Thai creativity given push with new centre

The Thailand Creative & Design Center (TCDC) comprises the largest design library in Asia, a permanent design exhibition and showcase, a convention facility and space for temporary exhibitions, galleries and meeting rooms. The project is the brainchild of TCDC chairman Pansak Vinyaratn, chief policy advisor to the Thai Prime Minister, and is being viewed as an attempt to harness the country's potential in the design space, where it has been better known for churning out copycat goods. The centre tasked Imagination with creating the permanent exhibition, which houses leading design works from 10 countries, including the Philippe Starck juicer, a Pamio chair and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The agency responded by creating the showcase around the concept of a 'genius loci', based on research by Francesco Morace -- a leading designer from Milan's Domus Academy. "(According to the research), each country has a sensibility unique to itself to create these different objects," said Imagination design director Julian Baker. "We had to turn this research into a walk-through experience." Imagination devised two pavilions, surrounded by a 'ribbon wall', which Baker points to as a "metaphor for stream of consciouness." The pavilions, meanwhile, are based on the four concepts that underlie mankind's relationships with the personal, the community, the environment and the past/present/future - with the various design works defined according to these categories. "Hopefully it will lodge in people's brains based on these four elements," said Baker. "The true purpose of the TCDC is to be enterprising between designers and businessmen. The exhibits are really there to create a catalyst and talking points," said Baker. In a speech at the TCDC launch, Vinyaratn pointed out that the overall goal was to create economic value for the country through design. "Thailand has to further boost export revenues in a bid to keep its trade position in surplus," said Vinyaratn. "To be able to achieve the target, we need to make knowledge more accessible to people, that will inspire their creativity and enable them to develop their product originality."