Chiang Mai-based architecture studio Sher Maker designed a Chamchuri wood factory showroom in Chiang Mai in an effort to pay an ode to local craftsmanship. The factory was built in collaboration with local furniture factory Moonler. The longhouse showroom celebrates and shines a light on the materiality and traditional regional design to draw attention to the brand’s products and processes.
Designer: Sher Maker x Moonler
The Moonler furniture showroom was inspired by traditional Thai longhouses. The traditional architectural typology of these houses was picked up and artfully merged with the visual design language of a pavilion, in an attempt to capture the brand’s traditional values. At the same time, Sher Maker made an effort to remain sensitive and empathetic to the natural environment surrounding the showroom.
Northern Thailand has an abundance of extremely talented and skilled wood artisans who create beautiful refined products from the local materials and elements available. Moonler is based in the area of Doi Saket in Chiang Mai, and builds tables, benches, stools, and other furniture pieces from Chamchuri wood. Moonler’s collaboration with Sher Maker is an initiative to celebrate and honor the traditions and products of the region. The showroom was designed to harmoniously blend with its surrounding natural environment, which it does so beautifully. It features a narrow long and imposing form with a gabled roof on top, which is linked to the entrance court. However, the showroom manages to look like a pavilion, which is connected to the rice field terrace.
Another notable aspect of the showroom is the fact that it really truly pays an ode to the factory’s craftsmen. This beautiful tribute can be seen throughout the entirety of the showroom. The wooden beams and columns woven throughout the showroom, resemble the Chamchuri wooden furniture pieces excellently. They impart the space with a warm and minimal vibe, that creates an interior that is both traditional and simple. All the structural finishings and joinery implemented in the showroom accurately capture and incorporate Moonler’s furniture construction processes. They stand in “powerful silence as Moonler’s philosophy.” Moonler’s handcrafted furniture designs have been showcased throughout the showroom.
