The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), in conjunction with HDII Jakarta, has announced the winners of the design camp for young Indonesian designers.
The design camp ran from January to March 2022. Over the course of the three months, 48 young designers, including 28 students and 20 young professionals, were mentored by industry professionals to ensure their designs were aesthetically-pleasing, practical and marketable.
The winners of the design camp are:
- Best Design for Furniture (Young Professional): Fable Collection by Aryawan Mantra
- Best Design for Furniture (Student): Kaleles High Stool by Alouyxius Bertrand Cleviandro
- Best Design for Interior Space (Young Professional): Baluran National Park Safari Lodge by Muhamad Abdurohim
- Best Design for Interior Space (Student): Rumpi by Margaretha
According to the press release by AHEC, American red oak was used for all the designs. Designers had the opportunity to learn about the properties of the material, including its strength and versatility, which makes it an excellent option for furniture, interior panelling and ceilings. As the most abundant species in the American forest, it is also an excellent value timber.
John Chan, AHEC’s regional director for Greater China and South East Asia, said: “We are glad that the design camp played a role in inspiring young Indonesian designers. We saw so many good designs that choosing the winners was not an easy task for the judges. I have been personally inspired by the various pieces that are rooted in Indonesian culture and make use of American red oak, which is beautiful, durable, sustainable and legally harvested.”
The winning furniture pieces will be produced for display, and below are brief introductions to them:
Inspired by Indonesian children’s fables, this furniture set is designed by Aryawan Mantra with American red oak, which is a porous material that can accept stains and finishes particularly well.
Bertrand set out to design a piece that was inspired by Indonesian culture as he feels contemporary design does not sufficiently reflect Indonesian’s rich cultural heritage. He took inspiration from the Indonesian island of Madura, which is famous for its centuries-old tradition of bull racing.
Through his design, Abdurrohim hoped to bring the luxury African safari lodge experience to the Bularan National Park in Indonesia as he feels that the exquisite views and abundance of flora and fauna need to be supported by equally excellent lodging. His design tapped on American red oak for the ceiling structures and American white oak for the exterior.
Through the creation of a Rumpi, a portable edu-space that can be used for discussion, training or even self-reflection, Margaretha hopes to play a part in supporting the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals in reducing poverty and social inequality through education. American red oak, despite being hard and heavy, is flexible too, allowing Margaretha to create beautiful curves.
