HAYSTAKT

Pana Objects: The New Wave of Thai Makers

Mon, 06 May 2013 17:42:16 +0800

I first found Thitirat and Pattaprong seated in a quaint café across Rama 9, just one of Bangkok’s latest giant developments outside of the main city area. The magic-hour light trimmed the edge of their industrial silhouettes, lighting up a slight excitement in their eyes. Over lattes I found out that Pana Objects was an extremely new brand, part of what I’d call the new wave of Thai Designers - graduates of the Internet generation armed with maker mindsets and online press know-hows, coupled with the access to materials and building facilities.

I understood every bit of their honest enthusiasm when they finally showed me their products. Seated on the edge of her seat, Thitirat removed the careful packaging, bringing to life their proud creation we’re now so familiar with - the playful Frank Lamp. Pattaprong was eager to show how the wood grains lined together, explaining how the studio took extra care in selection and process. “See how the wood grains line up and the colour matches?” These products are meant to make you smile.

Who is behind Pana Objects?
There are 7 of us, and we met each other almost 9 years ago as friends who graduated from industrial design from the same design college in Thailand.

What makes Pana Objects interesting is our diverse background. Before we created the brand we were working in different branches of design, ranging from industrial design consultancy, graphic, branding, furniture, and even as a manufacturing supervisor. The mixture becomes really helpful when developing a product and more so a brand. On top of being friends, our chemistry is strengthened through a shared passion for woodcrafts.

What inspires the brand?
We had discussed this very early on, when were first conceptualizing the idea behind Pana Objects. What kickstarted us was our observation that everyday lives have been dominated by synthetic objects. You’ve got almost the same soulless mobile phone make from plastic pallets fitted in the same factory, put together by workers in China. We wanted to offer something else, things that carried meaning beyond fads or trends, and of course synthetic objects. So that’s why we gave birth to our brand, Pana Object, which means “things from the forest” (Pana is the Thai word for forest). Our goal with Pana Objects is to put the emotion back to everyday life and make it more meaningful by using woodcraft to create products that will timelessly accompany people’s lives both aesthetically and functionally.

Your products have a very consistent look. What is your approach, and what are you thinking when you design?
Before releasing our pilot product line we spent almost a year fine-tuning our brand characteristics and branding strategy. This was a crucial first step, following which we use the brand DNA to set criteria for our projects and scope down our ideas.

Our diverse backgrounds also allow us to analyze our work from different angles. When we start sketching or prototyping our design we’re not afraid to criticize each other if something seems odds or looks out of the way. This intensive criticism seems hard to cope with at first but when you get used to it it’s very helpful in preventing you from falling in love with your work but instead seeks a way to improve it and make it as perfect as possible.

How much of Thailand is in your products, or are you focused on building an international brand?
Right at the beginning we agreed that our brand would not be restricted to Thailand, so we focused on interpreting our Thai-way of thinking into modernized objects with character and fine details. Take Frank Lamp for example, its playfulness is very Thai but its aesthetic interpretation is very modern and timelessly beautiful to a global audience.

Since then, we’ve received good attention from the Thai market as well. We recently got featured in a couple of local design shops and departmental stores, which is a very big leap for a young brand like us.

What’s next up for Pana Objects?
We are currently planning our new collection for this year. We’re only a year old and we plan to design a new collection annually so stick with us for more news and goodies!

The Frank Lamp is now available (made-to-order) on Haystakt.com
Follow PANA on HAYSTAKT: www.haystakt.com/panaobjects | Facebook | Website

WHAT I SEE WHEN I RUN

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:25:00 +0800

When Francis Ooi leaves home, telling his wife he’s going for a run, he’s obviously lying. Because he walks more than he runs. And he’s never out of breath either. Otherwise he’d never spot his breathtaking subjects, on the pathways of Singapore. But let’s not be too harsh on Francis - for his lack of focus outdoors, is our gain in beauty indoors.

From the workbench: Francis’ Collection Tray

Inspired by botanical illustrations of the past, whatiseewhenirun is Francis’ modern interpretation of the craft. We get behind the scenes with the creative director and amateur photographer (as he humbly insists).

What inspired you to do whatiseewhenirun?
I wanted to fill up my living room wall, and most of the paintings out in the market were kinda expensive. I stumbled upon some Botanical Portraits I have done in the past, and I decided why not continue doing it.

Francis’ very first botanical portrait, dated 1980.

What’s your relationship with nature?
I used to run in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve until i hurt my knee. So I ended up walking more. That’s when I noticed more of the ‘treasures’ in there. It was also very peaceful in there.

Aha! So that’s how the clever copy came about. The reserves’ full of different floral offerings, how do you select which ones to portray?
I look for interesting shapes, designs and details. They are actually common flora that most people wouldn’t even notice. But when you take it away from the cluttered environment, the jungle, and isolate it on a plain background, suddenly you start to focus on its beauty. There is nothing to distract you anymore.

The Plague

What is your favorite/most interesting photo to date?
The Plague, Freckles, Reindeer, and Rust are my favourites. They are not the pretty ‘supermodel’ types but they’ve got character.

Reindeer & Rust

What’s next up for whatiseenwhenirun?
Trying to expand into other merchandise and hopefully one day, I will be able to have a Botanical Portraits exhibition.

Sounds exciting! We could certainly do with more awareness of the beauty that already surrounds us. Thanks Francis!

Armed with only a micro four thirds camera, Francis shoots flora wherever he goes. His choice of format, paper, and treatment produces a fine grain, giving it a look closer to than of an illustration rather than a photograph. So don’t be surprised when people ask about those portraits of yours.

For more of Francis’ obsession:
SHOP whatiseewhenirun on HAYSTAKT: www.haystakt.com/botanicalportraits
FOLLOW whatiseewhenirun on: Haystakt | Tumblr | Facebook

Time for TIMO

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:10:00 +0800

“An adventure is about exploring with new eyes and free spirits…
begin your journey with just a pair of TIMO trunks and a curious mind…”

19 February 2013. After a humid hour’s traffic from the Suvarnabhumi International, I stumble out of my taxi and hobble into the hotel lobby. A torn ankle ligament really isn’t the best accessory for work travel. Unpack. An hour or so and more hobbling later, I’m at the Nana Thai Restaurant in Erawan, where I meet Pow Foongfaungchaveng, the very talented designer behind TIMO Trunks. It’s 7.30 pm. The curry crab we’ve ordered arrives a few minutes later.

TIMO first burst onto the scene in 2009; since then it has received nothing short of enthusiastic approval from the likes of Wallpaper*, Monocle, and Asia’s own Bryan Boy.

TIMO designs are colourful, playful, fun. Conscientious attention is paid to the structural details lining the trunks, and each pair is engineered with the comfort, convenience and classiness of the wearer in mind. With features like subtly inserted pockets and air escape apertures that facilitate amphibious movement, it is no wonder this premium swimwear line has garnered such a cult-following.

Over dinner we chat about the Internet, the state of wealth in the region, and what it means to own a business in this climate. The sharply dressed designer, with his monk-strap shoes and wool jeans, embodies much of TIMO’s adorned fun and preppy sensibilities. Pow tells me it was a New Year’s resolution, together with a long-standing desire to add something bon vivant to the famous Thai beaches, that led to the creation of TIMO. “It only makes sense for us to have a good Thai swimwear brand,” he smiles. I know at this point we have to bring TIMO onboard Haystakt, and it’s my turn to pitch.

The crab is sumptous, and Pow forces me to finish it, insisting I’m on holiday. We take a quick city tour of the menswear scene in Bangkok, zipping in and out of the shopping malls, escaping the raging traffic below as we rush on the overhead walkways (peak-hour lasts till 10pm). We’re racing against closing time, and I struggle to keep up with my ankle.

(Photo: Powtimo)

We stop at one of the boutiques where TIMO is stocked, and Pow proudly shows me the shop-in-shop display he’s designed (he’s coerced them into giving him centerstage on the floor). His thoughtful interpretation of a Trunk case features a slide-out shelf – a convenient setup in the mall or by the beach.

Regretfully we don’t have time for drinks – my short schedule requires me up and running early the next morning. Pow graciously drops me off at Asiatique for a brisk walk, and when I return to the hotel, my ankle is throbbing madly. Standing at my window, I bid goodnight to the city’s boiling smells and steaming streets. I feel I’ve just experienced an adventure right out of a TIMO design.

Haystakt is proud to present TIMO. Introducing a line of swim trunks that combine good basics, classic sportswear, and modern functionalism.

SHOP TIMO on HAYSTAKT:
www.haystakt.com/timotrunks

EDITOR’S PICK:

For the graphic enthusiast, treat yourself to this mathematical print in TIMO’s classic prep cut. The designers’ personal spin on Dutch Artist Escher’s work.

SHOP ESCHER RED on HAYSTAKT:
http://www.haystakt.com/product/view/329/Escher%20Red

Forest by TIMO x Yune is the result of a collaboration between TIMO and Tokyo-based illustrator Payoon Worachananan, a.k.a. Yune. We’re big fans of our South-East Asian rainforest, so you can imagine our excitement when we found a pair of swim trunks with such a fine local print.

One of Yune’s illustration references. Recognize the landscape? We’re
thrilled to think a jungle adventure lies waiting in our backyard.
(Photo: Yune)

The design, in the words of Yune (translated) conveys “an emotional look into the zones of a tropical forest, and the shifting temperatures as we move from the outside in,” giving a new narrative to our favourite TIMO LONG PREP.

SHOP FOREST BY YUNE on HAYSTAKT:
http://www.haystakt.com/product/view/411/Forest%20by%20Yune

PASTEL PERFEKT: INTRODUCING ATEM

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:45:00 +0800

Atem — it means ‘breath’ in German, and is an etymological descendant of ‘Atman’, the Sanskrit word for ‘self’.

Formed in 2011 by designer Nelson Abulencia, ATEM creates purity, finesse and quality through its garments, leathers and accessories. The tagline is “contemporary timelessness”. Only carefully considered materials are used.

In 2012, Vogue Germany featured ATEM’s handbags on its essay blog. The reviewer raved about ATEM’s limited edition shopperbags that possessed “erstaunlicher Raffinesse und Alltagstauglichkeit” (astonishing sophistication and practicality) and claimed that they came close to the Perfekt Bag.

The pastel-toned range (oatmeal, soft yellow, and powder blue), as captured by photographer Patrick Debrosses’ low-contrast palette, convey an understated chic and an earthy elegance.

Abulencia previously held stints at American Apparel, Filippa K, Acne Jeans and Tom Tailor Denim, where he was a menswear designer. In a 2010 interview at FÆBRIC, an online-only fashion magazine, he tells Midia Abbas that he first ventured into fashion when he and a friend chanced upon some discarded sailboat canvases. The friends collected the abandoned material and made bags out of them. Soon after, Abulencia became inspired to set up his own screen-printing studio and started printing his own shirts.

The friendly and down-to-earth designer has had some experience in our part of Asia: Abulencia had attended a tailoring school in Manila for three months, and also emerged as one of the 20 best participants of a design contest held by Evisu. This current collaboration with Haystakt marks a continuation of his engagement with our part of the world, and we at Haystakt are pleased and honoured to host his creations here for your visual (and real) consumption.

SHOP ATEM on HAYSTAKT:
www.haystakt.com/atem

EDITOR’S PICK:

The IDAN Oversized Shopper Bag is features a single endless strap that flows through the bag’s dual canvas tunnels.
Feel the weight of quality assurance on your shoulders.

SHOP IDAN on HAYSTAKT: http://www.haystakt.com/product/view/464/IDAN

The MATTHIEU Leather Shopper Bag features a frontside panel that can be zipped away,
with a metal zip lining each lateral edge, and a two-way metal zip on the lower edge.

SHOP MATTHIEU on HAYSTAKT: http://www.haystakt.com/product/view/465/MATTHIEU

THE HAYSTAKT WEEKENDER

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 10:01:28 +0800

We’re looking forward to our weekend read.

Gestalten’s stunningly curated hardcover of Scandinavian interior and product design
shows how sensitivity in craftsmanship makes the contributing difference - to simple, inviting, and comfortable living spaces.

Take a peek into Northern Delights here.

The Great HAYSTAKT Giveaway

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:15:00 +0800

WIN yourself a FRANK LAMP by Pana Objects today! (Worldwide)

2 Simple Steps:
1. Join our community! Signup at www.haystakt.com
2. Share/Repost/Retweet to double your chances

Haystakt is your online destination for things well-made. Surround yourself with truly narrative products from the artisan-run businesses and independent makers you love. Find out more at www.haystakt.com.

We’re growing our community! In celebration of our beta launch, and in-line with our continuous goal to improve your quality of life, we’ve organized a series of opportunities for you to take design home. Like us on www.fb.com/haystakt to get the scoop on upcoming contests.

Contest Ends: 5th April 2013
Winners will be selected at random, you must create an account to qualify
Winners will be announced on our facebook wall www.fb.com/haystakt
Applicable worldwide

THE HAYSTAKT WEEKENDER

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +0800

Craft occurs in even the smallest of spaces, in places often overlooked.

Here’s a story of an experienced ship builder on the tiniest dry dock: a bottle.

A timely reminder of absolute beauty in the little things.

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 21:03:00 +0800

Between the comfort of home and the lure of adventure, I am paralyzed.

We’ve been a fan of Patrick Watson’s music for awhile, and this film directed by Dee Shin to the tune of ‘Blackwind’ “contains layers of subtle motifs, linking each scene as we follow the Young Artist from the comfort of home into adventure.”

Disclaimer: The film rewards multiple viewings (just the way we like them)

The Craft Difference: Human Touch

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:30:00 +0800

In this second post of our series ‘The Craft Difference’, we’ll focus on the importance of human touch. What is human touch, and how can you use it to be real your customer in a medium when you never come face to face, for example online? We’d like to share what we’ve been hyper focused on for the past couple of weeks in the office.

Take a human approach towards design. It’s easy to get caught up thinking of things from a cost perspective. Instead of having to work from budgets that impose restrictions from the start, having a human centric approach at the core of design means putting customers first. This almost always translates to the quality of the product, meaning you start by thinking about the snug fit, stitching, and usability of even something seemingly simple such as a leather wallet or device case. For us, this means customizing and personalizing the user experience. We like to ask ourselves questions like how can big companies sound small? Take that answer, and add a tinge of personalization and character.

The Felt Case by elevenplus is furnished with pockets for a memo pad, business cards, and cables.
It readily transforms into a portable workstation for those on the go.

Human touch also is about the little things that machines can’t do. Be it the rustic attention to details, or the tactile selection of materials - mass production of goods by large-scale industry has limited craftspeople to market segments where mass-produced goods are unable to satisfy the preferences of potential buyers or their environments. They thus participate in a certain division of labour between industry and craft, where making becomes an art.

Small breakfast board by Herriott Grace.

We’re often asked if we make anything ourselves. While there are many exciting plans in store for the near future, we’re currently focused on hand-coding Haystakt. Not only is technology proprietary, customizing the website is something we take a lot of pride in. There’s nothing like being able to craft a web solution just for makers and designers - an audience we know will appreciate what we do. We spend our days thinking about the little things, and then translate those thoughts into code (a.k.a. making things we love).

Hand-coded.

Lastly, human touch is a story, a connection, and a community. HERRIOTT GRACE is a venture of father and daughter, and this is their story.

Lance and Nikole Herriott live 3400 kilometers apart: his workshop is in Victoria, British Columbia, and her studio is in Toronto, Ontario. When she first made her home more than halfway across the country, they started to send packages back and forth. In some of those packages, Lance began to include his own hand carved spoons. He had been collecting wood since the early seventies, and used his best pieces for these gifts. Nikole loved them; their balance and shape, the pieces were made with unmistakable care. She knew they were something special.

One day it dawned on her that others might appreciate her father’s talent as she did, so Nikole asked if he would ever want to share his work. Lance took a few days to think about it. And, after some convincing, he agreed to her plan, but only with people that understood and cared about the time and effort spent on each piece. She told him, “Leave it to me, I know just the sort.” And with that, Herriott Grace was born.

Herriott Grace

The Slow Food Market Is Fast Heating Up

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:49:00 +0800

I know it seems like we can’t stop talking about food, but the similarities (and visual potlucks) between food and craft are honest. The Brooklyn Flea is growing its artisanal food market with a whopping 25.6mil in backing from Goldman Sachs - you have to say people are chewing on this one.

Slow wood is a handmade prototype for unconventional sandwiches
far from the mass catering by Studio Fludd

Co-founder Jonathan Butler, a former vice president for hedge fund development at Merrill Lynch, is so confident that artisanal food is more than a passing fad that he invested in the venture out of his own pocket. “There’s a rising consciousness about food, health-wise. People want high-quality food, and they want to know where it comes from.” We have to say the story reminds us of our friends over at Omakase Burger, similarities astounding! It’s also a known fact that we never fail to empty our pockets in donation to their cause every single time we’re at Turf City, mostly because we just can not resist! ;)

It’s also nice to note that the market practices an intense curation process on their vendor applications. Beyond a personality test, you’d even have to cook for them! Butler shares that he’s looking for people who can say “I found a market for these cookies, and this is what my logo looks like, and this is what my brand is.”

Now that’s gotta be tasty.

While we’re on the topic of food+design - The Fab Cafe is a neat little cafe in Shibuya that...

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:31:00 +0800

While we’re on the topic of food+design - The Fab Cafe is a neat little cafe in Shibuya that aims to convey the FAB (Fabricating and Fabulous) spirit in a fun and delicious way.

The cafe is a space where people can enjoy making things in a relaxed community environment furnished with a variety of digital fabrication tools, including a laser cutter.

What a great way to introduce making to the masses!

The Craft Difference: Small Batch Production

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 09:12:00 +0800

Lately, we’ve been traveling to connect with good folks from around the region, and learning about their craft. Naturally, we’ve been asked a few times what is it that we do, what we stand for and what Haystakt wants to achieve.

Creating something that doesn’t yet exist is never easy - the establishment of new protocols and templates from scratch, the justification of new value and economics - the list goes on. And while the process of creation keeps us on our toes, curating and redefining an industry (or an aspect of it) is even harder. When pioneering at the frontier, one is forced to draw out boundaries.

What defines maker goods? What types of products does Haystakt carry? Who are you looking to work with? How does one curate?

This has spurred us to begin this series titled “The Craft Difference”.

In our inaugural post, we’re going to focus on the small batch. This approach to design production - producing individual designs in limited or smaller quantities - was common amongst many smaller companies or craft workshops for much of the 20th century. It allowed them to respond quickly to different commissions and market opportunities without being tied down to the inflexible and expensive technologies associated with modes of mass-production. Yet this method of production is seeing a comeback for a new reason - control.

To speak a language both you and I understand better, we’re going to liken the production process to the intense environment of a restaurant kitchen. A while ago we shared a series of photos (taken by Alan Poul for Co. Create) profiling Chef René Redzepi’s Noma, the vigorous buzz emanating from the Copenhagen food scene over the last several years.

With two Michelin stars under its belt, “Believe the hype”, they said.

When running a restaurant, your output and production rate determines the allowance of attention to detail or creative spontaneity. If the goal was to have a 3-round turnover within a single evening, it would be difficult for one to spend time foraging in the nearby wooded areas and beaches to supply a field-to-table flourish of “just-plucked chanterelles, spontaneously scattered on a plate of braised ox cheeks moments before being presented to the table.”

In the kitchen, specialization, focus and method are the codes to strive for. There’s a reason why degustation menus are fixed - the dining is meant to be an experience consumed by the guest, one that is crafted to their enjoyment, right down to the ingredients the chef took 3 months to prepare, that same dish the eight-year-old restaurant serves every day.

Also different: At Noma, each course is brought to you by the chef who serves the food they make; their hands sometimes smeared with remnants of the food they just prepared. That’s 25 different pairs of hands. “That way the chefs aren’t stuck in their heads, without sunlight and without the satisfaction of seeing people eat your food,” sous chef Samuel Nutter explains. “I think it really works for the guests and is really beneficial for the chefs.”

Output, quality, and more touch points along the making process. With a culture that embraces design thinking and small batch food production, it’s no wonder the best restaurant in the world stays that way (three years running). In craft design, this translates to the crafting process and products embedded with thought, history, and art.

Take for example The Workshop Gallery, which designs made-to-order handcrafted goods. Their small batch production model signifies “an understanding between the craftsman and the buyers: that high quality handmade products only come about with time and care. More than just the finished objects, it’s about keeping the process honest and honoring the craftsman work approach as well. We want everyone who steps into the gallery to feel closer to the creators and the process behind every object.”

We understand. We’re believers too, in some cases being purposefully small allows you to control the experience outcome.

What are your thoughts? Let us know as we embark on this exciting journey to define quality maker craft.

On Spatial Arrangement of Objects Related

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 11:34:00 +0800

There are about a thousand things to remember constantly - little things that most people don’t realize. So if you take someone day by day, and if they take an interest, you will get something good out of trying to train them.

At Haystakt, we can’t overemphasize the importance of corporate culture. Implementing some front-end tweaks for the site this week, we spent some (mandatory) time meditating on the larger picture - the map of user-experience. Designs can be copied, but experiences can only be created.

If you haven’t caught on by now, Haystakt is a community-curated browsing experience. This means that you browse products based on recommendations from people you already like or admire. There are other good folks who’ve done something similar for the editorial realm. We’ve chosen to focus on products because we understand this space, and believe there’s a new breed of truly narrative products on the rise - products that we know bring joy to people by improving their quality of life, many of which are worth keeping or passing down generations.

For those still trying to grasp the concept, the spatial arrangement of objects related is more easily understood through a themed-title and an accompanying visual space.

Once a collection is put into place, there is birth of a newly organized meaning that transcends a single object. It’s what galleries, libraries and retail spaces have done for centuries, and it’s no wonder that the internet of things is obsessed with crowd-sourced editions like ThingsOrganizedNeatly and TheBurningHouse. As Rob Walker of NYT puts it quite aptly, “it has (almost) become a cliché to talk of ‘curation’ as the great skill of the info-saturated online world, but probably what matters here is the overt display of that skill — the de facto announcement that someone is in charge. After too many years when stuff seemed to rule many lives, these things have been culled, sorted and mastered.”

Make arrangements to make meaning.

On Collecting

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 18:11:00 +0800

Being fond of all things at the junction of art/design + technology, this week we were delighted to discover Bay Area artist Jenny Odell’s work.

125 Swimming Pools, by Jenny Odell

Aside from gazing at 97 nuclear cooling towers and debating over the world’s best waterslide, the (yet another) ingenious use of google maps made us ponder a single question - is it natural that we collect things?

The rock collector’s story is that his grandfather used to be a truck driver delivering stones. Any new rock to him is a piece that connects him with a relative past. Daido Moriyama trolls the back alleys of Shinjuku, immortalizing digitally toned moments into books and series of diptychs. We collect objects in our bedrooms, acquiring stories that weave into curated tales we live to tell.

Tool of choice: Celebrated for his gritty depictions of Japanese urban life,
Daido Moriyama uses a digital compact camera to frame history

Like historian and journalist Philipp Blom puts it, “The real value of a piece lies not in its auction price, but in the importance it has in the collection”. After all, aside from questioning Obama’s true ethnicity, we are but contributing pieces towards a larger history. (Four years more at the very least)

Now, we don’t advocate collecting in a hoarding kind of way, instead we see curating as a function that highlights worth beyond material value. The collector’s stockpile of articles, each of which bear individual makers’ wealth of cultural baggage, their intentions and their methods - fuse to create an interpretation of something more.

The process of arrangement becomes such a personally meaningful and sentimental thing, because it tells a story of who they are, and why they do what they do. Looking through a collection someone has amassed is not unlike having a privileged eye into their inspirations and aspirations.

This week, we urge you to look beyond the material value of an object and think about its place in your collection of meaning. As we hit our very own milestone this week, we’re glad we’re playing host and bringing a new form of connecting people. Be part of this growing community, see you at haystakt.com.

On Urban Geography

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 18:19:00 +0800

The Share by iskw0209

It seems like spaces and constraints are the talk of the town this week, and they say that creativity emerges from constraint. If that’s so, then cultures that are fixated with maintaining order and stability should well breed the most creative people on the planet. But beyond politics and searching for the details of the Romney-Ryan tax plan, we paused to ask ourselves - when did the opposite ring true? When did constraint start to curb creativity?

Fact: Children in Singapore are myopic mainly because they don’t spend enough time outdoors, and that there aren’t enough large open fields to stretch their ciliary muscles.

Unlike their (anywhere-but-an-island) counterparts, kids in space-starved Singapore don’t have the luxury of tool sheds and backyards to learn to build things and habits in. Of course we’d like for the young to always embrace new frontiers. Maybe even adopt a little bit of Mark Zuckerberg’s mantra of ‘move fast and break things’ (although given the stock dips we’re sure that Team Facebook intends to focus on the former).

What we’re saying is - why let the lack of space hinder the spirit of exploration? We say work with the geography, don’t let it dictate.

1. Recognise and make use of what you have.
    Tokyo Social Standard - The Share is one such example. Housed in a refurbished company dormitory, the mixed-use building takes advantage of tight spaces to create a shared living scheme that offers tenants a modest bedroom amongst other facilities like a common lounge area and a restaurant-sized kitchen. What draws tenants into the concept is the chance to be part of a creative community.

2. Initiate shared spaces.
    In spite of the inevitable brouhaha we foresee over the usage of the void decks (for weddings, funerals, ministerial meetings.. the list is exhaustive), we see the void deck space as blue ocean potential that a community concerned with building the future would appreciate. How about ateliers or craftshops under the block? Or modular playgrounds built for the creative child (and adult)? Revel in a common backyard, let the young ones go loose in a creative space. Let them be nimble with their hands. Get lost in a building. Build a fort out of leaves. The opportunities to discover, collaborate and communicate would be multiplied.

3. Get involved in building our urban environment.
    Technology is one avenue to do this - sites like brickstarter.org and openideo.com advocate using new media to ramp up community involvement and create a better living and working environment. The internet is a revolutionary way to crowdsource statistics, and these numbers can be used to engineer real changes. And we’re not just talking about simple petitions, we’re talking big changes: Bringing those statistics to the government and getting them involved in what the people want. Now here’s a chance to actually start a project about what to do with that empty plot of land behind your block.

The Hakone Pavilion by Tezuka Architects, a creative playground
that fuses playing fun with an awareness of the natural environment

The ways and means are there. Our challenge this weekend is to not let our environment prescribe how we could live, but instead define our own surroundings, and start using our hands again.

On Learning Something New

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 17:21:00 +0800

Photo: plasticfantastic

This week, we released our beta site to our founding brands, and the Haystakt Team enjoyed some time to rest and relax. What better way than to take a therapeutic dip in the pool on a Sunday afternoon? With the scorching sun above outlining silhouettes, cool waters and long islands were the name of the game.

Swimming isn’t an entirely foreign concept to a lot of people, but to those who don’t fall into the categories of professional athletes or water enthusiasts, it is hardly thought of as anything other than basic. To a fair few, it is a survival skill and not much else. Still, 54% of the world would remain defenseless in the face of deep, open water and high tides (so says Wikipedia).

Outpaced by a fellow lazy weekender two laps later, the statistic begets a good question — how could we perfect the art of skillfully thrashing in the pool? This seemed like an agenda perfect for a lazy Sunday.

Call us competitive, but leisurely wading wasn’t going to cut it. Rather than be thrown into the trajectory of panic, we counted the ways and emerged with these: Change your breathing pattern. Focus your energy at different parts of the stroke. Tinker with your mind to expand your actions beyond the ordinary swing of body motion. Feel in sync with the repetition and move towards improvement.

The satisfying thing about learning something new isn’t so much the first steps to familiarisation, but the rest of the learning process. And behind clichés lie profound truths — as you learn the ropes of a new craft, you discover things about your own work ethic, your methods, and you discover what works and what doesn’t. Advice from other seasoned learners may highlight new ways of seeing things. And then you go back to what you already knew before and make it better.

We went back to the development studio rested and relaxed, but also with a newfound commitment to method and respect for technique. We had been invigorated with a sense of self-fulfillment, and the yearning to learn more.

This applies to many other things - be it picking up a new skill, revisiting an old hobby, improving the home or even redecorating your workspace. It isn’t a universal maxim but trying it out never hurt anyone. Different strokes for different folks.

This weekend, relax by learning something new. See with brand new eyes, open your mind, and write with a new perspective. Come Monday morning when you pick up your tools, you’ll be surprised to see what new definitions you’ve created in your own line of craft.

giantcypress: A short film by Bob Krist on the Nakashima...

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 16:05:18 +0800

giantcypress:

A short film by Bob Krist on the Nakashima Woodworker workshop in New Hope, PA.

fastcompany: This $9 Cardboard Bike Can Support Riders Up To...

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 17:41:09 +0800

fastcompany:

This $9 Cardboard Bike Can Support Riders Up To 485lbs

The Alfa weighs 20lbs, yet supports riders up to 24 times its weight. It’s mostly cardboard and 100% recycled materials, yet uses a belt-driven pedal system that makes it maintenance free. And, maybe best of all, it’s project designed to be manufactured at about $9 to $12 per unit (and just $5 for a kids version), making it not only one of the most sustainable bikes you could imagine, but amongst the cheapest, depending on the markup.

Read more->

architecturemas: sustainable pavilion by st. andré-lang...

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 17:41:46 +0800

architecturemas:

sustainable pavilion by st. andré-lang architectes made from corn and wood

rachelwellspr: brilliance.

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 17:36:54 +0800

rachelwellspr:

brilliance.