE FUTURE, WHERE CLIMATE CHANGE WILL BE THE MAJOR CHALLENGE OF THE COMING DECADE
ABIE ABDILLAH, INDONESIAN FURNITURE DESIGNER FROM STUDIO HIJI, COMBINES INDONESIAN CRAFT WITH AMERICAN HARDWOOD TO CREATE AN CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE DESIGN WITH A LOCAL VALUE
A DESIGN LAB WITH THE INTENTION TO TRANSFORM ABANDONED RECYCLED AND ECO-FRIENDLY MATERIALS INTO HOME DECORATION AND FURNITURE, ILLUSTRATING THE ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF DESIGN THAT ARE BOTH FRIENDLY TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND CATER TO DESIGN LOVERS
DECHA ARCHJANANUN FROM THINKK STUDIO INTRODUCES TEN INTERESTING WORKS FROM DUTCH DESIGN WEEK 2022 IN THE NETHERLANDS WHICH CONCLUDED LAST OCTOBER. THE FESTIVAL FOCUSES ON RESEARCH AND DESIGN PROJECTS RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WHICH ARE A MAINSTREAM TREND IN DESIGN INDUSTRIES ACROSS COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING THAILAND
ART4D BROUGHT YOU TO THE 25TH SOUTHEAST ASIA AND GREATER CHINA CONVENTION WHICH GATHERED EXPERTS THROUGHOUT THE INDUSTRY TO PRESENT INTRIGUING ASPECTS OF HARDWOOD AND THE HARDWOOD INDUSTRY, ESPECIALLY THE AMERICAN HARDWOOD
GET TO KNOW CPAC GREEN SOLUTION, AN INTEGRATION OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND COMPREHENSIVE CONSTRUCTION INNOVATION, WHICH EASIER THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS AND PAVE THE WAY TO SUSTAINABILITY
PHOTO COURTESY OF WATSUK ARCHITECT STUDIO
(For Thai, press here)
WHO
Watsuk Architect Studio is an architectural practice with a focus on creating a design that exists in syn-chronization with its own context through an incorporation of nature, environment, people’s ways of life and needs, to enable a sustainable coexistence of all elements. That’s the concept behind Watsuk Architect Studio’s origin.
WHAT
Watsuk Architect Studio is an architectural practice with a focus on creating a design that exists in syn-chronization with its own context through an incorporation of nature, environment, people’s ways of life and needs, to enable a sustainable coexistence of all elements. That’s the concept behind Watsuk Architect Studio’s origin.
House Farm
WHEN
Founded in 2020 with the mindset to develop my own style of architecture, the actual beginning of the prac-tice dates back to my study at the Faculty of Architecture, Kasetsart University where the notion and prac-tice of sustainability has always been an integral part of my architectural education. All of the works I cre-ated during my school years were environmentally conscious and put a great deal of consideration on cre-ating usable and livable spaces for everyone. Then I had a chance to work in a design firm with a really well-organized and managed thought process, and gradually I garnered experiences and created works toward my own intended direction.
House Farm
WHERE
I’m currently based in Chonburi and I operate as a freelancer.
WHY
We’re living in the time when architecture is very diverse and people are offered greater alternatives to find a designer or architect that best suits their preferences. I believe that the typologies of residential buildings are different but there certain commonalities they all need to deliver, which include convenience and sus-tainability. Everyone should develop and learn together because it is both challenge and fun; experiencing something with the people who share the same interests as you.
Brick Cafe
Brick Cafe
How would you define creativity?
The future. I think creativity is a path leading us to the future. The development of small possibilities or even impossibilities that can benefit a society more or less; that can inspire myself and others to create even more and greater developments.
Junjao The Pool Villa Resort Diagram
Junjao The Pool Villa Resort Section & Diagram
Junjao The Pool Villa Resort Plan
Describe your practice in three words.
Emphatic I good environment I happiness.
Where do you go, or what do you do when you get stuck on a project?
Doing what I like is what I find to be a very good solution. I would draw, just about anything, and ideas would just come up. Sometimes, I would watch a movie on Netflix and some of the dialogues would catch my attention and became inspirations for me to think about my work. There was this one time where I worked on a project with my friend and our client said, “I got the inspiration behind the design of this resort from a song I was listening to. The album cover is this scene of a barbeque party in front of a house. I like how that image feels.” I think doing something else besides working really helps with how I find inspiration.
What project are you most proud of?
I’m proud of every work I did because each of them have their own context whether it’s the location, re-quirements, users or ecosystem. The Jan Jao Resort, for example, isn’t that visually striking in terms of design, but there is this quintessential Thai characteristic that makes it distinctive, as well as the experi-ences of being closer to nature it offers its users that are somehow healing.
If you could invite any creative out for coffee, who would you choose and why?
I really can’t choose. I want to invite designers from different fields so we can have a discussion about new ideas, issues and possible future directions of what we can do, and how our works can evolve. That would be interesting.
