Kala Laminated Bamboo Retractable Stool by Chung-Sheng Chen, Chung-Yen Wang and Yi-Lin Wu is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2017 Silver A' Design Award in Furniture Design Competition Category.
SilverFurniture· 2017
Kala Laminated Bamboo Retractable Stool
by Chung-Sheng Chen, Chung-Yen Wang and Yi-Lin Wu
Client: Tainan University of Technology/ Product Design Department
Silver A' Design Award Winner in Furniture Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #57505The Design
About Kala Laminated Bamboo Retractable Stool
Kala, a stool made in laminated bamboo with a retractable mechanism in the central axis. Taking oil-paper umbrella structure as its inspiration, laminated bamboo strip was heat baked and clamp fixture in the wood mold that bended into shape, showing its simplicity and oriental charming. Interestingly the elasticity of laminated bamboo structure designed and the retractable mechanism in the central axis, one’s will find interaction when sitting on Kala stool, it will descend lightly and smoothly, and when one’s stood up from Kala stool, it will ascend back to its position.
The Recognition
About the Silver A' Design Award
Kala Laminated Bamboo Retractable Stool is a Silver A' Design Award winner, an extraordinarily prestigious recognition granted to top-of-the-line, gorgeous, and impressive designs. Silver winners are tremendously brilliant and exceedingly creative works that illustrate the outstanding expertise, talent, and acuity of their designers. Kala Laminated Bamboo Retractable Stool is expected to be a wonderful, showpiece work that is remarkably professional and profoundly innovative. This Silver A' Design Award-winning design is a highly notable, admired invention that benefits and advances the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology. Kala Laminated Bamboo Retractable Stool is a vastly envied creation that evokes desires, introduces positive feelings, and sparks amazement and wonderment.
Where to Get It
Furniture Design Research & Development Services
We combine academic excellence with practical design expertise to develop innovative furniture solutions. Our award-winning team at Tainan University of Technology specializes in sustainable materials, traditional crafts, and modern manufacturing techniques for furniture innovation.
Contact UsBehind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- Kala, the name taking from the sound when sitting on a bamboo furniture, especially sitting on this unique stool made in laminated bamboo with a retractable mechanism in the central axis. Kala stool taking oil-paper umbrella as its inspiration, laminated bamboo strip was heat baked in the wood mold with clamp fixture and bended into shape later assembled with bamboo nails, showing its simplicity and oriental charming. Due to the elasticity of bamboo material and the retractable mechanism in the central axis, one’s will find interesting interaction when sitting on Kala stool, it will descend lightly and smoothly, and when one’s stood up Kala will ascend back to its position.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Diameter 480mm(Top) * Diameter 580mm * Height 600mm
- Tags
- Laminated, Bamboo, Stool, Heat Baked Bending, Furniture, Oil-Paper, Umbrella, Craft.
- Production Technology
- Echoing to the oil-paper umbrella structure, laminated bamboo as the overall material used. Wood mold used for each bent parts, after the mold been heat baked for 1~2 minutes, bamboo strip was placed into the mold with clamp pressure for another 5 minutes, repeated for 4 – 5 times until its formed into structural shape, later then assembled the bended strip with bamboo nails. The contraction central axis made by cypress wood for its rigidity.
- Design Challenge
- The most challenging in this designed is the precision and calculation of the strength of the laminated bamboo, taking too many laminated bamboo strip definitely will provide sufficient weight sustain, but will waived out its simplicity and beauty, the problem vice versa. Bending the laminated bamboo is another challenging issued, it needs accuracy to shape it. Finally is transferring the sliding structure of the oil-paper umbrella to the retractable mechanism in order to achieve sitting interaction.
- Research
- The study of "Kala" was inspired by oil-paper umbrellas, an iconic item for Hakka ethnic group in Taiwan. Echoing to the oil-paper umbrella structure, the design team used the laminated bamboo for the whole structure, which is firm, durable and elastic. It reaches some level of yield and remains the spirits of traditional crafts by making molds through tenacity of the bamboo and oriental traditional bamboo crafts. Bamboo consider as environment friendly material, helping to slow down the deforestation. The team will continually to study and develop the probability of the use of bamboo material to create more interactional and interesting design.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by Hakka one of the largest ethnic groups in Taiwan, its culture item oil-paper umbrella, is incredible works of art, painted with elaborate designs, and symbol of good luck. The structure and material of the umbrella is fascinating, traditionally bamboo stick is the main structure frame.
- Project Duration
- The project commenced the sketching stage in 2016 September in Tainan. Early prototypes were completed in Tainan before the final design was completed in Nantou in 2017 April. Making its first debut in Taiwan Young Design Exhibition 2017 May in Taipei World Trade Center.
- Operation Flow
- The elasticity of the lminated bamboo and the retractable mechanism in the central axis, one’s will find interesting interaction when sitting on "Kala" stool, it will descend lightly and smoothly, and when one’s stood up "Kala" will ascend back to its position.
- Patents
- Patent Pending.
- Team Members
- Instructor:ChungSheng Chen
Designer:ChungYen Wang
Designer:YiLin Wu
Tainan University of Technology
Product Design Department - Image Credits
- ChungYen Wang
YiLin Wu
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