่Juti Klipbua

Interview with ่Juti Klipbua

Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?

I think "Lego" would be the one that make me love to build a Space or Building. Looking back, when I was a kid, My house is in the coal mining deep in the forest. All those mineral and bamboo forest landscape inspire me a lot too.

Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?

JUTI Architects views design as a finding solution to ideally combine artistic and aesthetic prospect to site, climate and culture in order to neatly serve the commercial prospect while deliver a sense of “Simplicity Elegance”. We provides design services covering full range of services from interior to architect design, from consultant service to construction management and from renovation design to medium scale urban planning. We also offer special service for project proposal which includes feasibility study, proposal and presentation material, and corporate identities branding e.g. graphic design, signage design, furniture design, and etc.

What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?

Mary help of Christian Church, I am a Catholic and I've always wanted to design a church. So most impressive project is the first church I designed.

Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?

To create a unique experience for user that contribute the building program.

From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?

We consume environment to create something that our ego consider "good" and leaving footprint that effect society to a history mark. So we must be careful and always warn our self before take an action. Playing god role of creating is easy, but to take human part that effected by each design in every day life is a must to always consider in designer mind.

How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?

I think design world is must closer than it use to be. That's make we all can challenge and contribution more in different field of design or profession.

Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?

Thailand, cultural heritage have a lot affect to my design. Both way of thinking, scale, and detail. I think local heritage mostly base on respect to the nature, which is must be reconsider in this global warming crisis recent.

How do you work with companies?

Mostly start with asking question of what we want to achieve in that project. Then many hand sketch. Computer modeling then physical model.

What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?

MK2 Technic turntableChor-fa (Thai motif ornament)50's side tableGunplaMass model from my design

From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?

Positive is you have ability to create.Negative is you "THINK" you have ability to create.

Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?

Pen, pencil, paper, and my memory or experience of place or detail from nature.

How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?

For me as an architect, design take like 1-3 months. Construction took 8-18 month.

What was your most important job experience?

Must said being a father is changing my perspective to a life, a job, a college, and many more.

Who are some of your clients?

Catholic church of Thailand, Vanessa cabaret group, Mingalabpar inter group, Teddy house, Viva development, etc.

What are your future plans? What is next for you?

Try to be more open to a new territory both client and marketing.

Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?

We are designing resort in north of Myanmar, the local context is close but yet difference from Thailand. Its like go back in time, while we doing research and design develop.

Designer of the Day Interview with ่Juti Klipbua

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

I had practice in architecture for 16 years. After graduated B.Arch from Assumption University, Bangkok, Thailand, I practice with SPAN consultant co.,ltd. (Thailand). Then move to Singapore to practice with Designshop llp. (Singapore) before came back to Thailand in 2008 to set up my own practice. An in 2009 also founded furniture brand LOQ heritage.

How did you become a designer?

Looking back when I was a kid, my father use to be the mining electrical engineer, our house locate deep in forest. Surrounding by nature landscape in-contrast with big mining equipment and giant vehicle. Playing with wood block, LEGO, and some mineral crystal. Those all inspired me a lot to become a designer, they gave me passion to build.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

I love to start with get know the client and site context as much as possible. Not just in term of function requirement or site situation. But the passion of client to the project. Context of the site in term of local heritage and history. For me, I think those bound our design to client and to the site more. After that would be many hand sketch to explore main idea freely. Then we move to 3ds and recheck with physical model.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

Struggle with passion, Its a mixture of exciting with exploring passion together with very not ensure feeling. And that is how the journey of the project begin. Then when you reach some point that your sketch or some solution that your sure that is the right one, you will just feel comfort to follow that part of the project, and develop from that. And the rest is long painful process of developing, cost control, and construction which along the way you have to fight to protect your design, to protect your vision of project.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

I very enjoy nature environment, and music. These two thing are very important for architect, I would say. I love to sketch or just sit back to watch some natural beauty like coral, leaf, sunset, wave... etc. To absorb this kind of thing make your soul more humble and gain a lot of inspired from another not just your imagination. For the music, as I still also be a club DJ, music for me is the top of human creation. It is simply expression of emotion. And design should be like that, simply but strong message to emotion.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

Our company, we want to focus on hospitality and public building. We want to expand our design to many region as possible. To understand more about the world for our self and also to provide the continuity of local heritage in sustainable modern way to the local as much as possible. Our dream project would be museum of community center that link people to their heritage.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

Now a day we are access to another designer information of reference work easily. The more you easy to access to another, the more you away from your self. I still think focus on your self or team is more important to found something really unique and last long.

What is your day to day look like?

After sent my kids to school, have small breakfast then get to office. A coffee and browse to email and to-do list then meeting with my team for each project progress is before lunch routine. Then after lunch is time for site inspection, or meeting with client, or research and sketch.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

For architecture, I think it a life long design piece. You cannot follow the trends, you can only learn technique or tools from another. But you have develop your own style.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

I think good design define itself by user experience, no need and explanation. When you get the right sketch, you feel it, same as another. But you may be need to pause and leave it for a day and reconsider that you still think its the right one.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

For the main sketch, yes there is a point that you feel right. And the DNA of your project start from that, when you feel comfortable with excitement that is the point.

What is your biggest design work?

Currently we design a resort casino in Myanmar. We are really excite about this one. We want this project to be tourist spot and pride of the local. Also generate income and improve quality of life for remote local people.

Who is your favourite designer?

Tadao Ando and Alvaro Siza , to see their work from magazine is inspired me a lot when I was a student. But to experience their building in reality is blow my mind. Its simply yet powerful.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

Bangkok!!!, my city inspired me a lot especially old town and Thai temple. Yes my Thai culture effects my design a lot. In my project I always try to find local heritage to play with like bring some part of local architecture form or detail to be building form. Or pull out local fabric pattern to be facade pattern. And that process be apply when I work for another country and different local context also. I think good design need to bound and benefit local people. Because they have to see, to use, and to experience it daily life.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

"Simplicity Elegant" I always use this philosophy, no matter what the story be hide the concept or how I get the main idea. But it need to come out elegant in most simplicity as possible.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

Still not much direct contribution. Some design event and lecture. But basically being and architect you need to contribution to society since you design a project on your table. You have to always have that in mind. Since your profession effect a lot of people in society and use a lot of natural resource. So architect have to aware that all the time. And If you have chance to direct contribute, please do so.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

Journey in designer or architect career is quite isolation journey. It is very good to find some community or someone who can tell you that "Hey, your journey is not bad, carry on mate" That's warm and gave enough reason to carry on this journey.

Extended Interview with ่Juti Klipbua

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

I was graduated from B.Arch. Assumption University, Bangkok, Thailand. Then work with Span Consultant Co.,Ltd., Bangkok, Thailand. Then move to Singapore to work with Designshop llp., Singapore. Then come back to Thailand to start my own design firm, JUTI architects.co.,ltd.

How did you become a designer?

Forest and LEGO, I think, when I was young my father use to be electrical engineer in the mine deep in the forest. Spent time in the forest with the pure nature environment vs big mining equipment and vehicle inspired me a lot. Those day I play with LEGO and some crystal stone that my father bring out from the mine, also inspired me regarding to form, and shape.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

Don't give up and be open mind. I suggest to travel more and learn from natural environment.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

Responsibility, I think great designer have to think carefully about how to use material, effect of your design to user ,environment context, and environmental concern.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

Good design define itself by user experience, no need and explanation.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

Invest in good design is investing in your quality of life, so why not...

What is your day to day look like?

I would love to design The Memorial and museum for the late King RAMA 9

What is your biggest design work?

Church of Light by Tadao Ando. It is the place where you can define emptiness and silence.

Who is your favourite designer?

The first house I design as my parent vacation house when i was 19. Every time I revisit, its still give me energy and sense of exploration.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

Learn from your mistake and seek the beauty side of your suffering.