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DesignNewswire · COMO, Italy ·

Kala Laminated Bamboo Retractable Stool by Chung-Sheng Chen, Chung-Yen Wang and Yi-Lin Wu Is Granted the Silver A' Design Award in Furniture Design

Chung-Sheng Chen, Chung-Yen Wang and Yi-Lin Wu acknowledged for furniture design by the international grand jury of the 2016 - 2017 A' Design Award & Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMO, Italy, April 19, 2017 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has confirmed the Silver A' Design Award in the Furniture Design category for Kala Laminated Bamboo Retractable Stool by Chung-Sheng Chen, Chung-Yen Wang and Yi-Lin Wu, designed for Tainan University of Technology/ Product Design Department. The award was conferred within the 2016 - 2017 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who scored anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.

About the Silver A' Design Award

The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.

More 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.

About Chung-Sheng Chen, Chung-Yen Wang and Yi-Lin Wu

Prof. ChungSheng Chen, a self-proclaimed "design missionary," possesses extensive experience in both design practice and education. He frequently expresses his perspectives on society through his work, blending an optimistic outlook, keen observation, and a deep emotional connection to life. His cross-disciplinary approach integrates various processing techniques and material applications, embodying a fundamental design philosophy.

Award Record

This recognition makes Chung-Sheng Chen, Chung-Yen Wang and Yi-Lin Wu a winner of 3 A' Design Awards. The awards were granted in the 2016 - 2017 edition of the A' Design Award & Competition.

About the A' Furniture Design Award

The A' Furniture Design Award is an international furniture competition recognizing good furniture designs by best furniture designers worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to furniture designers, product designers, industrial design studios and furniture brands from all countries. Typical entries include chairs, tables, sofas, beds, cabinets and shelves. The awarded furniture designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/furniture

About A' Design Award & Competition

Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com

Press Resources

Media Contact

Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953

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Fact Sheet

The Work

Project
Kala Laminated Bamboo Retractable Stool
Function
Laminated Bamboo Retractable Stool
Category
Furniture Design
Discipline
Industrial Design
Industry
Furniture & Home
Colors
Saddle Brown, Sienna, Peru, Indian Red and Rosy Brown
Images
5
Client
Tainan University of Technology/ Product Design Department

The Recognition

Laureate
Chung-Sheng Chen, Chung-Yen Wang and Yi-Lin Wu
Country
Taiwan (China)
Recognition
Silver A' Design Award
Edition
2016 - 2017
Design ID
#57505

Credits

Team
ChungSheng Chen, ChungYen Wang, YiLin Wu, Tainan University of Technology and Product Design Department
Image Credits
ChungYen Wang YiLin Wu

Design Details

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.
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.
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.
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.
Realization and 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.
Operation and Interaction
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.
Project Duration and Location
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.
Specifications
Diameter 480mm(Top) * Diameter 580mm * Height 600mm
Keywords
Laminated, Bamboo, Stool, Heat Baked Bending, Furniture, Oil-Paper, Umbrella, Craft.

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