Get to Know the Creative Districts Ahead of BKKDW2024: Phra Khanong-Bang Na

Explore the mixture enabling harmonious coexistence among the people of South Sukhumvit Improving a neighborhood’s livability using creativity and innovation 

Many of the areas used as experimental spaces for creative ideas at Bangkok Design Week are old localities that possess identities that have distilled over the years, coupled with a plethora of cultural attributes. But what happens when newer, innovative locales and a known hotspot of creators such as the Phra Khanong-Bang Na area also jump onto the playing field?

Together, find the answer from representatives of Cloud 11, Asia’s largest hub for content creators. In this year’s Bangkok Design Week, Cloud 11 is the co-host for the Phra Khanong-Bang Na district.

A mixture of innovation and ways of life

Phra Khanong-Bang Na is a residential as well as an office district at the southern end of Sukhumvit Rd. that is being used as one of the experimental spaces for design works during the Bangkok Design Week festivities this time around.  Representatives from the Cloud 11 project has defined the district has being a harmonious mixture of local charm and an innovation hub.

“Firstly, you can still see a fresh market and the intrigues of the community, such as local charm, mom-and-pop stores, and the makers in the soi who are still occupied with tailoring, crafting leather bags and shoemaking. At the same time, there are many strong businesses here as well as large companies that like to work with urban development. This group of entrepreneurs talk about innovation. In this way, this locality can be likened to a mixture between an innovative district and local charms that are still retained.”

Diverse capabilities come together for sustainable development

With there being many large businesses that are eager for urban development in the same district, what happened was everybody committed their efforts to act in their own ways, often without prior consultations with one another.  Cloud 11 views that Bangkok Design Week is a good opportunity for the businesses and the communities in this district to connect and work collaboratively to build a picture of their dream for the Phra Khanong-Bang Na district that represents what everybody wants to see realized.

“Today, there are numerous businesses that are trying to make this district more livable, and they have interesting directions for development.  For example, BITEC talks about improving public transportation systems, Bangchak talks about sustainability, True Digital park talks about innovation, and so on. Cloud 11 and MQDC themselves already place importance in the improvement of districts, as we understanding well that completing an ecosystem requires components that are made up of major entities as well as smaller individuals.

“The problem is we are acting individualistically at the moment. So we think BKKDW will be a good platform that prompts this group of people to tell others about what they are doing. Simultaneously, if we are doing this and then find out you are also doing the same thing, then perhaps we can collaborate. This would produce a guideline for and empower urban development that is superior to acting individually”

Because everybody is a curator

Cloud 11 explained that it was expanding on the diverse interests, capabilities and guidelines for urban development among the businesses. Thus, its co-host role this time around does not involve being a curator that selects and designs stories. Rather, it acted as a connector that bridges cooperation between all parties while furnishing the various partners with opportunities to build on the potential of each design work to the best extent.

“In truth, Phra Khanong-Bang Na is a mixture of everybody’s participation. The businesses in this area all want to collaborate; we just had to ask them if they want to take action at Bangkok Design Week. Everybody says yes, they want to do it. All of them are ready to seek out their own concept of responding to the livable scape demand.

“For example, the Books & Belongings bookstore tells a story about livable scape from their point of view, involving a story about food. Some people view that for them, livable scape means happiness in living. These are presented as exhibitions telling stories on the topic of happiness.

Everybody has their own unique point of view when answering the question of the livable scape concept, produced from each business having contemplated its take on the matter” 

Prepare to explore South Sukhumvit through diverse points of view at BKKDW 2024

In this year’s Bangkok Design Week, the people of South Sukhumvit are bringing plenty of interesting stuff for everybody to inspect, including but not limited to exhibits, forums, experiences and store outings.

“In fact, we will have almost 20 activities. One highlight, though, will be the launch of a treehouse in the public area. INDA, the Books & Belongings store, 85mm. Studio&House and Phra Khanong District Office built it with the intention of making a playground for the community. Previously, they have already completed making improvements to the space, which originally was an abandoned banana field.

“There will be an open house by Vaslab architecture, which is pretty much a master of design. Their office has this cool look that gives you the feel of looking at a Zaha Hadid apprentice. This will be their first open house, which will be accompanied by a lighting show. There will also be a market that gathers creative businesses in one place.

“Then, at True Digital Park, the highlight will be the Cloud 11 Pavilion. This is a space where we want to invite everyone to become creators. Because we think that everyone is a creator. In this space, there will be trial creations of various works and the inside of the pavilion will have characteristics that prompt everyone who walks in to encounter experiences, get hands-on action and express themselves.

Another one that looks like great fun is the Paint Your Park work by the AI-Deate team. They have this idea of wanting to open up opportunities for the layperson who did not have design knowledge to be able to design their own city, using an AI generator as a helper. Tools will be prepared for people to take photos of the part of the city they want to develop. The part is circled and prompts are then input to generate pictures of the ideas for improving the district. The pictures will then be entered in a contest where prizes are offered. The winning works will also become exhibits within this event.

“The next one is SUNA Market. This will be an amassing of businesses in the neighborhood – bakeries, noodle shops and other eateries. They will open shop under the name SUNA Market, which originated from ‘Sukhumvit-Bang Na’. This one will be held at BITEC.

There will be a serious talk about design thinking, specifically on the topics of service design, technology and entrepreneurship. We think the creativity of nerdy people is not for show and we create with seriousness. Thus, this forum will tell the stories of nerdy people in this district quite well. This one will be held at True Digital Park.”

Follow the people of South Sukhumvit to explore, get to know and exchange ideas for creating new innovations at Bangkok Design Week’s Phra Khanong-Bang Na district!

Know the Phra Khanong-Bang Na district better through the recommended programs for this locality.

South Sukhumvit: Playscape 95

www.bangkokdesignweek.com/bkkdw2024/program/83882 

South Sukhumvit: Vaslab Convergence

www.bangkokdesignweek.com/bkkdw2024/program/83893 

South Sukhumvit: PAINT YOUR PARK

www.bangkokdesignweek.com/bkkdw2024/program/84226 

South Sukhumvit: TALK: Experience Scape: Code + Craft

www.bangkokdesignweek.com/bkkdw2024/program/69350 

Click here to see all programs for the Phra Khanong-Bang Na district:

www.bangkokdesignweek.com/bkkdw2024/program?nbh=84250 

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Bangkok Design Week 2024

Livable Scape

The More People Act, The Better The City

27 Jan – 4 Feb 2024

#BKKDW2024

#BangkokDesignWeek

#LivableScape