table of contents
1. Farmgroup
Founded in Bangkok in 2005, Farmgroup started as a graphic design studio and now handles a wide range of services including branding, typography, motion, and spatial design. Alongside commercial projects, they actively engage in pro bono work and independently organized art events, making Farmgroup an indispensable presence in Bangkok's design community. Furthermore, Farmgroup's senior designer, Sumpatha Jadee, is scheduled to speak at this month's "SYNC" event. We look forward to hearing about the background of her work in person.
Case Study: Bangkok Metropolitan Administration | The City of Bangkok
Commissioned by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), this project involved creating the city's identity system. Starting with a coat of arms hand-drawn in 1923 by a prince known as the "King of Siamese Crafts," the project reconstructed the city's visual identity, from developing custom typefaces to refreshing the color palette.
2.Studio 150
Founded in 2017 by two individuals who studied in Europe, in Prague and Eindhoven respectively, this graphic design studio was established in Bangkok. In 2019, both co-founders, Piyakorn Chaiverapundech and Pat Laddaphan, were elected members of AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale).
This studio specializes in identity design and design research centered on typography, and is deeply involved in the community, such as co-founding the "Bangkok Art Book Fair" with Bangkok CityCity Gallery. The two founders' words, "Graphic design is a powerful communication tool, but we don't want to be tied to any particular medium," are particularly striking.
Portfolio: Bangkok Art Book Fair | Visual Identity
This project represents the visual identity of an art book fair held annually in Bangkok. It's an ongoing project where the typography and graphic system are designed from scratch, with the theme and concept changing each year. As a space co-founded by the studio itself, it conveys a sense of the creators designing the entire community.
3. TNOP Design
Teeranop (Tnop) Wangsillapakun, who spent eight years at the renowned Chicago design studio Segura Inc., founded this graphic design studio in Chicago in 2005. Currently based in Bangkok, he is also a member of AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale), just like the two members of Studio 150.
From global brands to local Bangkok businesses, their clientele is diverse, and their work embodies the idea that "design is a delicate balance between concept and craftsmanship." Having honed their skills in Chicago before moving to Bangkok, their global perspective is reflected in the wide range of clients they work with.
Portfolio: Bangkok Design Week | Logo & Identity
The logo and identity for Bangkok Design Week, Bangkok's largest design event held annually. A sharp, contextual visual system befitting an event that re-examines the relationship between the city and design.
4. Prompt Design
A Bangkok-based branding and packaging design studio. Founder Somchana Kangwarnjit (aka Champ) has won over 70 awards, including Pentawards, iF Design Award, Red Dot, and Core77, and has served as a judge for several international competitions, including Pentawards.
While many studios focus on graphics and branding, a studio with such a strong track record of awards in the field of packaging is rare even in Thailand. If you've ever visited Thailand, you might have unknowingly come across Prompt Design's work in a supermarket or cafe somewhere.
Portfolio: RAIMAIJON | Branding & Packaging Design
Branding and packaging design for the Thai sugarcane juice brand "RAIMAIJON". This work has won awards from different countries and perspectives simultaneously, including the Pentawards, iF Design Award, Good Design Award (Japan), and Core77 Design Award, and is one of Prompt Design's representative works.
5. BHBH Studio
Real name Thanawat Sakdawisarak, also known as "Bloody Hell Big Head" (BHBH), is a Bangkok-based illustrator and graphic designer. His distinctive style, which combines geometric forms to create surreal and colorful scenes, has garnered international attention, with his work being featured multiple times in overseas magazines.
They continue to energetically present their individual expressions, and their image is more that of a solo artist than a studio, making them a somewhat unusual presence on this list. However, I felt they couldn't be left out because they symbolize the "power of the individual" in Bangkok's creative scene.
Project Showcase: Nike Thailand | T(ha)iny Little Things
This collaborative collection with Nike Thailand is themed around "small things around us." Inspired by everyday objects and unique goods found on the streets of Thailand, the visuals combine geometric forms, Thai calligraphy, and motifs from local sports and culture. It was exclusively available at Nike BKK in Siam Center, Bangkok.
6. KÜOZ
Founded in 2013 by Marc Fernández from Barcelona, Spain, and Nicolas Vayssières from France, this creative studio operates from Bangkok and the French island of Réunion, handling a wide range of projects from graphic design and branding to illustration and animation.
Nicolas has worked on international projects for organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and MTV, and is also known as the co-founder of the Bangkok urban art event "BUKRUK Festival." Currently, he is working in Southeast Asia in partnership with the long-established Barcelona branding studio "NOMON," and his work is impressive for its interplay of European and Southeast Asian perspectives.
Project Showcase: Miquelrius | NOBO Board Games
This board game series was created through collaboration with the Spanish stationery brand Miquelrius. Designed with the concept of games enjoyable for both children and adults, the series features consistent design from packaging to visual systems. The creative philosophy of "thoughtful and simple design" is truly embodied in the playful spirit and well-thought-out design principles.
7. Practical Design Studio
This graphic design studio focuses not only on design but also on community building. They collaborated with ThaiGA (Thai Graphic Designers Association) and the Thai Ministry of Culture to organize "I am a Thai Graphic Designer," a large-scale exhibition featuring over 1,000 works.
In 2011, they also organized the graphic design forum "Somewhere Thai," working to create a space where designers can learn from and interact with each other. It could be said that this studio has nurtured the design community itself within the Thai design scene.
https://practicalstudio.wordpress.com
Project Showcase: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) | Visual Identity
This is the visual identity for the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), a leading cultural institution in Bangkok. The logo and visual system were designed to reflect the institution's characteristics as a hub where art, design, and civic activities intersect. It's a project that clearly demonstrates a focus on culture and community building.
8. be>gour>suit
A design studio that bridges the gap between brand and space. Since its founding in 2005, it has handled a wide range of projects, from brand strategy and visual identity to graphic systems and spatial design. Calling itself a "transdisciplinary studio," it actively engages in cross-disciplinary projects.
In recent years, they have been responsible for the rebranding of "ONE Bangkok," one of Bangkok's largest mixed-use developments, and QSNCC, Thailand's largest convention center. Their approach of designing brand experiences on the scale of urban development, encompassing not only logos and graphics but also the cityscape and how the facilities are used, is impressive.
Portfolio: The Ritz-Carlton Bangkok | Brand Experience Design
This project involved designing the brand experience for The Ritz-Carlton Bangkok. Based on the hotel's overall aesthetic, we consistently designed everything from its visual identity to its interior graphics. The luxurious atmosphere characteristic of a high-end hotel is meticulously incorporated into every detail.
9. Round and Nine
A Bangkok-based design studio. Clients include major Thai telecommunications companies and furniture manufacturers, and the studio focuses on visual identity, packaging design, and interactive design.
The studio names "Round" and "Nine" are said to be derived from Thai words meaning "I" and "you," respectively. As the names suggest, they value a collaborative approach to finding design solutions together with their clients. The studio names themselves seem to reflect the studio's philosophy.
Project Showcase: Packaging DIY Kids
This workshop, designed for elementary school students in Thailand, teaches package design. Using stickers, participants learn about familiar package elements such as logos, barcodes, and nutritional information. It's a typical Round and Nine project that transforms packaging from something to "create" to something to "think about."
10. Norman Design Studio
A Bangkok-based graphic design studio specializing in brand launch and restructuring. They handle a wide range of projects, from brand strategy and identity development to packaging design and editorial design.
What's distinctive is their project management approach. Following a "Smart & Small" philosophy, they don't create large organizations, but instead assemble the optimal team for each project as they proceed with production. This flexibility may be one of the ways they allow for a thorough engagement with the brand.
https://www.normanstudio.in.th
Achievements: Prowthai｜Virgin Coconut Oil
This is the packaging design for a Thai virgin coconut oil brand. The design effectively conveys the product's natural appeal while creating a memorable visual for in-store displays. It also won the Silver Award at the A' Design Award (Italy) in 2021, making it one of Norman Design Studio's signature works.
11. Sand Studio & Co.
This design studio specializes in UX/UI and service design. It was founded in 2019 by Sandee Usanachitt, who had over seven years of experience in London. Her background—returning to Bangkok to establish the studio after gaining experience in London—is also noteworthy.
Having handled over 100 projects to date, they have supported a wide range of clients, including BMW Financial Services, ttb (TMBThanachart Bank), and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). In 2023, they were selected as Clutch's "Top User Experience Company Thailand." They specialize in UX and are particularly focused on experience design.
Case Study: BMW Financial Services | Digital Experience Design
This project involved designing the digital experience for BMW Financial Services, a company familiar to many Japanese people. Sand Studio & Co. handled everything from user research to UI design, focusing on improving the usability of the service. This is a prime example of Sand Studio & Co.'s approach, emphasizing not just "how it looks," but also "how it's used."
12. Special Normal
A Bangkok-based digital design studio. We design brands and digital platforms as a unified whole, from building brand identity to designing and developing websites.
In recent years, they have been building digital experiences for companies and brands using technologies such as React and Next.js. Their strength lies in their ability to handle both design and technology. They are a symbolic presence in Thailand's current creative scene, expanding from graphic design to digital products.
Project Showcase: EM Motor | Nextsite
This is a corporate website renewal project for EM Motor, a company specializing in electric motors. To convey the brand's worldview and technological capabilities, design and development are being carried out in an integrated manner. This project clearly demonstrates Special Normal's approach of designing across brand identity and digital platforms.
Final thoughts
That concludes our list of 12 creative studios in Thailand! What did you think?
What was particularly striking this time was the large number of creators with diverse backgrounds, including those who studied in Europe or America and returned to Bangkok, and those who had moved there from overseas. Perhaps it is the blending of these external perspectives with Thai script and local motifs that gives rise to expressions unique to Thailand.
This month, we'll finally be heading to Bangkok for SYNC. We're so excited at the thought of possibly encountering the studio's work that we introduced in this article while out and about in the city. We hope to share our experience in another article.
See you next time in "Exploring Asian Design"!
