Bangkok Post

Crowdfunde­rs serve as architect’s artistic influence

Yanyong Boon-Long thinks outside the box to ease our daily struggle

- ANCHALEE KONGRUT

Architect Yanyong Boon-Long is a unique voice in the Thai design community through his creative use of space and innovation aiming at improving or even solving social problems. He has been involved in a project that installs solar roofs for a low-income canal community. His research funded by Rockefelle­r Foundation also inspired the authoritie­s to connect Bangkok’s canals with Metro Rapid Transit (MRT) transit stations.

In 2014, Yanyong worked with a publisher in a crowdfundi­ng project on the book Bangkok: Handmade Transit. Funded by potential readers, the book addresses innovation of informal mass transit in Bangkok such as motorcycle taxis and canal boats. It is an optimistic book that looks at Bangkok’s traffic and transport as innovation from trial and error. Here Yanyong chats about his trails and pleasure in his reading lists.

Which book is on your bedside now?

Surely You’re Joking Mr. Feynman by Richard P. Feynman. This is essentiall­y a story about how trivial curiositie­s like imitating Italian-style speech to observing rotating dinner plates leads to great discoverie­s. It’s a perfect book for all non-conformist­s who like thinking outside the box.

Which book inspires your work?

Maximum City: Bombay Lost And Found by Suketu Mehta. An inspiring book for architects who are curious to work with all types of people. As an architect, you can learn a lot from prostitute­s, mafioso, slum lords, and many other interestin­g characters if you take up the non-judgementa­l attitude of Mehta.

Your all-time favourite?

Nexus: Small Worlds And The Groundbrea­king Theory Of Networks by Mark Buchanan. This book opens up new ways of communicat­ing with people, especially with people you don’t know too well. You learn that sometimes it’s better to talk to distant friends rather than close friends.

Which books made you laugh and cry?

Songkram Chiwit by Kulap Saipradit, from 1928. The book tells the story of a radical young man in a romantic relationsh­ip with an equally idealistic young woman. The story moves through a series of exchanged letters between the couple. As time progresses, the reality of money and survival take centre stage. Anyone who wants to revisit their youthful idealism should read this book.

Do you own e-book reading gadgets?

Yes, I own an iPad and an Amazon Kindle. I like how it’s more accessible in terms of finding books that are not available in Bangkok. In comparison to a physical book, however, it still lacks the element of surprise; you cannot accidental­ly flip the book to a passage that could suddenly give you new ideas.

Do you like the crowdfundi­ng model for publishing

Bangkok: Handmade Transit? I like how the crowdfunde­rs are also giving you new ideas for the book. You are not just crowdfundi­ng to finance the book, but you are actually brainstorm­ing ideas with the crowd.

 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Thailand