Cover At the Maison&Objet Intérieurs Hong Kong 2025, Korakot Aromdee utilises traditional craftsmanship to create contemporary art
At the Maison&Objet Intérieurs Hong Kong 2025, Korakot Aromdee utilises traditional craftsmanship to create contemporary art
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Korakot Aromdee reflects on how material knowledge, and collaborative craftsmanship can generate new possibilities for community resilience and contemporary design practice
Growing up within a fishing community in Thailand, designer and artist Korakot Aromdee was immersed in a world where traditional craftsmanship were both a necessity and a form of heritage.
Watching local artisans and his own ancestors construct fishing equipment, he developed an early sensitivity to materials, technique, and the quiet intelligence embedded in vernacular knowledge–an intuitive understanding shaped not by theory alone, but by repetition, observation, and lived experience.
Over time, this foundation evolved into a deeper inquiry: how might these inherited techniques be translated into contemporary forms of practice?
For Aromdee, the answer lay beyond preserving traditional craftsmanship. It extends to production, where art and design could actively support the communities from which they emerged, becoming a means of generating livelihoods, and transforming local expertise into tangible economic value.
Above Thai artist and designer Korakot Aromdee
Thai artist and designer Korakot Aromdee
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His journey began during his master’s degree, where he started creating sculptural works in bamboo. After graduating, he sought to turn this exploration into a viable profession, developing pieces that could broaden the reach of his work.
This led to participation in competitions, fairs, and trade exhibitions, including Maison&Objet Intérieurs Hong Kong 2025, where he took part in the Design Factory programme with Breath of Bamboo–a walkable, wind-tuned pavilion featuring knot-bound bamboo, rattan, and vine.
Tatler Homes spoke to Aromdee in an exclusive interview, in which he reflects on his journey from traditional craftsmanship to contemporary design.
The ‘Breath of Bamboo’ installation by Aromdee at the Maison&Objet Intérieurs Hong Kong 2025
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Your work is deeply rooted in memory and tradition. How have your early experiences shaped your approach to bamboo today?
One of my strongest childhood memories is rooted in gratitude and the preservation of traditional skills and techniques within the community. It was from my grandfather I learned that bamboo, as a backyard material, can provide livelihoods–allowing accumulated experience and craftsmanship to be translated into tangible benefits for local artisans today. He inspired me to see that the skills and knowledge passed down to me are essential foundations that can be used to support and uplift people within the community.
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What has been the most challenging aspect of scaling your practice, particularly when working with bamboo across larger projects?
While there is a wide variety of career options available today, and people are increasingly selective about the jobs they choose, we nevertheless strive to create opportunities for those interested in handmade craftsmanship so that these avenues remain rooted within local communities.
Furthermore, with the support of modern technology, we have expanded our scope nationwide, enabling communities across the country to collaborate with us on large-scale projects–building networks and fostering more multidimensional forms of collaboration.
The corridors echo the seascapes of the Ban Laem district in Thailand, crafted from bamboo, rattan, vine, and grass
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If you could use bamboo to design without constraints, what kind of project would you pursue?
Realistically, bamboo still has certain limitations. Whether for products or architectural applications, it cannot be exposed to direct sunlight and must be protected from rain and moisture, as well as treated to prevent mould and insect damage. The designs must therefore respond carefully to these technical constraints.
That said, my dream project is to create an indoor building that works within these conditions–one that allows natural airflow and good ventilation, enabling air to circulate smoothly throughout the space. In this way, all these requirements are integrated so that every condition works in harmony, allowing us to coexist with the material comfortably without it becoming an obstacle.
Read more: Meet the Malaysian architect crafting beautiful structures from bamboo
How do you think natural materials and traditional knowledge shape the future of design and community ecosystems?
By using materials that are readily available in our surroundings–those that grow in our backyards–we also preserve fundamental craftsmanship by passing on knowledge of working with these natural resources.
In doing so, we help generate income and employment for local artisans, supporting stable livelihoods, reducing poverty, and giving future generations greater access to quality education.
Café Dior at the Dior Gold House in Bangkok, designed by Aromdee (Photo: Goose Studio)
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What advice would you give to young designers seeking to build a design language rooted in craftsmanship?
At present, we rely heavily on computers and software in the creative process, but this often comes with a lack of hands-on skills and insufficient experimentation to build experience and expertise. We need to return to experimentation and learning through practice in order to truly understand materials and the process of handmade craftsmanship.
Honesty and long-term belief in what we do are essential to sustaining craftsmanship and ensuring that it remains relevant and viable into the future. When combined with international systems of knowledge–such as computer-aided design and various digital tools–craftsmanship can become more rational, feasible, and distinctive.
Credits
Photography: Courtesy of Korakot Aromdee
