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spacelift: the cradle project

The most significant thing that I learned when I was still a student in interior design is that good design is supposed to be for everyone. It is very sad that in reality, the design practice continues to cater to the elite few of this economically struggling society. I know that having one’s home designed by a professional is definitely not included in the priorities of many Filipino families. I also know that it would be too idealistic to hope that design professionals would lower their design fees so that more people and institutions can afford their services. I only wish that interior designers, and even architects, would organize themselves more often to sponsor (or maybe ask their suppliers to sponsor) projects for the benefit of the less privileged ones. After all, the main thrust of the design profession is to improve the quality of life, right?

Now on its 8th year, the graduating batch of UP Interior Design has been doing design projects to improve facilities of institutions such as public hospitals, public schools, an orphanage, and low-cost housing projects. This is in place of the usual annual design exhibit that most interior design schools organize. UPID thought of this alternative to put the students’ money to a better use. On top of that, it is also meant to support UPID’s advocacy of promoting the value of the interior design as a discipline geared towards improving the lives of people.

This year, the graduating students of UPID, collectively called IDeya (Interior Design by Empowered Young Artists), came up with The Cradle Project, a renovation project for 6 outpatient facilities of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC).

Before the renovation, PCMC looked like a typical public hospital–deteriorated facilities with depressing interiors.

The Cradle Project renovated the following areas: general pediatrics clinic, nephrology, adolescents’ clinic, social services office, nutrition clinic, and children’s library. The design concepts for the areas all centered on creating environments that heal the body, inspire the mind, and uplift the spirit.

Don’t you just love these spaces?! A huge improvement from their previous state. Seeing the renovated clinics is just awe-inspiring. Congratulations to IDeya! I hope that when you go out into the real world, you’ll bring with you the values that you’ve learned from this experience.

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[Have you given your space (or furniture) a makeover? Share it with us! Email us about it with before and after pictures at mydesignfolder@yahoo.com. ]

objects of design: furniture prototype

Last Friday I was invited by my teacher/thesis adviser, Prof. Tess Quevedo, to sit-in during the deliberations for her furniture design class’ final project. The students were grouped into four teams and were assigned to design a chair prototype. The design problem was to come up with a chair that exemplifies a strong sense of form. Prof. Quevedo said that the idea was to avoid imitating existing designs or drawing from preceding styles.

The students were given two months for the design and fabrication of their chairs. Aside from being able to come up with a unique concept and design, the project aimed to give the students the chance to apply what they have learned about anthropometrics, drafting shop drawings, and production management and supervision.

For the first group, they presented their Nautilus Chair which is made of abaca rope on welded steel frame. It is inspired by the organic form and growth pattern of the nautilus shell.

I like the form of the chair. The design is unique but, like what they say in fashion, it is “wearable”. It can fit into the design of many contemporary interiors. Our only comment was that the seat height, with the cushion on it, is a bit high for a Filipino standard of a lounge chair. For me, the height is more comfortable without the cushion.

The second group designed the upholstered Lava Chair. The concept is based on the movement, color and temperature of the lava.

The chair is very comfortable in terms of its dimensions and the type materials used (foam and fabric). However, the form is nothing new. I guess the concept was applied heavily on the details–the color and print of the fabric and the grillework–rather than on the form. In other words, if you change the fabric and remove the grillework, the design was just another tub chair. But among the four designs, the Lava Chair has the highest potential of being marketable.

The third group turns to the outer space for their design concept. Their Alien Chair is based on a typical image of an alien with three fingers.

The appearance of the chair is pretty intimidating because of its scale and proportion. Like the Nautilus Chair, it is made of abaca rope on a steel framework. The rope was stained with automotive oil, which gives its charcoal gray color.

The industrial-looking Reveal Chair of the last group is inspired by x-ray images.

Made of woven polyethylene strips on a thick steel frame, the design aimed to defy the idea of a chair as a solid form. Looking at it, the form is just a group or a web of lines. I personally love the chair’s concept. I just wish they simplified the design and took out the X at the back. Also, the chair could have been comfortable if the seat depth was made a bit longer.

Honestly, I was impressed with all the designs that they were able to generate. No offense to my batchmates, but the designs we had in our class when I was in college was just terrible compared to these four. So, congratulations to Prof. Quevedo and to her students for a job well done!