Asst. Prof. Danu Phumalee, Ph.D.
Abstract :
This research-through-design project develops a contemporary brand identity for the Institute of Islamic Art Thailand that articulates Thai–Muslim cultural identity through a rigorous synthesis of Islamic aesthetics and Thai vernacular visual culture. The study employs visual ethnography and archival review of mosques, minbar woodcarvings, calligraphic artifacts, chromatic traditions, and craft techniques. Insights are operationalized via semiotic analysis and form-reduction into a modular geometric grammar (grid, proportion, symmetry) that informs a logomark, extensible pattern library, and a bilingual Thai–Arabic typographic system optimized for cross-platform readability. Iterative prototyping and expert appraisal (Islamic art scholars and graphic designers) guided successive refinements of mark construction, spacing systems, and contrast management across print, spatial, and screen applications. The resulting identity demonstrates cultural legibility, functional clarity, and scalability, while embodying values of unity, wisdom, and peace within a Thai locality framework (localization). The project contributes a method for translating vernacular religious cultural forms into contemporary brand systems without exoticization, a practical specification of color, type, pattern, and usage rules codified as deployable brand guidelines, and a replicable evaluation protocol for culturally grounded identity design. More broadly, the work shows how design can mediate intercommunity understanding by aligning form, meaning, and context in a coherent visual language.
Objectives :
1. Analyze design approaches that reflect the identity of Thai Muslims.
2. Synthesise and integrate Thai and Islamic wisdom to build correct understanding through design.
3. Disseminate culture and distinctive identity that convey faith, compassion, peace, and justice through design grounded in Islamic culture.
Conceptual Framework :
[PARADIGMS / Delimitation]
Principles of faith • Localization (pluralism) • Semiotics • Accessibility • Ethics
[INPUTS / EVIDENCE]
Field ethnography (The oldest mosques, Religious objects, craft) • Archives • Expert interview
[ANALYSIS / DECODING]
Semiotic mapping → Meaning layers
Form-reduction → Core shapes/ratios/colors
[ENCODING / GEOMETRIC GRAMMAR]
Grids • Proportions • Symmetry • Tessellation • Negative space rules
[DESIGN SYSTEM]
Logo construction • Pattern families • Thai–Eng typography • Color • Icon set • Motion primitives
[PROTOTYPING & VALIDATION]
Expert co-review (Islamic art / religious advisors / designers)
User testing (recognition, readability, trust)
[SYSTEMIZATION]
Brand Guidelines • Asset Kit (templates, master files) • Application
[DEPLOYMENT & GOVERNANCE]
print / digital / spatial • Issue tracking & versioning
[OUTCOMES (MEASURES)]
Cultural legibility • Functional clarity • Accessibility (WCAG) • Consistency • Scalability
[IMPACT]
Shared visual language for Thai multicultural society
Bridge between Institute ↔ communities ↔ public
Understanding Islam through art & desig
Process / Methodology :
1) Frame the Project
Define who we are designing for, what success looks like, and what religious/cultural rules apply. Create a short brief with clear goals (unity, wisdom, peace, localization) and basic KPIs.
2) Discover (Collect Evidence)
Visit relevant places (mosques, minbar, community craft sites). Photograph, sketch, and note motifs, colors, materials, and calligraphy. Review archives and credible online/offline sources. Interview experts (Islamic art scholars, religious advisors, designers). Store everything in a simple database (images + notes + sources).
3) Decode (Find Meaning and Form)
Analyze what each motif means and when it should or should not be used (semiotics). Reduce complex forms to basic shapes, axes, and ratios (circle, square, triangle; 4/6/8-fold symmetry). Map how strokes, spacing, and negative space work. Validate early readings with a religious advisor.
4) Encode (Build a Geometric Grammar)
Turn the findings into reusable rules: grids, modules, proportions, symmetry/tessellation, and negative-space guidelines. These rules must generate consistent logo construction, pattern building, and icon shapes.
5) Typography (Thai–Eng)
Choose typefaces and set a clear hierarchy for headlines, body, and captions. Plan both LTR (Thai/English) layouts. Test readability and color contrast to meet WCAG AA+ where practical.
6) Prototype the System
Create a first set: logo (horizontal/stacked/icon), 3–5 pattern families, color palette (base + accents from local materials), icon set, and simple motion rules. Mock up real uses (posters, social posts, wayfinding, exhibition backdrops).
7) Validate and Improve
Co-review with experts (religion, Islamic art, design). Test with users for recognition, clarity, and trust. Fix issues. Pass a clear “Shariah gate” (no critical violations).
8) Design System & Application
Write Brand Guidelines (logo, color, type, patterns, spacing, motion, do/don’t). Export an Asset Kit (master files and templates) so non-design staff can produce on-brand materials quickly.
9) Evaluate
Measure cultural legibility, functional clarity, accessibility, consistency, and scalability. Use results to refine the next release.
Techniques and Materials :
Software (Design)
– Core design & layout: Adobe Illustrator
Presentation
– Keynote export to VDO presentation
Result / Conclusion :
This project demonstrates that a research-through-design approach, grounded in Localization and Semiotics, can translate local religious–artistic heritage into a contemporary identity that is both operationally effective and contextually respectful. The outcome is more than files and guidelines; it is a shared visual language that connects the institute, communities, and the public strengthening the Institute of Islamic Art Thailand’s role as a bridge for understanding Islam through art and design.
References :
Kutty, B. A. (2019). Quran and Hadith—Inspiration for Islamic art and architecture. Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research, 6(5), 26–27. http://www.jetir.org/
Raksamani, A. I. (2008). Multicultural aspects of mosques in Bangkok. MANUSYA: Journal of Humanities, 11(4), 114–134. (Chula Digital Collections)
Raksamani, A. I. (2009). แนวคิดที่เกี่ยวข้องกับสถาปัตยกรรมมัสยิดในกรุงเทพฯ [The concept of the mosques in Bangkok] (Doctoral dissertation, Chulalongkorn University). Chulalongkorn University Institutional Repository. (car.chula.ac.th)
Sanasen, W. (2015). แนวคิด รูปแบบและพัฒนาการของมิหร็อบของมัสยิดต้นสน เขตบางกอกใหญ่ กรุงเทพมหานคร [Concepts, styles, and development of the mihrabs of Tonson Mosque, Bangkok Yai District]. Veridian E-Journal, Silpakorn University (Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts), 8(1). (Thai Journal Online)
Sananwai, S. S. (2020). VERNADOC and vernacular architecture documentation of Thais. NAJUA: Architecture, Design and Built Environment, 34, 1–20. (Thai Journal Online)
Ngaburong, S. (2023). สภาพแวดล้อมภายในมัสยิดรูปแบบไทย [Interior environment of Thai-style mosques]. Journal of Social Science and Cultural, 7(9).Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, City Planning and Urban Development Department. (2021). การกระจายตัวของมัสยิดในเขตกรุงเทพมหานคร พ.ศ. 2563 [Distribution of mosques in Bangkok, 2020]. CPUD Research Report. (webportal.bangkok.go.th)