Interviews with Shakes

We aimed to create a Design that people would love and would want to keep making a "green" Design by choice. So we needed to focus on making a product that users would be addicted to by habit and finger boredom. First thing that comes to mind is the Zippo which became our reference.

If there's something that is wrong with this Design it's its packaging which was locked down by a wrong brief and forced by a pushing deadline. So we will redesign the Herbaliste brand and package to make it right this year.

Due to the complexity of the upper surface and the internal fitting of the components the final Design nearly required 2 months with another 5 months engineering development.

We were commissioned to create this Design as part of our ongoing retainer contract with our client.

Our Design is sold under the Twin Lotus Herbaliste brand.

Since we're an Industrial Design Studio we're capable of working in multiple industries and enjoy the chance to do so, too. We use our expertise to the best no matter what work we are facing.

At that time we were inspired the Polygonal trend.

Herbaliste is a brand for young professionals that prefer natural goodness over chemical efficiency.

In comparison to other Dental Floss packaging this is a keeper!

The Herbaliste brand conveys passion for herbal and natural ingredients.

We used 3D software to create the concept visualization and engineering data. We also 3D printed the design to check for fitting and overall aesthetics.

The Polygon ice landscape pays homage to the cooling effect of the Dental Floss and also creates a nice talking point when put on a table. We also like the built-in mirror to check your teeth after flossing.

After the finalization of the Design we worked with a Chinese Vendor that specialized in candy boxes and all sort of tin boxes to help realize this product. They were very helpful in creating the product we have today.

Technology didn't influence the Design.

Creating a right fitting of the internal components was a tricky job and also the intuitive refilling of the filament. We needed multiple prototype to get the right density and feeling for the internal liner.

I've started competing in the A Design competition since last year winning three awards. I intend to compete at least with one entry every year to build the studio's reputation but also increase Thailand's Design Ranking.

I always push myself and the people we work with to reach for the best. It is the key to creating something great and the key of never getting comfortable so that your mind always stays sharp and hungry.

I think my brain's already blown by all the above questions!

The focus was to create a functional yet beautiful Design that could go head to head with Menu's iconic trivet. Where Menu's trivet features a single material choice I opted to create a little more highlight by adding a circular steel ring.

I hope that this Design can withstand the test of times and become an iconic Design for the SNF+ brand. It is also a product with a very long shelf life.

It took me about one week to finish the Design concept but it took nearly another 2 months to complete the engineering development.

The Design was a pitch to our client who accepted it upon review.

The Design belongs to our client SNF+ which co-brands with our shakes brand.

SNF+ has been one of our long-standing clients and we are working hard to build up this brand with award winning Designs every year.

Menu's Propeller Trivet by Jacob Wagner was the main competitive inspiration.

Design Lovers and Kitchen Maestros who enjoy life and respect the good things.

I think that this Design has set itself apart from the Menu Design not particularly competing on aesthetic values but on a functional side that it's easier to open dues to the ducts. I also think that the Stainless Steel ring adds a classic touch that just shines a little more.

Spyker is an old "gone" brand of Propeller planes. For some reason I had this name in my head probably because Spyker is now a high end automotive brand.

I used 3D software to create the concept on the PC after sketching it out first. Then I made a quick prototype on my 3D printer t check for dimensions and mechanical movement. After satisfying my requirements the factory undertook some more changes to match manufacturing needs.

I really like the "hole" in the center of the trivet. It kinds draws you in and lends the Design a special character.

I have to thank Jonathan Lo who gave his support during the manufacturing stage and Surakead Hemwimon for his mechanical expertise during the Design stage.

Luckily there is no technology involved. This is a good ol' touch and feel Design.

No, looked at none of that.

Due to the fantastic team behind the manufacturing we didn't face any major complications but had to change the metal ring from an originally curved Design to a flat ring.

I've started competing on the A Design platform last year winning three awards so I plan to compete on it at least once a year to build the studio's profile but also Thailand's Design Ranking.

I always push myself and the people we work with to reach for the best. It is the key to creating something great and the key of never getting comfortable so that your mind always stays sharp and hungry.

I think my brain's already blown by all the above questions!

In contrast to MBAS2, MBAS 1 was designed as a more advanced looking terminal that could have a place at international border crossings such as airports. Its unibody Design keeps everything compact and utilitarian without looking too intimidating.

With MBAS2 currently in development stage, MBAS1 will soon be put for consideration due to its award winning status.

The Design project lasted for 3 months.

The Design was commissioned by our client Chanwanich Company Limited.

The Design will be produced and managed by Chanwanich Company Limited.

Chanwanich is one of Thailand silent leaders in technology which naturally inspired is to work with them.

I'd say that for this Design I was probably most inspired by Dieter Rahms whom I met at a Design Conference in Bangkok.

This is a business to government or private security product. Of course it will be used by all sorts of travelers which is why it is equipped with multiple language options.

It's milestone in Design when it come to this industry's Design choices.

MBAS stands for Multi-Biometric-Aquisition-System.

Sketching and CAD.

The integration of all technical components in this unibody cut out Design that also features a removable fingerprint unit for easy maintenance or other attachments.

All internal engineering was developed in house at shakes.

MBAS1 utilizes modern technology to transform the way we cross borders. In this case technology provides the means to make that change. However, it's also technology that often scares us from understanding it fully. This is why we took to designing a terminal that looked welcoming and friendly.

Partly, we conducted a survey to determine the right angle for the display.

The product is in its development stage still.

We came across the A' Design award by accident while looking at an affiliated Designer.

Working with Chanwanich for MBAS1 finally allowed us to create an outstanding Design for an industry that's never had any outstanding contribution to its field.

shakes bkk was born out of the desperation of me and my co-founder to establish a professional Design Consultancy that would go beyond the stylistic measures that we found in other Thai agencies. Both of us had worked in places where we weren't happy so we decided to put our heads together and create a place where Design, Engineering, Function and Aesthetics merge and where it's more about the team than an individual.

A difficult question to answer. I think design is ability to solve any given problem under a context. It is also the ability to see more than the eye can see. Like singing or performing, Design is also a creative talent that requires that intangible "x" factor to create something outstanding. Having said that, Design for me is an emotional and physical medium to touch people's lives and make a positive difference in the world.

Myself I enjoy the kitchen and I enjoy cooking so kitchen products come naturally to me. However, over the last three years I was also intensively involved in designing electronics consumer products from mobile phones to stereos. However I do feel like that design for electronics lives mainly from the stylistic choices we make as Designers and lacks the soul that comes from both a functional and beautiful object.

I have quite a list of favorite Designs but among the top of that list would be Richard Sapper's 9090 Espresso Maker for Alessi which won them their first Compasso d'Oro in 1979. Sapper's clean lines and uncompromising less is more approach in the pursuit of functional perfection makes for an astonishing piece of art both in the kitchen and on the table. One of the greatest.

My first patented Design was for a trivet called Catena - Spanish for Chain. It resembled a bicycle chain made of silicone giving users the flexibility to create many different sizes and shapes.

As Designers we constantly evolve to adapt to new materials, platforms and technologies so I have no preferences for any but only thirst to know more about the latest changes.

Actually I feel most creative under pressure. Stress is the mother of creativity. However that's when I'm designing for clients. I also really like sketching and thinking about new things while on the road, traveling on an airplane or just sipping coffee in a new place.

Before I start designing an experience I like to have used the product myself for at least a month and know what it feels like, what its problems are and see if I can make a change in it. So I really do focus on the functional aspect first to see how I can make things work better which then leads me to think about integrating the form. Sometimes I also like to think about them or story that I can develop from an initial problem that I encountered from using a product.

Design is both my choice of work but also my most passionate hobby. The process of creation and being creative flows in my veins and it makes me who I am. And for most of the time when I'm not under immense pressure I feel pretty good about it, that is until I realize all the problems of my own Designs and try to solve them again. So with me Design brings out the best and the worst in me.

The first time I saw one of my Designs in the window shop I felt quite proud. However, that was a mobile phone and that pride was rather short lived, three months to be exact or just as long as the next one replaces it on the shelf. So from there I wanted to do things that would give my Designs a longer life of not stick with people.

Many things can differentiate a successful Design, differentiation being the key. I consider successful Designs commercially feasible, well communicated and fitting to the user. But ultimately people will have to fall in love with what it stands for physically and emotionally. A successful Design creates a dialogue and a relationship with its user and just in real life looks are not everything. Good Design isn't just skin deep.

First and foremost I consider functionality, interaction with the user and production execution of a Design. Secondary criteria are how aesthetics fuse with the overall product purpose, are they only there to look good, do they bring something new to the table or are they mere copycats of Zeitgeist.

Since we have the power to influence how people use and shape experiences we ought to think about all aspects of our life and the impact we have on our environment. So yes we should be responsible, if not for ourselves then for the generation to follow.

Designing is on the verge of household main streaming. It has finally garnered its long deserved value. The last decade was defined by leaps of consumer technology including the 3D printer. Such leaps will probably slow down a little now putting more energy into large tech projects in energy. Thus Design will become more apparent as a means of brand differentiation and Designers will heavily compete globally. The introduction of 3D printing will also open up new dimensions of product delivery and business logistics. However I believe for that to pick up it will take at least another 5 years. Imagine that the production floor is right at your retail outlet. Goodbye to "Made in China".

We have never held an exhibition before.

I look at my environment, my family, my friends how they interact with daily objects and the world. I look back into myself and my own roots, my memories and cultural experiences. Coming from a mixed background I have experienced both complications and benefits which give me different perspectives on how to approach not just Design but people in my life.

Having been raised in Germany, most of my Design choices are heavily influenced by German characteristics. Striving after the ideal of Dieter Rahms where less is more my Designs also seek a balance between Originality and Feasibility.

I currently reside in Bangkok, Thailand's bustling capital. I've recently moved here in 2007 and actually spend my childhood in Germany and my teenage years in Britain. I'd say that even though Thailand is a city full of creativity most of my Design language is predominantly influenced by my upbringing and my studies in the UK. Thailand has great creativity on 2D level starting from Graphic all the way to Media where its production houses are among the world's elite. However, in terms of industrial product design there is a valley of challenges ahead. Despite a strong industrial capability Thailand's never managed to evolve further than the OEM state with no significant product development until a couple of years ago. Now we see gradual changes but Thailand still remains a trading economy with a special creative niche. As a result the sourcing of talented industrial Designers is often challenging.

As a Design Studio we treat our clients with the highest respect and always try to put ourselves in their shoes despite the creative conflicts that occur along the way. I'm always convinced that our clients have a certain vision that they simply don't know how to realize which is where we come into play. And our job is almost always the mission impossible where we turn the most horrifying idea into something in fact quite beautiful.

Designers are a difficult breed. I suppose the most important thing to decide for companies is whether they are looking to work with a star Designer or a Design consultancy. A star Designer can give prominence and brand value to companies but doesn't necessarily deliver an innovative Design as a result of research or experience by a Design consultancy. Sometimes it's simply chemistry between a Design team and a company's R&D/ Marketing team that brings the magic. I suppose that just like in every relationship communication is the key.

At shakes bkk we are not part of certain schools that build on huge research data and strategies. As much as we agree that it's a vital part of the business most of our client's do not set aside a budget for such process. Therefore we rely on our wits and ability to process user observations and self-learned experiences. Our Designers at shakes come from all ways of lives and bring essential life qualities with them that ultimately form a pool of great Design knowledge. Armed with that knowledge our creativity is the limit to our imagination and passion to make better products for people. However, we did develop a framework that we call shakeology to define vital parts such as WHO, WHAT and WHY.

My ThinkPad and Wacom Intuos that I carry in my Tumi Alpha, my Pixie Nespresso machine and my HTC One. Gosh, there's not a single Apple product in them...

Well I get up early to look after my newborn son who just turned 6 months old and then leave for the office around 9.30. It takes me an hour to get there so I'll be in around 10.30 making my rounds through the graphic department and then the industrial Design department to review our current jobs. Then it's emails follow up time and tackling my own work load. On a non-urgent project day work ends at around 7pm when I head home through annoying Bangkok traffic to have dinner with my wife. All of this changes when there's an ongoing urgent project and work extends to 10pm or midnight.

When we hire Designers for shakes they all need to be equipped with solid 3D skills and sketching skills. For us it's vital that a Designer can realize his own Design from start to finish, from paper to CAD. In many cases Designers lack a total understanding of parametric CAD architecture which allows on the go changes and time savings when experimenting with Design features. The perfect combo would be to have knowledge of both parametric software such as SW or ProE and knowledge of more free form packages such as Rhino. The next most important thing Designers should acquire is knowledge, knowledge of everything in life and Design. Build a library of usages, record how people interact with objects in their lives, may it be drinking wine or shooting guns. Be an observer of life and build a solid foundation of products that you can get back to when looking for inspiration. The internet helps but hands-on look and feel is irreplaceable.

Sometimes I think that Designers live a miserable live simply because we have to be so self-critic about our work. The moment we finish with a Design we'll be looking at it in joy for a moment before picking out all the things that are wrong with it. However, there will also be times when we really get it right which is truly rewarding especially when we designed something to really make positive change in this world.

There are no shortcuts!

1. Design Thinking, 2. Sketching, 3. 3D Creation, 4. Presentation, 5. Communication

Our office has several iMacs for our Graphic team and some work stations. It's a small studio!

I don't, my wife does.

Every project has its own timeline. The standard duration is ASAP.

What do I do?

My first internship at Studio SOTA!

You can find out on our website!

I guess that I love to design things that utilize new technology and provide room for functional improvement and not just stylistic choices.

Building shakes bkk into one of the best Product and Packaging Design Studios in South East Asia.

As Creative Director I oversee my team of Designers and also design by myself.

Unfortunately everything we're doing right now is confidential!

You can find our contacts at shakesbkk.com or email me directly via hakk.p@shakesbkk.com

I think I covered everything!

D-BOX’s research showed us how precise motion could dramatically enhance immersion. We took that data and engineered a system that reacts in real time, delivering feedback that feels organic rather than mechanical. This shaped how we integrated haptics into the chair’s frame without compromising support or comfort.

The research with D-BOX showed us how haptics could amplify immersion and even heighten emotional engagement. We used those insights to fine-tune Motion 1’s feedback system, ensuring that every movement felt intentional and precise. It’s not just about adding vibrations—it’s about synchronizing motion with content in a way that feels natural, whether you’re deep in a game, watching a movie, or even working. This research shaped our approach to everything from the chair’s ergonomic structure to the real-time response of the haptic engine.

Long hours in a chair impact health, whether you’re gaming or working. We integrated seat notifications and relaxation features to promote better posture and movement. Haptics aren’t just for immersion—they can be used for guided relaxation and stress relief, making Motion 1 a smarter, healthier choice.

With teams in Bangkok, Montreal, and Taipei, we had to balance different perspectives and expertise. This global approach helped refine everything from aesthetics to ergonomics, ensuring Motion 1 meets the needs of gamers and professionals worldwide.

Haptics shouldn’t come at the cost of comfort. We designed a chaise-style seating structure that supports the body while allowing the haptic system to move freely. The result is a seamless blend of relaxation and precision feedback.

We made repairability a priority. The modular seat and connector system make it easy to replace parts instead of replacing the entire chair, extending its lifespan and reducing waste.

We wanted the software to be as intuitive as the chair itself. MasterPlus makes customizing haptic settings easy, whether you’re fine-tuning motion feedback or syncing it with games and media. The goal was full control without complexity.

Haptics have potential far beyond gaming. We see applications in fitness, wellness, and even workplace productivity—imagine real-time posture correction or immersive relaxation programs.

Integrating such a powerful system into a compact form was tough. We had to optimize weight distribution, reduce friction and noise, and ensure the system worked seamlessly across different use cases. Close collaboration with D-BOX helped us refine every detail.