ASA Journal 05/22

THE DETAIL OF SIMPLICITY
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One can say that The Bound House is a big turning point in Weerapat’s career, from his role
as a designer to new responsibilities as the project’s owner. While everything felt like a new
start from square one, what Weerapat ended up learning from the project is how the success
of The Bound House isn’t a result of a competition with competitors but himself. He also
realizes that having the knowledge and experiences as well as good connections contribute
a great deal to the quality and success of a project, and that if one sets their mind to create
a great work, despite obstacles and hindrances, the end result will come in the form of a very
tangible achievement. And The Bound House is just the case.
“People look at me and they see success but the road we walked on wasn’t exactly a bed
of roses. We were never in an ivory tower and we were hurt a lot. A lot of things were on the
clients’ part but now we have to do those things ourselves. When we discussed the design
with a project owner, they would have the marketing people telling us to revise the design
to lessen the construction costs and it would be better, business wise. We didn’t know
things to the extent that we do now, and we had never really been a part of the mechanism
of the business, so our take at the time was: instead of the marketing team telling us to
reduce construction costs, they should find a way to bring more money into the project.
But now we know why they said that because we’re in a different role.”
The next step for The Bound House is expanding the brand to other areas with enough potential
for an investment. The expansion of The Bound House is also a new step for STUDIO
TOFU.
ณัฐวดี สั ตนันท์
จบการศึกษาจากคณะ
โบราณคดี มหาวิทยาลัย
ศิ ลปากร ปั จจุ บันกำ าลัง
ศึ กษาต่อระดับปริญญา
เอกสาขาสถาปั ตยกรรม
พื้นถิ ่น ที่คณะสถาปั ตย-
กรรมศาสตร์ มหาวิทยา-
ลัยศิ ลปากร พร้อมกับ
การทำาบริษัทชื่อ “สนใจ”
ที่ทำางานเรื่องการพัฒนา
เมือง การให้คนเป็ นศูนย์-
กลางและกระบวนการ
มีส่วนร่วมในรูปแบบที่
หลากหลาย
Nuttawadee Suttanan
completed her bachelor’s
degree in archaeology
and is currently pursuing
PhD in vernacular
architecture at
Faculty of Architecture,
Silpakorn University.
She is also a partner
of “SONJAI”, a studio
working on urban development,
people-centered
and participatory
process in various
means.
The Next Move
Currently, STUDIO TOFU is under a newly founded company called Bound Group, which
functions as the big umbrella for future investments. Within the Bound Group are 1) STUDIO
TOFU, an architectural and interior design practice 2) The Bound House, a company that
focuses on the development of residential projects of the future and 3) Life Shop Nakhon
Pathom, a shop selling design and eco-friendly products, including ice-cream with unusual
flavors, which also houses a sales gallery and model living space of The Bound Houses, each
is managed separately. In near future, the Bound Group will welcome Bound Plus whose
main role will be to handle the management of the company’s collaborations with outside
partners who can provide expertise and services that are beyond the realms of the three
companies under the Bound Group’s umbrella.
“Having developed The Bound House, we are able to determine our strengths and
areas we are not exactly good at. When we’re moving or expanding into another
market segment, we know that we want to work with people who are good at
things we may not be the best at. That is why Bound Plus was established.”
One thing we learned from this conversation with Weerapat is no matter how advanced technology
has become, and people may go on the Internet to search for hundreds or thousands
sources of inspirations, the people who can turn those dreams and visions into reality are still
the designers. Another important message that Weerapat leaves for the young generation
designers is something he has done throughout his professional life.
“Think and put an idea into practice, and evaluate it quickly. If it’s good, proceed, if it isn’t,
improve. And if you know something is never going to work, drop it yourself before someone
else does that instead of you. This way, you won’t get stuck with a bunch of ideas only circulating
in your head.”
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