Cebu library for designers opened

A MATERIALS library has been opened in Cebu to help engineers and furniture designers come up with new creations, said a resource center backed by the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (ECCP).

The library will allow artists and developers to “see, touch, and play” as a means to develop new end-products, said organizers.

They also made sure that majority of the materials in the libray would be indigenous and environment friendly.

The research and development library opened in Jagobiao, Mandaue City will contain samples of swatches and indigenous materials which can be used by artists, architects, and product developers come up with an end product that are often for export.

Funding support was also done by the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation with the Export Development Council. No amount was announced as to the expenses in operating such novel facility but the Materials Library is housed at the CFIF Information Centre.

“It will be open to the academe, opened for everyone as much as possible. We want to inspire designers and developers to come up with something new,” said Henry Schumacher, executive vice president of the ECCP.

World-class furnitures coming from Cebu's furniture industry are mostly exported to the European market.

CFIF President Eric Casas on the other hand described the new facility as a “breakthrough” as it paves the way for the availability and knowledge of non-traditional materials.

According to CFIF organizers, those who could profit most from this “quantum change” rarely had access to or knew how to maximize the creative or business potential of these swift changes.

“Foreseeing how busy design professionals and companies seeking to better their products could benefit from learning about the latest material innovations,” said Casas in a presentation during the press briefing.

Organizers added the over-all goal of the library is to link up the material swatches to existing material suppliers and to acquire eco-friendly material swatches.

The library is also envisioned to house not only the collection of material swatches and books, but will also be a venue for exhibitions, forums and classes on new materials and material uses.

In fact, according to Haufe, the facility is encouraging the academe to take advantage of the materials available at the library.

Haufe said that the library will contain mostly materials which will be displayed in the library are those that are indigenous to Cebu and the neighboring provinces so that product developers can easily access supplies of such materials if they wish to use such materials.

Casas also said that the mixing of materials in new products will be shown in the upcoming Cebu X exhibition of furnitures in the coming weeks.



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