Kala 层压竹凳 by Chung-Sheng Chen, Chung-Yen Wang and Yi-Lin Wu

Kala 层压竹凳 by Chung-Sheng Chen, Chung-Yen Wang and Yi-Lin Wu is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2017 A' Design Award 银奖 in 家具设计 Competition Category.

银家具· 2017

Kala 层压竹凳

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

Client: Tainan University of Technology/ Product Design Department

A' Design Award 银奖 Winner in 家具 Category

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The Design

About Kala 层压竹凳

卡拉（Kala），一种由层压竹制制成的凳子，其中心轴具有可伸缩的机构。以油纸伞结构为灵感，将层压竹条进行加热烘烤，然后将夹具固定在弯曲成形状的木模中，显示出其简单和东方的魅力。有趣的是，设计的叠层竹结构的弹性和中心轴上的可伸缩机构，使人坐在卡拉凳子上时会发现相互作用，轻轻而平稳地下降，而从卡拉凳子站起来时，它会上升回到其位置。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 银奖

Kala 层压竹凳是 A' Design Award 银奖得主，这是授予顶级、华美而令人印象深刻的设计的极为崇高的认可。银奖得主是极其卓越、极具创造力的作品，展现出其设计师杰出的专业技能、才华与敏锐。预计Kala 层压竹凳将成为一件出色的典范之作，兼具非凡的专业性与深刻的创新性。这件赢得 A' Design Award 银奖的设计是一项备受瞩目、令人钦佩的发明，造福并拓展艺术、科学、设计和技术的边界。Kala 层压竹凳是一件令人羡慕的创作，它唤起渴望，带来积极的情感，并激发惊叹与赞叹。

Behind 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