Kenneth Cobonpue: Inspired by nature for sculptural furniture series.
"If, on the one hand, contemporary design is free to express itself in a balanced form where the nuances make the difference, there are cases, on the other, in which the designer’s geographical origin defines an aesthetic whose references are strong enough to make the transition from local to global."
This is the case of Kenneth Cobonpue, a Philippine-born designer with an international background, who has had a clear vision of industrial design as complementary to both artisan craftsmanship in the processing of various materials and the needs of the furniture sector. And it is thanks to these all-round skills that the KENNETHCOBONPUE collections have garnered public acclaim and recognition even far from their places of origin.
Nature, in particular, features strongly in his design: lush and multifaceted, it is inspired by the lines, materials, proportions and larger-than-life dimensions, as often happens on the islands of the Philippine archipelago.
Take the Zaza chair, for example, whose backrest resembles a large fern- or palm-like leaf, under which to sit comfortably in its shade. A piece made of microfibre which has a theatrical impact on the space, almost like a throne.
Kenneth Cobonpue is considered a master in the use of rattan in a contemporary style. His sensitivity is clearly demonstrated by the Yoda sofa, where the elasticity of the material is exploited, so that the backrest can offer maximum comfort. Here again, the play on scale is one of the design focuses, together with the movement and visible gaps between the canes, resulting in a visually light, yet generous-size sofa, aimed at ensuring ultimate relaxation.
Even the inspiration behind small-scale accessories is instantly recognisable. The Pebble tables are handy end and coffee tables for the living room, which can be arranged or slightly overlapped, thanks to different heights, to create organic, ever-changing shapes, like the bed of a river that flows over the stones that inspire them.
KENNETHCOBONPUE makes use of research into technology and materials to bring craftsmanship to life in a new creative era, resulting not only in eclectic, but also universal furnishing items, inspired by nature, that inject character into any setting.
