A Review on the Fourth Material (Case Study)

The material is a case study completed by Maria Luz Mikaela G. Cano (2010) in the University of the Philippines Cebu College. It was primarily about “Kalila”, a new chair design finished with “laminated bamboo slats”. It talked about what Bamboo is and what conditions this material dealt during that time. The study also pointed the processes of the manipulation of Bamboo and the design process of Cano on how she came up with an effective chair design. As an inspiration for Cano’s design, Konstantin Grcic’s “43” Bamboo Chair was also featured in the study. Cano also presented 3 “key variables” in her conceptual framework mainly: the material, the technology, and the design principles. Some 2D (two dimensional) sketches and 3D drawings were also clearly illustrated in the study as to show the development of Cano’s ideation process.

The research aimed to study the flexibility of Bamboo through data gathering, personal experimentations and examinations of the researcher, and series of material testing. The study sought to discover the utmost potential and limitations of such resource for it to be manipulated wisely since it was observed by the researcher, Maria Luz Mikaela Cano that the utilization of Bamboo at that time remained basic and “elementary”. In correlation to these studies, the researcher then aimed to discover what contemporary design can be formed out of this native material.

Furthermore, the study is clearly experimental containing credible information about Bamboo since the researcher had personal examinations and tests of the material. Thus, it served as a constructive data helping the researchers validate their assertion that there have been wise utilizations done to this native material way back the year 2010. It supported the researchers’ notion that Bamboo is already in the list of the most utilized native material in country.