25 Way Finding Puzzle: G49 @ TCDC

For those who might not know, Graphic 49 - one of the best graphic design companies in town, is a kind of sister company of our allzone. :) Of course, if our sister has a good news, we would like to share with you.

Last month, G49 was awarded from SEGD (the society of environmental graphic design) as one of 7 best Honor Award of 2007 from their work in Thailand Creative and Design Center (TCDC). ---> Bravo Bravo!

The concept of the environmental graphic design of TCDC comes from their uncertain program and flexlible use of space. G49 proposes a jigsaw-puzzle like system signage system which can be rearranged upon the programs.


The conceptual diagrams:






Luckily, the architect left many empty huge metal claded wall. G49 use it as a signage 'space' where the puzzle can be played. The pieces are able to become a directory board, mapping the space planning of the center --> very intellgent. Because with one system of these pieces you can make directional sign, information sign and directory board altogether... :O

This is a directory board.


Each puzzle piece is designed within a modular system that can be put together in every direction - of course like a jigsaw puzzle.





The directional sign system.

The pieces are made of synthetic PVC, very simple to produce in a low-tech factory. This PVC piece is also embeded with a small magnet, so that it will stay and be taken from the metal claded walls.


The way it is made looks like making a small cake. :)


The installation at TCDC before it was officially open in December 2005.


The overall atmosphere of TCDC with the 'Way Finding Puzzle'.


Isn't it very cute and intelligent? :)




Unfortunately even before G49 received the award for this work, TCDC administation team removed most of the signage and directory board made out of this puzzles away. The reason is simply 'too complicate to handle'. Of course, a design skill is required for the new functions or events that need new signages... Maybe they don't have enough the skill - Viva Thailand 'design' center.

Ettore Sottsass says: "A good design is like the possibility of going to the moon - very few people will have the opportunity to experience it directly but its existence will change the lives of millions."

I guess not even 'design' people in our country understand this yet....

If you want to read more about it, I write an article on the project for art4d magazine, April 2007 issue, "Way Find Game".

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21 NABA: Nuova Accademia di Belli Arti Milano

The official reason for me to be in Italy during the first two weeks of May was to give a lecture at NABA: Nuova Accademia di Belli Arti Milano. It is a private, small, interesting design academy in Milan, in the area near Romolo station - quite nice. The school is located in the building compound where there is also an Italian language school. The school offers many interesting academic programs including exchange programs with design schools from all over the world. One of the most interesting features about the school is that all professors are part-time. They have a real design practice outside school. In this way, the students would gain a lot of benefits from professor's experience, worldview and connections. Here is the link--> www.naba.it

The school compound.

This is the exhibition of the students during Salone del Mobile in Milan (Milan Furniture Fair) 2007.

I was invited by Anna Barbara who is the director of Fashion & Textile program of the school. Actually Anna is an architect (also a very good friend of mine) who has been working on 'sense in architecture'. She just published a book "Invisible Architecture: Experiencing Places through the Sense of Smell" with Anthony Perliss by Skira Publishing House, in both English and Italian. Very interesting indeed. Domus Magazine (May 2007) just gave a very positive review on the book too.



The series of the lecture is called 'Mecoledi at NABA" (Wednesday at NABA. Every Wednesday they invite interesting people to give a lecture. I was there to give a lecture with Chi Ti Nan from Taiwan.


My lecture was on "Dressing the Environment". It was part of my research with the students in my Asian Architecture Class, "Fragile Wall", which is an investigation on non-permanent elements in Asian Architecture. In a way, textile or textile-like material is often used in this kind of creation of space / environment. It is not yet a very concrete theory on anything, it is more 'work-in-progress' investigation on the subject.

'Tung' decorations that signifies sacred space.

A life-extension ceremony in the north of Thailand, where sacred space is created through the grid of sacred ropes tied with a Buddha Image.


A Market in Taichung, Taiwan, with the movable textile roof - my favourite example!

A small tent for Prilgrim Buddhist Monks.

I also showed some of our design works, but some of you already knew.. so useless to show here.
Then Chi Ti-Nan gave a lecture on 'Micro-Urbanism'. It is his theory about urbanism in a small scale inspired also by the theory of Feng-Shui and I-Ching of Taoism applied with our contemporary city condition. He has been explored the theory through practice and workshops for some time. He has a very interesting website: http://www.microurbanism.net/

This is his Micro urbanism project in Istanbul. It is small square in the middle of downtown.

Chi's research on Nanging, China.


Our lecture ended in the heavy rains... Unbelievably heavy...At the end of the lecture I also met a Thai student who studying there. Very nice. But did not have a chance to talk much to him because people were waiting for us for a dinner. :(

Although altogether my lecture and Chi's lecture were a bit strange for those young Italian students, hope they got some idea/image of what is going on the other side of the world. Until next time. :)

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04 Young Asian Architects (again)

Few weeks without blog update. Towards the end of the year, things are hectic and the days are full of celebrations. Finally real holidays started today.

We were able to find a copy of 'Young Asian Architects' in another Kinokuniya Store at the Emporium few days after we went to the one at Siam Paragon. (Wondering why they were not able to check that there were some more copies in the other branch....useless to think. I always agrue with these people who work without knowing what their jobs are!)
Anyway, we are very happy with our few pages here:









They are our two exhibition projects few years ago. Both are the exhibition design for the annual exposition of The Association of Siamese Architects (ASA). We won the competitions for both exhibitions (2004 and 2005). Actually we also won the one of 2006, but that is another story.

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