sher maker unveils pleated wood fashion studio in chiang mai

sher maker completes long goy studio

Long goy, which translates to ‘try it’ in the northern Thai dialect, is a motto which conveys the ideology of this fashion house brand that has developed from cultural roots to create modern, experimental expressions. Uniting these values, Long Goy Studio by Sher Maker is a street fashion house based in Chiang Mai which houses the brand’s entire operations, from design work to textiles workshops for production to exhibition spaces for storage and distribution.

Drawing influence from vernacular architecture infused with modern techniques, the building takes shape as a traditional wooden longhouse topped with a corrugated steel roof. Its pleated smart board and hardwood facade, dyed with a vibrant blue accentuated with shades of red, alludes to the rice barn which sits behind it, and the wider Lanna cultural roots.

all images courtesy of Sher Maker

drawing on northern thai culture and vernacular

Long Goy Studio sits parallel to a house and opens out onto a shared courtyard space. Its form, proportions, and location draw on the context of an original Northern rice barn which was demolished from the area and reassembled into an idyllic garden pavilion which now sits behind the studio. In a modern juxtaposition to the traditional neighboring architecture, Sher Maker conceives the space with locally sourced basic materials for its steel structures, smart board wooden facade, and glass openings that allow natural light to enter from the north side of the building.

The facade has been dyed with a vibrant blue wood stain, and divided along the sides by blue-red dyed hardwood. This visual language emulates the flipped seams in textile sewing and draws particularly on the two-sided pleating technique to make a give each side of the building a coherent yet distinct perception.

Inside, the architects house a sewing workshop within a large, high atrium where air and light can circulate freely during working hours. The exhibition hall and studio sit at the end of the building, penetrating through to the backyard and workshop area.

project info:

name: Long Goy
architecture: Sher Maker
location: Chiang Mai, Thailand

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edited by: ravail khan | designboom