DESIGNING FOR THE WORLD MARKET

A team of students and lecturers from BA (Hons) Furniture and Product Design programme under the Department of Built Environment, Faculty of Design and Built Environment took part in an exhibition at the Export Furniture Exhibition (EFE) 2016 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 5^th to 8^th March 2016.

EFE 2016, which was held at KLCC for the third consecutive year is one of the largest showcase for Malaysia’s world renowned wood furniture and a robust market place for high quality home selections to suit all tastes and budgets. It welcomed participants ranging from exhibitors, buyers and keen visitors coming in from the furniture industry locally and internationally.

Dedicated to provide its students with the much-needed exposure to the real world, the faculty showcased three of the best designed furniture pieces and prototypes produced by its students, based on the theme of “Scandinavian Inspired Coffee Tables”. The students received many good and encouraging feedbacks from the industry, especially from furniture buyers and producers. One of the students, Aishwarya M. Menon, said, “The design for my coffee table was inspired by the pattern of the honey comb. I separate the table into four compartments which can be used in different ways by the user. This project took me one month to complete, utilising the woodworking studio available at the campus”.

In recognition of her vast experience in the field of design and interior architecture, the Deputy Head of Department of Built Environment, Ms. Chua Huwi Huwi was given the honour to sit on a panel of judges comprising industry professionals to assess the participants and select the deserving winners for the Best Booth and Product Design Awards.

The opportunity to participate in this exhibition for the first time and being exposed to the local and international market has allowed the students to better understand industry’s needs and expectation, which will drive them to improve on their skills and designing abilities. It was also a great avenue for the students to look for job and career opportunities due to the strong industrial link of the faculty.