Under the broad banner of “Co-FREE DESIGN”, this year, the graduating class of the NPUST Department of Wood Science and Design put together a series of wood-based creations to showcase their exceptional woodworking skills.
The series includes everything from “furniture and product design” and “wooden architecture spatial design” to “development and application of wood materials”. A total of 28 works will be on display on the 1st floor of the Library and Exhibition Hall until April 1, 2021.
At the opening ceremony held on March 30th, NPUST’s president Chang-Hsien Tai made some remarked on the results, saying “thank you to the teachers for their dedication to the students, and to the Forestry Bureau and various manufacturers for their encouragement and support. The equipment and very fine woodworking environment has benefited the students as they worked to bring together design concepts and create the very impressive works on display for us all to see.”
Professor Chun-Chieh Huang, the technical teacher for the class said that “through the teaching processes, the concepts of creation were clearly instilled in the students…In the future, I hope that the students will continue to work hard and make great strides towards their goals.”
This year’s student representative, Liu Hsuan, commented that “the student presentations were the results of work done on practical topics over a four-year period. Today is a representation of the wood design abilities of the class of 2021.”
The creative thought behind the exhibition aimed to “use a spirit of free creation to bring wood into the lives of more people”. The theme focused on diversified development, with combinations of new and old cultures, reflections on present-day society and the expression of inner emotions.
Considering the aging of society, students designed a vertical rotating shoe cabinet that allows the user to safely and simply adjust the height for comfort. They also designed living spaces that are more convenient for the elderly. On the topic of wood material application, a wood fiber based cat litter was also developed by the students. The diverse, novel and amazing designs are demonstrations of the students’ abilities to innovatively apply wood craftsmanship to present-day challenges.
Once the on-campus exhibition closes, the works will be moved to the P2 Warehouse in the Dayong District of Kaohsiung for a viewing that will run from April 30 to May 9. Another showing will then be held at the “Youth Design Festival” from May 14 to 17 at the “New Generation Design Exhibition” at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Hall.
