"One Bangkok" reinforces its vision of evolving Bangkok through creativity with the "Seatscape & Beyond Open Studio" exhibition at Bangkok Design Week 2023. This exhibition features designs from the 10 winning teams of the One Bangkok Urban Furniture Competition 2022, where all 10 public seating designs will be produced, installed, and utilized in various areas throughout the One Bangkok project.

Mr. Worawart Srisaan, Deputy CEO of One Bangkok (second from left) stated that One Bangkok prioritizes sustainable urban development and continuously supports arts and culture, committed to advancing the city in a friendly manner through art. It aims to enhance the economic value of creativity for the city and community, with over 50 rai of public and green spaces being a crucial component accessible to everyone. One Bangkok has designed these areas to serve as urban relaxation spots and recreational spaces, offering experiences of art and culture through public art that reflects the identity and stories of the area while contributing to the development of artists and promoting the creative industry.

Ms. Jarintip Chumuenwai, Chief Curator and Executive of Arts and Culture at One Bangkok mentioned that good urban design should facilitate quality lifestyles and the development of a healthy environment, especially in Bangkok, a city rich in diversity with residential areas, tourist attractions, and green spaces for relaxation. One Bangkok is like another city that integrates various spaces within a single project, opening up public areas through over 50 rai of green space featuring more than 29 species of Thai plants and over 2 kilometers of art pathways. The design connects indoor spaces through walkways, ensuring safety standards, embracing technology, and filled with art and cultural pathways. The project will also incorporate the Sala Daeng Telegraph Station building to narrate the historical context of the area while blending modernity. This building will serve as a venue for artists and designers to utilize the space, along with experimental art areas and public art collections to bring vibrancy to the city every day.

Regarding the concept of developing quality urban spaces through public realms and artistic and cultural activities at One Bangkok, during the discussion event Public Realm | Public Art | Public Culture, it was stated that "Good urban design should facilitate quality lifestyles and the development of a healthy environment through the project's artistic and cultural programs, coloring everyday life with art and culture."

In collaboration with THINKK Studio, One Bangkok organized the "Seatscape & Beyond Open Studio" exhibition to present a collection of public seating designed by the 10 winning teams of the One Bangkok Urban Furniture Competition 2022 "Seatscape & Beyond." Visitors can experience prototypes and the development process behind the designs, with winners having the opportunity to participate in in-depth workshops with experts, receive consultations, and collaborate closely with professional designers over the past six months until the designs are produced, installed, and utilized in the public areas of One Bangkok. This nurtures skills and techniques in production, creating a standout portfolio as a stepping stone towards becoming professional designers in the design industry.

Recently, three special awards for outstanding development were announced from the 10 teams, instilling pride in being part of a new generation of designers who gained experience working on a global project like "One Bangkok." Every 2-3 years, One Bangkok plans to organize design competitions for furniture development with varying themes, ready to support future realities.

"One Bangkok hopes to encourage people to utilize the spaces within the project, which is the motivation behind this furniture design development. Chairs are essential for allowing visitors to rest, attracting them to spend more time in the area. After this, we will produce and install all 10 designs in the public areas of One Bangkok, marking the first collection with the project's launch in early 2024," Ms. Jarintip concluded.

Ms. Ploypan Teerachai and Mr. Decha Arjunanant, designers and founders of THINKK Studio, advisors for the One Bangkok Urban Furniture Competition 2022 "Seatscape & Beyond" stated that the 10 winning teams are a new generation of designers who are quite open-minded, bringing innovative creativity by utilizing new tools and technologies, and exploring unexpected mechanisms in their design concepts and work processes, including the courage to use unconventional materials in their furniture compositions.

"During the workshop process, we focused on providing detailed knowledge step-by-step to ensure that the 10 winning teams understand the system and can plan their work professionally, from material usage, properties, or standard sizes of materials, to the production process, learning about the limitations of work to produce tangible pieces while retaining the advantages of the design concepts in their imagination."

Those interested can join in exploring the world of imagination in designing public seating that will be produced, installed, and utilized in various areas throughout the One Bangkok project during Bangkok Design Week 2023, held from today until February 12, 2023. Follow One Bangkok's activities at the area in front of the Central Post Office, Bang Rak.

The awarded works for outstanding development are as follows:

1st Place - Team For Friends Who (Don't) Know

Sit to Gather

Designer: Kritthi Wongmaneerot (Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University) / Wipob Manopanjasiri (Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University)

Material & Production: Fiberglass

With the concept of connecting relationships between people and spaces through elevated seating, the differences in proximity affect various sitting behaviors, whether waiting, conversing, or gathering large groups for activities, enriching the meaning of the space within the project.

The design development enhances the role of furniture as a connector between buildings and outdoor spaces, resulting in a form of three chairs that utilize basic elements such as points, lines, and planes as tools to solve spatial constraints while accommodating all forms of sitting postures.

2nd Place – Team B3X

Sit to Transfer

Designer: Panvira Ngaoprasert (Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Thammasat University) / Tadtawan Tatsakras (Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Thammasat University) / Rattanaporn Lertwiboonkit (Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Thammasat University)

Material & Production: Aluminum structure covered with fiberglass

Public furniture at the public transport drop-off point of the project designed to accommodate semi-sitting and semi-standing usage, crafted as a sculpture with vibrant patterns and colors, catering to the lifestyle of the new generation who will use the shopping mall space.

The design was developed through brainstorming sessions with youth, gathering data via Instagram stories to gain insights into the lifestyles of the new generation, which were then translated into three design patterns: freedom, exploration, and excitement, expanding the dimensions of today's youth through this furniture piece.

3rd Place – Ribbon Flow

Sit to Gather

Designer: Thichaporn Lohutthangkun (Faculty of Architecture, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi) / Narongrit Rukthai (Faculty of Architecture, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi) / Nattawat Panyaniyom (Faculty of Architecture, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi)

Material & Production: Round steel pipe covered with stainless steel

Public furniture aimed at becoming a landmark for the project's area, inviting people to sit, meet, gather, and create interactions, using the ribbon shape as a symbol to connect and convey meanings beyond aesthetics, while the orange color communicates joy, care, and friendship.

The ribbon shape serves as the starting point for designing the furniture, with multiple prototypes developed to explore the possibilities of bending and flowing beautifully while ensuring practical usability in the space when adapted with steel sheet materials, designing the connection distance between both sides without obstructing pathways.