Around the World Designs from Design Star

By Vern Yip

Although Thailand is known for its rich architectural and design heritage, none of it is evident in this disastrous attempt to capture its spirit in this room. Going back to an idea that had previously worked so successfully for him, Matt pulls together all of his disparate pieces to form one large central object. This time, however, the object is devoid of character or personality. With little of the detail or richness of textures that Thailand is known for, it becomes difficult to ascertain what country is represented here. What we see is an attempt to capture the appreciation of line over pattern that oftentimes characterizes the undercurrent of Asian design, but it doesn’t quite get all the way there. At the very least, Matt demonstrates that he is trying to capture the essence of the culture rather than the superficial elements most people automatically grab on to. What would have made this a much more successful adaptation of Thailand’s design aesthetic would have been an inclusion of texture and detail on the walls and on the singular object represented.