A Glimpse into Bangkok Design Week 2025 Through the Journey of Dassein Design Bureau
One of Southeast Asia’s largest design festivals, Bangkok Design Week 2025, successfully took place from February 8 to 23, 2025. Now in its eighth edition, the festival carried the theme "Design Up+Rising!", showcasing the power of design in driving social, economic, and urban transformation. Aiming to highlight Bangkok’s urban landscape, the festival was spread across seven key locations—Charoenkrung-Talat Noi, Yaowarat-Song Wat, Pak Khlong Talad, Phra Nakhon, Khaosan-Bang Lamphu, Bang Pho, and Hua Lamphong—each with its own identity and unique programming. Bangkok Design Week 2025 featured more than 80 curated programs that reflected the essence of Bangkok through exhibitions, project presentations, and community activities. These programs were designed to connect the public with the design community, emphasizing the significance of design in public spaces and innovative business models to boost the local economy.
True to its theme, "Design Up+Rising!", designers and cross-sector collaborators presented pioneering projects highlighting design’s potential to reshape cities and urban life. The showcased works demonstrated how design can address pressing urban challenges, empower communities, and pave the way for sustainable growth—all while reimagining Bangkok’s future as a city driven by innovation and inclusivity. Among the participants who incorporated community-centered design into their works was Bandung-based design studio Dassein Design Bureau. Through its exhibited works, Dassein Design Bureau introduced its creative methodology known as Brandsphere. Aligned with Bangkok Design Week 2025’s mission to raise public awareness about the importance of design across various sectors, Brandsphere encapsulated the studio’s creative process in bridging the gap between design and business through diverse client projects. “We brought four clients from different industries to demonstrate that design can fit into any context. Sumaye, Zarya Cocoa, Tenunin, and Mutu Loka were among the projects we showcased at Bangkok Design Week 2025,” shared Shani Nur, Studio Principal of Dassein Design Bureau.
During their time at Bangkok Design Week 2025, the Dassein Design Bureau team gained valuable insights and references. Immersed in a design landscape with a cultural backdrop different from Indonesia, the team observed that Bangkok Design Week had its own distinct characteristics, setting it apart from other design festivals—particularly in its approach. Rather than catering exclusively to industry professionals or those with a design background, Bangkok Design Week 2025 embraced a wider audience, inviting public engagement throughout the two-week event across multiple locations. In terms of the exhibited works, various design disciplines—including graphic design, product design, crafts, and installations—seamlessly merged and complemented one another. From their experience, Bangkok Design Week also functioned as a platform that supported Thailand’s tourism and creative economy through its accessible programs and diverse activities. The festival has solidified Thailand’s creative industry’s growth on an international scale.
Design professionals and the general public from various backgrounds brought different perspectives when evaluating the exhibited works, providing a unique presentation experience for designers. Shani was particularly surprised by the overwhelming interest in Dassein Design Bureau’s showcased projects. From international designers and students to office workers and foreign tourists, many were drawn to the concepts and products presented by the studio. “Unfortunately, we hadn’t planned on selling the products we brought to the event,” Shani admitted. Dassein Design Bureau’s participation in Bangkok Design Week 2025 marked a significant achievement for Indonesia’s design industry, especially with the studio being listed among the "20 Must-see Programs Exploring Design That Connects with Everyone." This recognition drew visitors who were eager to learn more about their work. “We received a great deal of appreciation, both from the event organizers, who treated us exceptionally well, and from visitors who were keen to ask questions about our projects,” Shani shared.
Bangkok Design Week 2025 provided a space for people to rise, think collectively, and showcase "what creativity and design can do" to help society adapt and navigate turbulent times across various sectors. The festival’s background statement emphasized that economic and political pressures often serve as catalysts for new creative ideas. This has led to the emergence of various Art and Design Movements throughout history, driving social trends and influencing societal change in their respective eras. Social environments are deeply intertwined with design, yet many still perceive creative work as something distant, luxurious, and unnecessary in everyday life. Such perceptions diminish the value of creative endeavors. Bangkok Design Week 2025 seized the opportunity to elevate and reinvigorate the design industry. “We aim to demonstrate that design has the power to create real change on multiple levels and can empower communities to rise and tackle the challenges around them.”
