sustainable communities

Permaculture in the heart of Bangkok: The Bo.lan edible garden

Permaculture in the heart of Bangkok: The Bo.lan edible garden

In mid 2019, the team at Openspace engaged in a six month project to design and build an edible garden for Bo.lan – the Michelin star restaurant in Bangkok. Bo.lan has championed the sustainability movement, implementing innovative solutions to reduce their food and other waste, and using local, organic ingredients where possible. Our edible garden is very much in line with this mandate. To design it, we used permaculture principles, an emphasis on organic and natural materials, as well as making as much of the garden accessible to people of different ages and abilities. 

สนามควาย l Buffalo Field 2019 Workshops: 30 November and 1 December

As part of the Buffalo Field Festival 2019, we are running two movement workshops led by international artists. The workshops will take place on the mornings of Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December at Wat Soonthorn Thammathan (Wat Care Nang Lerng) Temple.

Agung Gunawan will lead the Javanese Elemental Dance Workshop on Saturday 30 November 2019. Agus Riyanto and Tony Yap will lead the Contemplative Trance Workshop on Sunday 1 December 2019.

ส่วนหนึ่งของงานเทศกาลทุ่งสนามควายในปี 2019 นี้ พวกเราได้จัดเวิร์คช็อปด้านการเคลื่อนไหวถึง 2 เวิร์คช็อปด้วยกัน และจะดำเนินการโดยศิลปินชาวต่างชาติ เวิร์คช็อปทั้งสองจะจัดในช่วงเช้าของวันเสาร์ที่ 30 พฤศจิกายน และวันอาทิตย์ที่ 1 ธันวาคม ที่วัดสุนทรธรรมทาน (วัดแคนางเลิ้ง) อากุง กันนูวัน เวิร์คช็อปการรำกับสภาพแวดล้อมธรรมชาติแบบชาวชวา วันที่: วันเสาร์ที่ 30 พฤศจิกายน อากุส เรียนโต และ โทนี่ แยป เวิร์คช็อปการเข้าถึงสภาวะในภวังค์ วันที่: วันอาทิตย์ที่ 1 ธันวาคม เวลา

สนามควาย l Buffalo Field 2019: 30 November and 1 December

Openspace’s long standing collaboration with the Nang Lerng culminated in the creation of the Buffalo Field Festival where artists from around the world perform in the community. The festival is organised in association with Mike Hornblow (New Zealand) and the E-Lerng Artists Collective from within the community. 

This year, we are joined by 17 artists – Thai, international and even from within the community – for two days of workshops and performances. 

The workshops will be run by Agung Gunawan (Indonesia) on Saturday 30 November 2019 and Tony Yap (Malaysia-Australia) with Agus Rianto (Indonesia) on Sunday 1 December 2019.

City Farming for Sustainable Communities

City Farming for Sustainable Communities

As the sustainability gets traction around the world, urban and city farms are popping up to provide accessible produce. Whether they’re private or commercial farms or personal edible gardens, there is an increase in these projects.

At Openspace, we have included elements of city farming in our design projects for the past decade. In this blog, we take a look back at some of our sustainable projects - both past and future.

สนามควาย l Buffalo Field: 25 & 30 November, 1 December 2018

On the 25th and 30th November and 1st December 2018, Openspace in collaboration with the E-Lerng Artists Collective from the Wat Care Nang Lerng Community and 12 renowned artists from around the world, is hosting the สนามควาย l Buffalo Field event.

This event comprises workshops by Mike Hornblow and Agung Gunawan, and performances by Takashi Takiguchi (Japan), Kiki Ando (Japan), Tony Yap (Malaysia/Australia), Brendan O’Connor (Ireland), Agung Gunawan (Indonesia), Agus Riyanto (Indonesia), AñA Wojak (Australia), Cloudbeard - Brandon Jaye Casidy (Australia), Alan Schacher (Austraia), WeiZen Ho (Malaysia/Australia), Kathleen Gonzalez (Colombia), and Mike Hornblow (Australia/New Zealand). The embodied movement event takes places in Nang Lerng, in the old town of Bangkok, Thailand.

Embodied Movement: Exploring Dance in a community in the old town of Bangkok

In November 2017, Openspace, the E-Lerng artists collective and 5 renowned artists organised a two-day event in Nang Lerng in the old town of Bangkok, Thailand. Embodied Movement drew together the local community, artists, and visitors from around the city.

Tony Yap (Australia/Malaysia), Agung Gunawan (Indonesia), Takashi Takiguchi (Japan), Benjamin Allen (Australia), and Mike Hornblow (Australia/New Zealand) participated in the event which was split between workshops and performances.

The artists explored embodied movement and invited participants to discover movement and a new awareness of themselves and their surroundings. This event is a pilot for future events in this community.