My passion in combining more sustainable practice with the parametric design this time is externalised by this cardboard architecture. In daily basis we see the amount of card box we use to receive (and send) delivery. I am questioning the notion about reusable materials in a small scale. The sleeping hoop is inspired by Tina Hovsepian’s project, with an additional feature of my preference as a leisure camper. Geometry is generated in GH. Pictures were just provoked ideas.
Credit: Liu Zhenyan
I am pleased to report that KALA had busy couple of months 🙂 We joined two markets in September and two markets (including one virtual market) in October. KALA products are also in semi permanent display in Shanghai, in Eco Pop Up Shop @Upbund and the Eco Pop Up Shop @Daning, taking part of Eco Design Fair China’s community.
The Indonesia Fair (22-24 September 2020) was a memorable one as KALA was invited along with 8 other big Indonesian brands, those I grew up knowing about them. Such as Indomie, Kapal Api, etc. The event was organised by the Indonesian Consulate in Shanghai and ITPC (Indonesia Trade Promotion Centre) Shanghai.
KALA was also at the Health and Wellness Festival in Shanghai, the two-days home decor virtual market and the Eco Market @UpBund.
Hi all, I am looking for two expert computational designers who are fluent on using Grasshopper. Details and more information can be found below:
I compiled a short video about KALA, an infant brand founded by myself and my sister Elza in 2020. Nowhere near a professional video, but this encompasses what we envisage KALA as a brand. It focuses on using natural materials in day-to-day products, contributing to small steps on the use of more sustainable materials as part of our daily life.
Inspirations come from time I spent in the nature in Ningbo particularly, the vast bamboo forests and mountains as we cycle, camp, hike during the weekends. Other inspirations also come from summer spent in the UK as my second home.
KALA is a subsidiary brand of our family company based in Indonesia and China, Aksen. Aksen celebrates its 19th year anniversary this year and I am heading the design branch in Ningbo, China and in Surabaya, Indonesia. We now operate in both countries, hoping to expand to the UK soon.
Happy World Bamboo Day! Pic was taken by moi, at the Green Village (River House- me thinks). We had the BambooU farewell dinner there if I am not mistaken. My thought was, why don’t we do more of this exquisite architecture? Why did we not learn this in school?
I got a chance to visit Darren O Connell’s weekend sanctuary in Qingshan Village, an hour away by car from Hangzhou. A beautiful village where Darren envisages a unique experience of workout with fitness equipment made out of bamboo. Of course we did the bamboo workout!
Link to interview can be found here: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/3dlNChSI1PlN2b2MMYcF2g
Darren documents active interviews with entrepreneurs and inspiring people (and me). Here is a bit of me and my fascination with bamboo 
Did the interview a few days ago at Qingshan Village. Head to ReLabs Wechat account to have a read at the rest of interviews.
This village is also home to an amazing architecture firm Pinwu. Check out their Rongsheji Design Library, full of catalogs of craftsmanship.
KALA is here this weekend with Boomi eco-platform, come by if you are in the vicinity. We want to hear about our design and your feedback on them. Designed and produced by our team of artisans.
5% goes to Boomi’s scheme to plant trees in Tongliao city in Inner Mongolia, they have planted 2000 trees in February 2020. Still a long way to go!
Truly honoured to be re-connected with familiar faces and reminiscing old times in Petra Christian University, Indonesia. One proud alumna, indeed. Remembering when I was one of the nominee for the same exercise (architectural final theses) many moons ago. These best of the best students will be presenting their design and am excited to learn from them.
Schedule as follows:
Superjury presentation.
Sunday, 9 August 2020
Time: 12:00 (GMT +7)
Guest lecture and winners announcement
Monday, 10 August 2020
Time: 10:30 (GMT +7)
Edo and I will be sharing our wee experiences, particularly I will be sharing my views of Digital Craftsmanship. Links-TBC.
KALA is our in house home decor and accessories dual brands. We are in Life Hub, Shanghai until 9 August. If you are around, please pop by! Otherwise you can also follow us in Wechat Official Account: kala_artisanal or IG: @kalaartdecor . Design and made in Indonesia.
These are our favourites: the bamboo coffee filter and bamboo tea strainer.
A gif each day’s milestones as follows:
18-23 July 2020.
Danshan Chishui, Yuyao, Zhejiang, China.
Sponsored by Aksen (China and Indonesia), in collaboration with Weishun Xu from Zhejiang University.
Our keen designers and makers are:
Jiang Yating
Chen Wu
Sun Xintian
Chuchu Qi
Yang Ruitong
Shen Jingli
Haiqing Yang
Xia Miaojun*
Feng Liyang
Li Ningyuan*
Fan Zeran
Facilitated by 3 lecturers:
Weishun Xu- Zhejiang University, Matt Wallwork- University of Nottingham Ningbo China and Mia A. Tedjosaputro- Ningbo University.
Computationally designed by ZHU team and crafted manually by the keen makers. We are framing the research questions on potentials of mixed reality in architecture to aid design and construction processes. Derived from the observations of two bamboo pods construction (for first pod, click here), the aim is to contribute on the area of computational bamboo architecture.
Photographs courtesy of Sun Xintian, Yang Ruitong and myself.
