Bangkok Design Festival: Two weeks crammed with creativity

Another day, another festival, this time the third-annual Bangkok Design Festival, which officially opens October 8. The theme of this year’s event is “Balancing the Future,” with a focus on creativity and sustainability.

Not to mention bulk. Running from October 21, the festival includes a whopping 27 different events, including exhibitions from local and international designers and students as well as workshops spread around various Bangkok venues. (Some of the exhibitions have already begun and will run beyond the official closing date of the festival.)

The events all look pretty cool, though some of the workshops will likely appeal solely to the city’s professional design community. Not that that’s a bad thing. It is, after all, a “design” festival.

Here are a few of our top picks that will satisfy pros and laymens alike:  
Thainess

Krit Sangvichien’s “Thainess” arose from his unwillingness to see Thailand as a follower of other traditions when it has characteristics, style and talenta all its own – that is in no way inferior to those of other countries. The exhibition is described as a cultural experiment in finding the meaning of “Thainess” in today’s world.

Until October 14, Siam Paragon

What is your Dream Museum?

The BMuse organization initiated the project "Museum without boundaries" to shrink the distance between museums and society and to research ways to improve Thai museums to match changing lifestyles. This exhibition is based on responses to their recent survey that found that most people prefer to spend their free time in entertainment venues like cinemas or department stores.

October 12-18, Bangkok Art and Culture Center

“I am a Thai Graphic Designer”

Organized by Practical Studio, the exhibition contains over 1,000 works from graphic designers all over the country. Each work is presented using photographs of each designer holding a plate with his/her own design of the phrase “I am a Thai Graphic Designer” collected from the project. A seminar, talk and workshop are also part of the exhibition. 

Until October 11, Siam Discovery

Illustration Posters by Takashi Akiyama

This exhibition features over 40 posters by the Japanese visual communicator, Takashi Akiyama, a graphic design professor at Tama Art University. Akiyama is famous for communicating stories with illustrations that convey profound meanings, beyond words.

October 12-18, Siam Discovery

Abundant Australia

This exhibition features architectural models from Australia's "Abundant Australian" pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale.
It showcases over 160 pieces of architectural models created by Australia’s famous architects and designers such as Alex Popov Architects, Ashton Raggott McDougall, Denton Corker Marshall, Fairweather Proberts Architects, Iredale Pedersen Hook, Kennedy Nolan, Kerstin Thompson Architects and Wood Marsh Architecture.

Until October 17, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

For the full schedule of exhibitions and events, including maps to the venues, visit the Bangkok Design Festival website.