Alexis Chua I The Living Dye Lab

February, 2026

From Attachment to Impact: A Three-Week Design Journey at CIS

When Alexis Chua arrived at CIS, KMUTT for a three-week attachment, the goal was not simply to design an installation. It was to immerse, collaborate, and explore how architecture, craft, and education could intersect in a meaningful way.

Over the past two years, collaboration between CIS, KMUTT and the School of Design & Environment, Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) has grown steadily through Overseas Immersion and Industry Attachment programs. Alexis’s residency marked a new chapter—bringing academic exchange into hands-on, real-world design practice.

During the three-week program, Alexis worked closely with the CIS team and young designers from the School of Architecture and Design (SoA+D), KMUTT. Together with Pronyos Chattarakul, Pote Nilsaard, Preeyakamon Soeseng, and Arunothail Sarigakham, the team moved through every stage of the design process—from early concept discussions and site studies to prototyping and full-scale construction.

In Sakon Nakhon

The journey extended beyond the studio walls. Alexis traveled to Sakon Nakhon province to learn directly from local artisans, observing traditional indigo dyeing practices and understanding how material, time, and community knowledge shape the craft. These insights became the foundation of the design concept.

The result was The Living Dye Lab—a flexible, high-mobility wooden structure designed as a modular installation. The open-frame system allows multiple configurations, supporting dyeing demonstrations, exhibitions, hands-on stations, and stage presentations. More importantly, it transforms indigo dyeing into a spatial learning experience, where visitors can witness color emerge through time, air, and human touch.

Collaborative Design Across Cultures

For CIS and KMUTT students, the attachment was not only about learning technical design skills. It was about understanding context, translating craft into spatial language, and experiencing collaborative design across cultures. Alexis and the young designers shared ideas, questioned assumptions, and built together—bridging academic knowledge with practical experimentation.

The Living Dye Lab stands as more than a successful installation. It reflects the strength of the CIS Attachment Program: a platform where international collaboration, industry engagement, and community learning converge. Through programs like this, KMUTT and NP continue to build multi-layered partnerships that empower young designers to think globally while designing locally.

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