DuckUnit: Designing Immersive Spectacles Between Concerts and Art Installations
Bangkok-based studio DuckUnit explores the intersection of mechanical movement, light, and audience engagement.
1Foundations of DuckUnit
Founded in 2005 by Wit Pimkanchanapong, the Bangkok-based studio DuckUnit specializes in stage design and contemporary art installations. Currently led by Rueangrith Suntisuk and Pornpan Arayaveerasid, the collective utilizes light, mechanical movement, and complex staging to create spectacles. Their multidisciplinary approach allows them to transition seamlessly between large-scale concerts and gallery-based art.
2The Brussels Collaboration
The studio recently completed A Flower of Forgetfulness at the Kunstenfestivaldesarts in Brussels. This project involved a collaboration with filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul and sound engineers Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr and Koichi Shimizu. Set within an old chapel, the installation synchronized projected videos, light, and mechanical movement to create a profound, immersive performance experience.
3Philosophy of the Flock
The name DuckUnit reflects the studio's collective nature and curiosity across diverse creative fields. Members often engage in projects requiring skills they have not yet mastered, pushing the boundaries of their technical capabilities. This constant experimentation with unknown variables allows the team to document new processes while perfecting complex mechanical timing.
4Concert vs Art Spaces
DuckUnit distinguishes between concert design and art installations based on audience perspective. In concerts like FLURE LIFE, they guide the audience toward a unified narrative. Conversely, in art works, they aim to dissolve the boundary between the viewer and the space, allowing the audience to become an integral part of the piece.
5Managing Audience Expectations
Suntisuk notes that concert audiences typically arrive with high expectations, starting at 100 percent satisfaction. In contrast, art installations often begin with an audience attention level of zero. Understanding these distinct psychological states is critical for the studio, as it dictates how they design the environment and the interaction flow.
6Technical Scenographic Exploration
The studio frequently experiments with uncontrollable elements such as fabric, smoke, and motors. By attempting to control these materials and then intentionally letting them go, they discover new visual storytelling possibilities. Their current technical focus involves observing how these disparate elements coexist and influence each other within a live performance environment.
7Notable Recent Projects
Beyond their concert work, the studio has produced installations like the silent disco Embargo of Silence and the outdoor piece Two Who Remember the Sea. At the 2025 Taipei Biennial, they contributed to Korakrit Arunanondchai’s Love after Death, using semitransparent panels to bend projected light and create unique spatial depth.
8Future of Spectacle Design
DuckUnit continues to challenge the mechanics of audience engagement by blurring the lines between participant and onlooker. By moving between the high-energy demands of music festivals and the contemplative nature of art spaces, they refine their ability to disrupt everyday perceptions, ultimately returning a sense of mystery to modern performance design.