Multi-awarded Filipino industrial designer Kenneth Cobonpue will share his talent in redesigning the stalls for Cebu vendors, for free.
The world-renowned Cebuano furniture designer and manufacturer offered to redesign the Santo Niño sidewalk vendor stalls with heritage and religious touches.
Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella announced in a press conference in October the willingness of Cobonpue to help the sidewalk vendors affected by the government’s clearing operation.
Some 800 vendors who were affected by the road clearing operation will benefit from the collaboration project of Kenneth Cobonpue, the Cebu City government, and other partner organizations.
“Kenneth Cobonpue has offered his services for free. What I envision is it’s going to be a uniform stall, with the same color and sizes. But it will have to be designed so it will not cause an obstruction in the city,” Labella said.
The city mayor has already instructed Maria Pina, the president of the Cebu City United Vendors Association (CCUVA), and Raquel Arce, the head of Cebu City Prevention Restoration Order Beautification and Enhancement (PROBE), to work closely with Kenneth Cobonpue.
The stalls are expected “to look dignified aside from being pleasing to the eye”.
The city government plans to collaborate with foundations and organizations to fund the project so the vendors would not shoulder the construction expenses.
“There were many business establishments and foundations who manifested their intention to help us,” Mayor Labella added.
Cobonpue has been showcasing Filipino designs in his craft by participating in various trade shows and competitions around the world.
Kenneth Cobonpue’s design for Ateneo de Cebu’s chapel is shortlisted for the World Architecture Festival (WAF) Awards in Amsterdam.
Cobonpue’s creations were also featured at the Philippine booth during the Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB), the world’s leading travel trade show held in Berlin, Germany.
The Cebuano designer had previously collaborated with Budji Layug and Royal Pineda in designing the environment-friendly interior of Mactan-Cebu International Airport Terminal 2.
Cobonpue also collaborated with Disney to launch the Star Wars-inspired furniture line.
Cobonpue also bagged the Best Seating award at the 22nd Annual International Interior Design Association (IIDA)/ Hospitality Design (HD) Expo Product Design Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada for his Peacock Easy Chair.
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