i saw design: designers of the next generation
Written by designfolder on March 11, 2010 – 11:28 am -
Seriously, I envy these design students from Cebu. One, they got the opportunity to be mentored by some of the top furniture companies in the country. Thanks to the Student Internship Program (SIP) of the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation Inc. (CFIF), organizer of the annual CebuNext Furniture Exhibition, 26 students from the University of the Philippines Visayas Cebu College (UPVCC) Industrial Design program and the University of San Carlos (USC) Interior Design program were paired with Cebu’s best furniture designers/manufacturers in coming up with a design for their own individual furniture prototypes. From 26 participating students, a total of 31 furniture pieces and accessories were produced.
[Furniture prototypes designed by the students of UPVCC]
Second, apart from being mentored, the students’ partner company also sponsored the actual fabrication of their designs. Wow! In my alma mater (UP Diliman), we also had a furniture design course. However, we were set in groups and were supposed to fund the production of our own chair prototype. :( I was telling the Cebuano students that they’re very lucky to have such program set up for them.
[Furniture prototypes designed by the students of USC]
Third, which I think is the most important part of the whole program, the students got to show off their work in a really big event! Local and foreign guests of CebuNext got to appreciate their designs. It’s not surprising that some of the guests might even be interested in purchasing their work. Ana and I especially love the Expanding Bookshelves by Jurisse Gerzon (UP) and B Chair by Merchin Paul Belarmino (USC). Which of these is your favorite?
For larger images and details about the furniture pieces and the student, visit df’s flickr photostream here. For more information on the participating schools, visit UPVCC Industrial Design’s site here and USC’s site here. 
Tags: cebu, cebu furniture, cebunext, cfif, furniture, furniture design, student internship program, university of san carlos, up visayas cebu college
Posted in i saw design, objects of design | 1 Comment »
conscious living: green furnishings
Written by designfolder on March 10, 2010 – 9:10 am -
I was impressed that Cebu’s furniture industry is actively developing materials, processes and designs that are sustainable. Most of their furniture pieces and accessories now rely on the use of indigenous materials. Because indigenous materials like buri, rattan, abaca, and coconut shells are locally available, more abundant, easily harvested and processed with less energy, they are much more sustainable than wood.
[Photo above, from left: Mantid Bench in rattan, leather and metal from Obra Cebuana. Sunny Day Cocktail Table in rattan, leather & metal from Obra Cebuana. Palwa Occasional Chair in palwa (cocnut fronds) & rattan from APY Cane. Floor lamps and pendant lamps in curled/bent rattan & metal from Accessoria Inc.]
Now, Cebu designers are already exploring the use of forest wastes such as twigs and branches as materials for furniture production. Two examples are Kenneth Cobonpue’s Kris Kros screen (also used for the interiors of Z Bar, to be featured later this week) that uses small bamboo twigs on metal frame, and Naturescast’s furniture and accessories (above) that use cast pulp made of recycled paper and forest wastes (branches and leaves).
[Photo above, from left: Loom Floor Lamp using recycled foil textile (for the shade) from Hacienda Crafts Company. Chaise Lounge in rattan, steel & reused textiles from Pacific Traders. Floor & Table Lamps using camera film on metal frame from Detalia Aurora.]
The industry is also looking into developing recycled materials for furniture and accessories. Hacienda Crafts Company is making woven textiles using shredded foil wrappers and bags of potato chips and other snacks. Such fabrics can be used for lighting (above) and accessories .
These efforts do not only make Cebu’s furniture industry a model of a green and sustainable industry, but they also contribute in making their designs stand out internationally. This just proves that it is possible to be green without sacrificing on beauty and quality.
Tags: accessoria, cebu furniture, cebunext, conscious living, detalia aurora, furniture, green, green design, green products, hacienda crafts, indigenous materials, kenneth cobonpue, naturecast, obra cebuana, pacific traders, philippine design
Posted in conscious living, objects of design | 2 Comments »
