Kenneth Cobonpue

Kenneth Cobonpue is a Cebuano industrial designer whose handcrafted furniture and lighting have brought Philippine design into international homes, hotels, museum collections and major design fairs. Rooted in Cebu’s storied weaving traditions, his practice reinterprets rattan and other natural materials through contemporary industrial design, producing iconic creations like the Nautilus Chair and the Dolce Bed. Over his career, he has received international acclaim, including the Red Dot Design Award, Design for Asia Awards, and Maison&Objet’s Designer of the Year distinction, alongside becoming the first recipient of the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Gawad sa Sining for Design in 2022.

Cobonpue’s recent years have been marked by high-profile cultural and design achievements. In 2025, his studio earned top honours at the Manila Fame Katha Awards for Best Booth Design and Best Product Design for the Curio Collection, while he played a key role in crafting over 200 handwoven panels for the Philippine Pavilion at World Expo 2025 Osaka—which went on to win the Silver Award for Exhibition Design from the Bureau International des Expositions. He also opened a reimagined Manila showroom in Bonifacio Global City featuring FABLE Café + Lounge, an immersive design-and-dining space that won Best Use of Colour at the Tatler Homes Design Awards 2025.

In 2026, Cobonpue continued developing new furniture and lighting collections while participating in international design and leadership forums. Anchored in sustainability and the preservation of craft heritage, he invests heavily in design education and mentorship to cultivate the next generation of talent, demonstrating that Filipino craftsmanship serves as a foundation for globally competitive contemporary design.