Venturing into sustainable transportation at the capital of design
MANILA, Philippines - For 50 years, the Salone Internazionale del Mobile (iSaloni) or Design Week in Milan brings together a global network of designers, exhibitors, retailers, journalists and afficionados for the latest design propositions. Not every chair, sofa or table form has been exhausted; Cobonpue moves on with a refreshing, yet economically viable concept car called Phoenix. It might be time to reevaluate your mode of commute, with Cobonpue’s utopian vision for doing away with the grit, smoke and waste buildup from cars.
“Cars have always been a product of heavy industry, not too mention expensive tooling and excessive energy.” Cobonpue rethinks the supply chain in the artisanal way. He reimagines the future of green vehicles with woven skins from organic fiber, replacing orthodox plastic exteriors. Made out of bamboo, rattan, steel and nylon and inpsired by forms found in nature, Phoenix’s skin flows in and out seamlessly — bundled like a single leaf (almost like his sprightly Yoda chair).
Cobonpue adds that, in developing countries, cars are replaced every 10 to 15 years and in more developed ones, every five years. Cars leave a surplus of waste that outlive their purpose, and disposal becomes an environmental issue. By using renewable materials to build a car that is biodegradable throughout the car’s lifespan, the Phoenix’s eventual discarded waste can be repurposed.
In a trade fair that also features products with a threat of built-in obsolecence, Cobonpue has found timeless use for objects hand-crafted with the natural. A collector of vintage cars, he is likely to hop into one of his classic cars (Porsche, Ferrari, Jaguar) and “head for the hills” on days he needs to relax. He selects a Mini Cooper convertible for the more quotidian of tasks. “It’s a fun car and handles like a go-kart and consumes very little gas. The backseats are useless though.”
“At Tortona (for one week, Milan city is opened up into five zones, with Tortona notorious for the establishment, yet still experimental, pieces), I am the only Filipino with a 90-square meter booth. Across me are the modern Thai designers with a 250-square meter paid for by the Thai government.” His designs have become case studies for neighboring Asian design-nations which also have a robust dining, arts and fashion scene. “The Thais even consider me as their symbol and model for the global Asian,” Cobonpue, who is regularly sent speaking invites from other Asian countries, shares self-effacingly.
At home in Cebu, with two kids (Julian,13 and Andre, 11) growing up fast (“They like to work with their hands and they are not good at any sport”), Cobonpue heartily laughs and is every way comfortable, only a few hours away from the design calendar’s unmissable annual.
