The PARQ, lifestyle mixed-use development integrating smart workplaces and retail under the concept of “Life Well Balanced,” unveiled two final installations completing The PARQ Collection, a collection of site-specific contemporary artworks for public display. Representing the balanced and seamless connection between urban lives and nature, the art collection has been purposefully curated to enhance the quality of life and the positive aspects of human experience among The PARQ’s occupants and visitors alike. The collection features a total of five artworks, including three by masterful Thai artists, namely “Kuer Koon” by Pongsatat “Dong” Uaiklang, “The Cradle” by Aor Sutthiprapha and “The Cocoon” by Sanitas Pradittasnee of Sanitas Studio, as well as the recently added “Amplitude” and “Meadow” by Dutch artist DRIFT.

Comprised of two acclaimed Dutch artists Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta, DRIFT is celebrated for its constant incorporation of unique links between nature, human and technology into sculptures. DRIFT’s installations have been exhibited at prominent museums, art biennales and institutes across the United States, Europe, Middle East and Asia. Now at The PARQ, Bangkok, the artists are introducing “Amplitude” and “Meadow”, a pair of art pieces that connect artistic creativity with cutting-edge technology to produce interactive sculptures whose distinctive movements and displays can be controlled, monitored and optimized on a real-time basis from the studio in Amsterdam.

– A pulse is a sign of life, and Amplitude represents that of birds. Hovering rhythmically over the lobby halls, Amplitude portrays a flock of birds and reflects mankind’s fascination with flight. Together with digital synchronisation, each element has a small weight to shift the balance of the glass wings, each meticulously crafted and assembled by hand, to create different movements, giving an impression of the birds flying smoothly in slow motion. Each bird performs its movement as an individual but together they work as a collective group. For the installation at office lobby of The PARQ, Lonneke Gordijn has specifically tailored the rhythm and motion to be relatively slower than usual in order to evoke calm and serene emotions for visitors and people working in the office building. Additionally, Amplitude will feature a newly-composed music by Wannarit Pongprayoon of Stylish Nonsense. The track is a mix between piano instrumentals, sounds of birds and natural wildlife and electronic beats that together construct a perfect tune for the setting.

Different versions of Amplitude have been exhibited temporarily and permanently at leading museums across the globe and discerning government buildings in the Netherlands, e.g. Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and Rijkskantoor de Knoop, a government office in Utrecht. In Asia, the artwork has been put on display at a Formula 1 event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The recent installation at The PARQ marks its first permanent installation in Asia and Southeast Asia.

– Meadow is a set of man-made upside-down blooming flowers. Accompanied by the soft hues of light inside The PARQ, the palette on the fabric petals was custom designed to be subtle and minimalistic. The art piece is designed to remind the viewers of the sensational character of natural growth processes and the impermanence of constantly changing seasons. Meadow is the aesthetic result of DRIFT’s examination on how an inanimate object can mimic those changes that express characters and emotions, as seen through the petals of flowers arranged at different altitudes that open and close in a poetic choreography. During the installation phase, Lonneke Gordijn provided guidance to DRIFT’s installation team on the arrangement of the flowers’ positions, their height variation as well as the movements to achieve the depth and refinement that go in harmony with the surroundings.

Different versions of Meadow have been exhibited temporarily and permanently at leading museums and shopping centers across the globes, e.g. Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, Superblue Miami, an interactive museum in Miami, Landmark in Hong Kong, and Chodov Centre in Prague, Republic of Czech. The permanent installations in the Asian region so far are those in Beijing and Hong Kong. The PARQ marks the third venue in Asia and the first in Southeast Asia to ever permanently install the art piece.

Charintip Choomuenwai, Chief Curator and Vice President, Art & Culture, The PARQ, said, “It is in The PARQ’s mission to place a great emphasis on the use of contemporary art and culture as key components of our smart mixed-use space development. We pride ourselves in realizing it to completion as we have commissioned several contemporary artworks at The PARQ, which unite cutting-edge technology and art seamlessly. Exposure to art is an indication of quality buildings and good well-being. This concept has been promoted by several certification programs, including WELL Building Standard, which deems the physical and mental wellness of building occupants to be important. These standards require that art is integrated in building design to create a wholesome experience that uplifts the emotions and minds of the occupants. We also would like The PARQ to be the space where artistic talents are showcased, and a place for the public to come and appreciate art, so they can feel inspired and relaxed at the same time.”

With nature being the major inspiration of The PARQ Collection, the curated art pieces are thus made in association with the subject matter. This includes the use of natural materials and blending elements of natural phenomena in the design to harmonize the artworks with the building’s biophilic architecture.

The PARQ is committed to supporting and hosting events for the art community to enjoy and engage in, such as the Bangkok Art Biennale. It has also established an Art & Culture department which is dedicated specifically to this field of work. The adoption of art and sustainability standards have led The PARQ to become the first mixed-use project in Thailand to achieve LEED Certification, the latest standard for sustainable green buildings. Additionally, The PARQ constantly promotes health and wellness of occupants and visitors according to WELL standard and follows the WELL Mind concept by using art as a key element in rehabilitating the minds of individuals in the building.