Dutch designer reshapes Philippine design

MANILA, Philippines - Local manufacturers were given a fresh perspective through design collaborations with Manila-based Dutch designer Natalie Buijs. This is part of the Dutch Design Program where the target is to design a small collection for three manufacturers of furniture and home furnishings, developing new concepts and practical solutions for the interiors.

“Pretty practical” is how Buijs described the overall theme of the products’ designs. She saw how a lot of Philippine-made products tend to lean towards the decorative side and focus less on practicality. Her designs then gave more attention to how these items could provide solutions to daily life without sacrificing aesthetics as well as ergonomics.

When asked how it was working with the Filipino companies, she said: “I love the way people in the Philippines create with materials as a starting point. It is so different from my approach which is to start with a concept. It is nice trying to mix these approaches,” noted Buijs, an artist and furniture designer. She is the owner of Studio 1five2 and has worked as portfolio manager and pre-development manager of Leolux, a furniture company in Netherlands. 

The product development is a continuation of the Dutch Design Workshop held in October of last year for the exhibitors of Manila F.A.M.E. International. The workshop, as well as the entire Dutch Design Program, is a partnership between the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Manila and the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) for the promotion of economic and cultural cooperation and information exchange. The initial stages of the product development began November of last year when the Dutch designer visited the companies’ factories to get a feel of their specific capabilities. Prototypes of the manufactured products were featured in a special design setting during the 51st edition of Manila F.A.M.E. International, a bi-annual trade platform for home and fashion lifestyle products spearheaded by CITEM.

Kalikasan Crafts, a company that creatively uses various gauges of wires for home furnishings; Evolve Designs, an internationally awarded manufacturer of cutting-edge furniture and home furnishings; and Designs Ligna, a manufacturer of exquisitely made furniture using indigenous materials were the companies personally chosen by Buijs to be a part of the program.

For Kalikasan Crafts, the Dutch designer did some rather large pieces: a wire lamp underneath which one could read a book seated comfortably on a sofa, a fruit “tree” that can also stand as a countertop Christmas tree or may be used to hold other items for display, as well as a three-seater sofa for hotel and office lobbies. Storage solutions, on the other hand, were created for Evolve. A slim cabinet whose foldable doors can easily close and open to hide computers, air-conditioning units, or books is fit for any home as it is also designed with a planter on top. Form and function were also key for Designs Ligna’s sectional sofa and laptop tray. The laptop tray has foldable legs for hassle-free storage and compartments that can hold notebooks, pens, or loose sheets of paper for easier access when working.

“The companies and I did the engineering design together. We looked at how to produce the product at a reasonable cost within limitations like physics and make it actually function as intended,” shared the Dutch designer.

Kalikasan Crafts owner Celia Jiao said about being part of the program: “It was an entirely new experience for us and we are very happy to be a part of it. We were challenged to think outside what we are used to doing because what Natalie (Buijs) designed were things we did not think of before; her designs were unconventional.” 

Kalikasan Crafts was this edition’s winner of Manila F.A.M.E.’s Katha Awards for Best Product Design in the home furnishings category.

For information, visit www.manilafame.com. The next edition of Manila F.A.M.E. International will be from Oct. 18 to 21.