Kenneth Cobonpue

Kenneth began his passage to design in 1987 studying Industrial Design at Pratt Institute in New York. While completing his degree, he apprenticed for a leather and wood workshop near Florence, Italy. In 1994, he studied Furniture Marketing and Production at the Export Academie Baden-Wurtembberg in Reutlingen, Germany under a private and state schoarship program, anad subsequently worked in Bielefeld and Munich.

He returned home to Cebu, Philippines in 1996, to manage Interior Crafts of the Islands, Inc. Interior Crafts is a furniture design and manufacturing company founded in 1972 by Kenneth's mother Betty Cobonpue, a designer famous for creating new techniques in working with rattan. Discovering that modern design could have a new face using natural fibers and materials as a medium, he slowly created the pieces which form the collections today. Integrating locally sourced organic materials with innovative hand-made productions techniques offered and alternative to the Western definition of modern design.

Award :
* Presidential Citation for Embodying Ideals of Asian Design[citation needed]
o Given by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
o November 29, 2002, Malacanang Palace, Philippines

* Good Design Award 2003 – ASEAN Design Collection[citation needed]
o Voyage Bed and Yin & Yang Easy Arm Chair - Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization - Tokyo, Japan

* Good Design Award 2004 – ASEAN Design Collection[citation needed]
o Pigalle Easy Arm Chair, Kabuki Cabinet, One Night Stand Sofa
o C-U C-ME Screen - Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization | Tokyo, Japan

* First Prize, Open Design Category - Croissant Collection[citation needed]
o Singapore International Furniture Design Competition 2004, Singapore

* Design for Asia Award 2005 - Lolah Collection[1]
o Business of Design Week by the Hongkong Design Centre - Nov 21, 2005, Hongkong

* Design Excellence Award - Best Seating for Lolah outdoor[citation needed]
* Design Excellence Award - Best Chair for Dimple outdoor
o 9th Annual IIDA/Hospitality Design Product Competition | May 5, 2005, USA