stories
Design as Soft Power
As civilizations develop, it brings nations to form a more diplomatic relationship towards each other. In that regard, hard power, such as military movement and direct economic sanctions, is not preferable. But the need for power is undeterred because however, humans are beings that have an ego. Thus, diplomacy consists of influencing people to do things by improving a nation’s appeals. And that is what is called Soft Power.
Appreciating Design
Some objects we encounter are often so unfamiliar to us that we consider them bizarre or ugly. But actually, often, it's just because we don't understand what the objects contain. Once we are aware and understand the point of view that the things are proposing, we can begin to see them from another angle and see the beauty they offer.
Collective vs. Individual Identity and How to Create It
What is "Made in Indonesia"? What ideas represent this country? We often prematurely decide that it is the traditional properties we're familiar with, such as Batik, Keris, Rendang, and more. But it's actually not a thing, but a subject/subjects of which we've developed "a sense of we".
alvinT to exhibit at JAGANTARA by Warisan Budaya Indonesia (WBI) Foundation
AlvinT will join JAGANTARA (Jaga Warisan Nusantara), an event organized by the WBI Foundation that aims to preserve, protect, develop and socialize the cultural heritage of Indonesia. The JAGANTARA event, from 29 July - 21 August 2022, will feature several categories of Indonesian culture such as Textile, Craft, Culinary, Young Generation, Cinema, and Interior Design. Don't forget the date, and see you at Jagantara 2022 at ASHTA District 8!
Impact of Mortality and Immortality in Design
Have you ever pondered about the length of your lifetime compared to the universe? The life expectancy of humans these days reached 73.4 years, but the universe itself seems infinite since it has lived for 13.7 billion years.
In living our finite life, we have created things that change the course of our own life, those around us, and those in the future, including the environment we touched and haven’t yet touched. It’s why the era where human lives are called the Anthropocene.
What kind of attitudes that can appear in front of such limitless, endless future and past? Which attitude seems best to be worn so we're not overwhelmed or turned into apathy because of it?
alvinT to exhibit at Emerge @ FIND Design Fair, Singapore
Alvin-T will join FIND Design Fair in Singapore through EMERGE, an exhibition curated by Suzy Annetta of Design Anthology, dedicated to “the best of Southeast Asia’s established and emerging designers.” The event will take place at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, from 22-24 September 2022. We welcome visitors to experience our works and to exchange ideas on this global stage for interior, furniture, and design.
Alvin Tjitrowirjo featured in Business Times: “Designing South-east Asia” as part of “Five South-east Asian designers to look out for”
Words by Helmi Yusof for Business Times | Design 7 July 2022
Indonesian-born product designer Alvin Tjitrowirjo has developed a strong reputation for being faithful to his place of origin. His furniture brand AlvinT pays tribute to the humble rattan and reimagines it in fascinating ways.
He says: “The rattan that we use is indigenous to Indonesia. We work with local and traditional weavers to pass down their traditional values and wisdom through long-lasting contemporary objects and products. We utilise traditional processes that cannot be replaced by machines or robots, thus maintaining the human connection to the material.”
View on Trends
Every year, even at every turn of the season, products in the shopfront of brands are changing to follow trends and the so-called "demand" of the market. But what if changing the products in the collection means there are tonnes of waste products that our society can't even manage?
Trends have to be followed with certain ethics, both by the consumer and producer. How? We have our own take on this.
View on Beauty
If we try to evaluate beauty on superficial things, we value the wrong subject. Our evaluation and perception will be meaningless. Similar to when we respond to a question with the wrong understanding of the said question, we simply miss the subject and should move on to the right one. The wrong answers will be forgotten within a second. So does our creation.
alvinT is now available online at Singulart
alvinT pieces are crafted with attitudes and intentions similar to art. Hence, its existence can also take place among them, such as in singulart.com.
Design as a process of self-discovery
Is self-discovery even necessary? To us, self-discovery has helped us to find a new design language and its aesthetics. It has also given us several lenses to see the condition of the Indonesian furniture industry and provided us an understanding of our role in it. While in the sense of self, it will help in finding the right place to fit who you are, who you can be, and what purpose can you serve with it.
Design Proximity
Are you a designer? Have you considered the design language for your works? Why do we need it?
Design language is the amalgamation of a creative approach to problem-solving. Where the richer its vocabulary, the more used and exercised, the more it will be able to proliferate solutions. By starting to craft the design language, we improve our design's proximity, which is needed to be infinitesimal to humans due to the climate doom we are facing.
alvinT is now available online at Objects of Thoughts
You can browse, consider, and purchase our collection through the website: www.objectsofthoughts.com
AlvinT featured in Financial Times: “Rattan renaissance: why the 1970s material is cool again”
Bamboo, cane and rattan furniture, for many years relegated to the garden, is back with fresh designs and retro originals.
Words by Rory Robertson for Financial Times Interiors April 1, 2022
Jakarta-based designer Alvin Tjitrowirjo founded his furniture brand Alvin T in 2006 intending to combine Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage with a fresh artisanal approach. Rattan is core to his work, and the Malya dining chair (designed in 2008 and launched in 2009) is one of Tjitrowirjo’s most notable earlier pieces. He describes the curvaceous, bent rattan sections as “a blooming, crown-like structure”. The design epitomises the characteristics of rattan, “embracing its blemishes but exemplifying its flexibility and strength”, he says.
alvinT x Baby Rovega opens up a pop up shop at Dia.Lo.Gue Artspace
Following an initial soft-launching last November at Indonesia Maternity, Baby & Kids Expo (IMBEX) 2021, alvinT x baby rovega now opens a Pop Up Shop at Dia.Lo.Gue Artspace from 27 Dec 2021 until 31 Jan 2022.
Alvin Tjitrowirjo talks at Jakarta Future City Forum 2021 on “Mindset of Future Entrepreneurs with Future Class”
Our Creative Director, Alvin Tjitrowirjo will be a guest speaker at Jakarta Future City Forum 2021 (Tuesday - December 7, 2021) on a panel about “Mindset of Future Entrepreneurs with Future Class” along with Ardzuna Sinaga from Urban+ and Surya Darmadi from Smart Change.
alvinT launches new children’s furniture collection in collaboration with Baby Rovega at IMBEX 2021
alvinT is launching a new children’s furniture collection in collaboration with Baby Rovega. The collection will be exhibited for the first time for the public at Indonesia Maternity, Baby & Kids Expo (IMBEX) 2021, taking place on 26 - 28 November 2021, in Jakarta Convention Center (JCC). We will be at booth #I -15 unveiling our new collections next to Baby Rovega.
Mekar receives Indonesia Good Design Selection 2021 “Product Design Best 3” Award
Our Mekar, designed in collaboration with and for VIVERE Hospitality, received the Indonesia Good Design Selection (IGDS) 2021 “Product Design Best 3” award, supported by the Ministry of Industry.
Alvin Tjitrowirjo talks at ICAD 2021 on “Design and Future”
Our Creative Director, Alvin Tjitrowirjo will be a guest speaker at ICAD 2021 (Friday - November 5, 2021) on a panel about “Design and Future” in collaboration with Institut Francais d’Indonésie (IFI), Cité du Design Saint-Etienne, and Ecole Supérieure d’Art et Design Saint-Etienne.
Ba by alvinT is shorlisted as finalists for Design Anthology Award
Our Ba collection, designed for EVERY Collections, is shortlisted as finalists for the Design Anthology Awards 2021 in the category of “Product - Furniture” along with works by Stellar Works and moonler.