2505588 THESIS 2565
PROJECT: SURTTHANI ART & CRAFT CENTER
STUDENT : KIATKAJOHN THONGPUNNCHOO
LOCATION: SURTTHANI, THAILAND
AREA: 3,457 sq.m.

     Nowadays,the whole new world is celebrating the emergence of the modern world. Thai people fully immerse themselves in global culture and contemporary values at the same time as world citizens. Once realized,our Thai identity has been missing. We must setback and start to ask ourselves, “Who are we?”, Thai identity is again craved and appraised. The forceful current of globalization diminish our true selves. So we should recall “our root”.
     Suratthani is a province rich in unique craftsmanship, such as Phum Riang textile, Batik textile and Krajood. Suratthani's local artisan all have a unique way of creating these handicrafts. However, more support is needed to help these craftsman develop new products and meet the demands of today's market. As such, the Suratthani Art & Craft Center is born to preserve handicraft techniques and educate about traditional and new materials under the supervision of The SUPPORT Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand(SACIT). The Suratthani Arts and Craft center is located at the Suratthani municiple building. The town hall has been relocated to a new building, and the original building was recommended as a new center for promoting local Suratthani handicrafts.
     The Idea behind the design is “From Root to Route”. Starting from the start (Root) to the end (Route), there are three stages to follow to increase new opportunities for Thai handicraft industry, namely, the first stage is to strengthen a product from cultural heritage; the second is to evolve the product, and the last stage is when people adopt the product to their life. The three stages of From Root to Route are described below.
 
STAGE 1 STRENGTHEN: The goal to learn and understand the heritage of unique craftsmanship and to bolster the cultural sustainability in the local community can be done by two means:
1. PRESERVE CORE ESSENCE(library, resource center): It’s very crucial to get access to the body of knowledge and folk wisdom. In some case the sources may be restricted due to the knowledge that is exclusively passed on to family members or local craftspeople.
2. PROUD AND OWNERSHIP(exhibition): Make an effort to strengthen Thai identity by creating the perceived value that would, in turn, preserve the national heritage.
 
STAGE 2 EVOLVE: Carving a new path to let an innovative idea flow would require:
1. CROSS-DISCIPLINE COLLABORATION(co-creation space): The next, new creation will know no boundaries in the cross-disciplinary approach that brings together experts from several different fields, e.g. designers, artists, handcrafters, to material and technology manufacturing experts, to make the best of their in-depth knowledge.
2. NEW SKILL + RESKILL CRAFT & CO(maker space): Endorse craftspeople to develop new skills and become versatile artisans whose working style are ready to benefit from technology and newly-established maker culture. Hence, adopting new skills ensures that they won’t be provided with only Made to Order. And they’ll be capable of enhancing the skills of people in the same scope of their handicraft works, namely, designers, material providers, technicians, and marketing consultants.
 
STAGE 3 ADOPT TO LIFE(retail,cafe): Before walking through a door and embracing a new opportunity, one must understand the target group, and invent a product that has relevance to the target group in the hope of being a part of people’s life.

Reception


Retail

Retail

Retail

Library(information counter)

Library

Seminar(information counter)

Seminar(Pre-function room)

Maker space(Phum Riang textile specialist)