Located in Crossroads, Cebu City, Atelier De Aurora is a boutique, multi-disciplinary design firm. The firm is called ‘Atelier’ because they are heavily inspired by our renaissance artists where they really get their hands dirty and they like to experiment. Here in Atelier, they like to push boundaries, manipulate materials, explore finishes, basically experiment a lot to get the best output possible. Here in Atelier, they are all about enhancing lives and elevating experiences.
Ar. Kathrynn Dawn Sy-Aznar, the Principal Architect, used to style for designers and brands since she has a background for furniture design and fashion. Ar. Kaloy Mapeso-Uypanco, the Senior Partner, used to design sets for movie production for movies like Transformers and series like Stranger Things. These just shows how multi-disciplinary Atelier is. Everyone has their own interest, may it be in music, calligraphy, crafts, photography, etc. and here in Atelier, they like to encourage your interest since they believe your niche as a designer is your interests and that will make you stand out from the vast architecture and art scene. It’s worth recognizing that in Atelier, they custom a lot of stuff. They design a lot of things that is not available in the market which allows them to surpass limitations and go beyond the boundary when it comes to design.
If you are planning to apply for an apprenticeship here in Atelier, it is assured that you will turn over a bunch of projects from start to finish. Here in atelier they like to teach their apprentices with independence and productivity, hence why they strive to give apprentices real projects and make them not become just a shadow over an architect. Three (3) apprentices have been working with Atelier for almost 2 years now and will be ending their term on December, 2023. These apprentices already has turned over multiple projects that you’ve probably been to such as Bánh Mì Kitchen, Bakery Soesterberg, El Nido Restaurant, and many more.
The life of an architecture student at the University of San Carlos is an intricate dance between creativity and rigorous academic demands. Juggling design studios, lectures, and endless plates, architecture students face unique challenges that can test their dedication and resilience. Amidst this whirlwind of responsibilities, the team embraced the program’s rigors and emerged victorious in a challenging design competition.
Recognizing that success in the competition would require a harmonious blend of creativity, technical expertise, and teamwork, the group was able to team up with five members, namely, Flor Tan, Marc Jamio, Leanne Montemayor, Lyndon Maratas, and Rosel Omandam. Each member brought a unique set of skills and experiences to the table, ensuring that they had a well-rounded team capable of tackling the multifaceted challenges presented by the competition.
The design competition itself posed a formidable challenge. With a tight deadline and complex requirements, the team was able to pull it off. This year’s design theme for PROJETO CEBU was about Mercado de Byahero-A Tourist Public Market in Cebu. Mercado de Byahero focuses on tourist experiences and provides an architectural solution that meets the unique requirements of travelers. Moreover, it also places the local culture and products as the main highlight. Significantly, the design shall focus on placemaking and highlight a “Sense of place.” Furthermore, the site must be located anywhere in the country and on a 100m x 200m rectangular lot.
The team chose the site adjacent to Pier 1, specifically along the road of Arellano Boulevard. They thoroughly analyzed the site, including supporting research that the Department of Tourism was also planning to re-enhance Pier 1. They were immersed in the area, studying its surroundings, climate, and structures. Having placemaking as the main focus for the design, they branched out concepts such as a sense of time, a sense of place, and a multi-sensory approach.
Placemaking is a powerful concept in architecture and urban design. It emphasizes the creation of spaces that resonate with people and create a sense of belonging in the area. Moreover, it involves a deep understanding of the people who will use the site and the cultural, social, and environmental context in which it exists. Furthermore, placemaking is intricately connected with the sense of time, as it involves the creation of spaces that evolve, resonate with history, and offer a sense of continuity and identity. With that in mind, the team has envisioned an innovation of the “kariton” we see in the carbon market. They noticed no specific circulation for karitons, and it interrupts the pedestrian path. Thus, they developed a loop “Kartrail System” that gives a more organized circulation for the deliveries and the market users. Furthermore, the team also considered the cultural context, contextual integration, historical significance, human scale, emotion and experience, sustainability, and continuity and change of the design which are essential key features to the concept of sense of place. With that, the team used site appropriateness to design structures that are responsive to the typology and conscious to the building context. And lastly, to bring people into the context of the design, a multisensory approach is defined through the kinds and textures of materials, to different design features and thoughtful arrangement of spaces.
The University of San Carlos faculty played a crucial role in their success. Architect Su and Architect Yap’s guidance and mentorship gave them valuable insights and helped refine their design. Balancing their coursework and the demands of the design competition was no small feat. It required meticulous planning and effective time management. The group scheduled regular team meetings, often late into the night, to brainstorm ideas, discuss design concepts, and review progress. However, the team decided to join the competition six days before the deadline. Thus, they traveled daily after classes to Liloan Cebu at the Maratas residence to work.
The team’s journey to winning the design competition as busy architecture students at the University of San Carlos was a testament to their resilience and determination. It demonstrated that success can be achieved through effective teamwork, careful planning, and unwavering commitment, even in demanding academic schedules. Their victory boosted their confidence and reinforced the importance of pursuing their passion for architecture despite the challenges. It serves as a reminder that with dedication and perseverance, students can excel in their chosen field and leave a mark beyond the classroom.
Six destinations in two days — Arkifair was an opportunity to step inside the work spaces of the professionals and talk about the realities of Architecture.
Last April 17-18, 2023, Archiglobal Inc., Canizares Architects Design Co., UP’s Fab Lab, Pont Studio, San Studio and Visionary Studio Architects welcomed USC architecture students who toured their offices and learned the softwares preferences per firm. Students found themselves like ants in open floor plans, basking at rows of monitors and high-end CPUs attended to by an architect hard at work on a project.
Engaging in conversations, each of the principal architects recounted the humble beginnings of their firm and the growth into becoming the designers they are today. Their numerous designs, showcased in either photos on powerpoint or portraits framed and hung proudly on walls, served as reminders to the quality of work our local architects continue to produce.
Architecture students could appreciate the planning that went into each studio’s interior layout. Notably, the monolithic appearance of SAN STUDIO’s facade could fool any outsider into thoughts of a standard white-washed office. But upon entering, students gasped and raised their cellphones to capture the interiors they believed could only be found on Pinterest. Ar. Keshia Lim and her team explained the utilitarian purpose of implementing stacked ventilation in their 3-storey building which made them not reliant on air conditioning.
Unforgettable interiors also came from ARCHIGLOBAL’s office-playhouse concept. Who knew one of the most distinguished firms in the PhIlippines had such a playful side? The vibrance of the colors, choice of bean bag furniture and murals of pop culture figures contrasted the mental images of corporate slavishness we naturally associate with firms this renowned. The warmth reflected in Ar. Iñaki and his team’s hospitality and charisma as he oversaw the tour and presented the massive developments Archiglobal has completed.
The creative freedom and trust the head architects gave their individual employees enlightened students on working realities. You wouldn’t believe a team of less than five architects could deliver numerous quality outputs as PONT STUDIO‘s Ar. Jonas Pacifico entrusts a handful of projects to one employee. Meanwhile, Visionary Studio Architects (VSA) approach to division of labor was in two teams that adhere to the typical phases of design development, showing us the plenty of solutions to getting work done unique to each firm.
The influence some firms have has run so deep to the city’s growth; The impact the Canizares family of architects CAÑIZARES ARCHITECTS DESIGN Co. had in the nation was truly felt in their 50 years worth of portfolio that ranged from old-school hand drafted plans and perspectives to the recent BIM renderings. The evolution this pioneering firm underwent runs parallel with Cebu’s growth as a city. On the other hand, exponential growth was also possible in this industry as Visionary Studio Architects (VSA) founder, Ar. Jason shared. With less than a decade of being established, their multitude of projects, having more than a 60% building rate.
New building technologies were introduced as students witnessed up close 3D printing and Project Relic’s effort to recycle plastic and waste into reusable moulds whom UAPSA-USCARS looks forward to collaborating in the future. The efforts done by Ar. Buddy Ong and his team to lessen pollution called the students to action, knowing that it’s every architect’s mission to pursue environment-friendly design and spread awareness.
No architecture firm is complete without coffee. Some had rooms dedicated to the art of making coffee and snack bars to recharge the creative fuel. The professionals made sure the students never left the office empty handed or with an empty stomach as giveaways and sumptuous snacks were handed and devoured hastily.
USCARS-UAPSA is thankful for the experience and warm reception each firm provided. The eye-opening visits helped students visualize where they could possibly intern in the future, reminding them what they are studying to become.
Emmanuel Montalban, Christian Ray Ong, Charlotte Anne Tan University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines
St. Arnold Church
ABSTRACT
As one of the top universities in the country, the University of San Carlos is still undergoing development, both academically and tangibly. But as it goes through development, the heritage significance of the old and existing buildings are somehow overshadowed by the new buildings. In line with this, a survey was conducted. Students from the different schools and departments answered the survey and a total of 80 responses were accepted and analyzed. The results of the survey show that a majority of the students are unaware of the heritage significance of Winand Klassen’s buildings, despite spending time in the said buildings. Following the results of this study, the researchers propose that the administration of the campus should consider the holistic design and environment in the university, as well as its buildings, when designing and constructing new ones as a form of respect to the heritage of the campus.
INTRODUCTION
Maintaining heritage structures are fundamental duties for educational institutions. In order to achieve this goal, requirements include advanced professional training and forms of innovative education which will provide information to the students about their heritage. By endorsing heritage and culture awareness in both school and university curriculum (Offenhäußer, Zimmerli & Albert, 2010). As one of the oldest schools in the country, the University of San Carlos is not a stranger to heritage structures. The University of San Carlos offers courses related to Architecture and Heritage Conservation, but these courses are only available to students studying architecture and other related courses. Considering that the campus has been present since 1996and some of the buildings within the campus are now significant to heritage. In line with this, the study will be assessing the awareness of the students on the heritage significance of Winand Klassen’s buildings in the University of San Carlos specifically in Talamban Campus.
Fr. Winand Klassen,SVD
Father Winand W. Klassen, SVD, is an architect, professor/lecturer, a historian, and a designer of numerous structures in the University of San Carlos-Talamban Campus (USC-TC). His remarkable works in the campus are the Church of Sts. Arnold and Joseph, School Dormitory, the Office of Population Studies, Arnoldus Retreat House. Aside from the buildings in the USC-TC, he also designed the Franziskushaus Convent, and other private residences. He took his degree in architecture from the University of America and is a member of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). He was also a lecturer for the Goethe Institute in collaboration with the United Architects of the Philippines in Manila (Klassen, 2010).
Klassen does not only serve the university through religious purposes but also in the architectural aspect of the campus and this is seen through his works that are currently built inside the premises of the university. These buildings are considered as one of the main buildings of the campus. For many years, students, school staff, and employees use Winand Klassen’s buildings for educational and religious purposes. This serves as an indication that the buildings designed by Klassen have an important value to the university despite being built decades ago.
Rationale/Scope
As one of the respected universities in the Philippines, the University of San Carlos is bound to further expand and develop its campuses for the future. Along with this development is the challenge of retaining the significance of the older buildings within the campus. Modern technology will be the basis on the design of the new buildings while older building techniques and materials will be rejected because of modern methods (Kiruthiga & Thirumaran, 2019). This can potentially lead to the loss of the existing historic fabric of the campus thus consequently, the study will assess the awareness of the students on the heritage significance of Winand Klassen’s buildings within the campus. This is to show that these buildings have played significant roles in the creation of the architecture fabric of the campus, thus, future developments and expansion in the campus should consider the design and build of these existing buildings.
Objectives/ Significance
Over the years, many buildings have been constructed in the University of San Carlos – Talamban Campus because of this, some students tend to overlook the design of older buildings and marvel over the build of the newer buildings. By assessing the awareness of students on the heritage significance of the buildings designed by Fr. Winand Klassen, the researchers determined the familiarity of the students with the campus, their awareness on heritage conservation, and their perspectives on the design of Fr. Winand Klassen’s buildings. By assessing these, the researchers were able to come up with results and recommendations that have the potential to aid the administration in the future designs of the buildings.
Literature Review
Heritage Awareness
Awareness is defined mostly as one having the cognizance and knowledge of the surrounding environment (Tuan, 2001). This means that when one is aware, he thinks about the environment he is in. Awareness is influenced and formed through social environmental conditions and one’s individual experience (Murphy & Zajonc, 1993). Awareness of the environmental aspect is viewed often in different perspectives where one of these perspectives are based on people recognizing problems in the environment with their basis on a sustainable environment (Heiskanen, 2005). Through Heiskanen’s research, it is very evident that environmental awareness can be related to one’s visitation of the different heritage places. In the case of the University of San Carlos – Talamban Campus, the students tend to overlook the design of the older buildings because they are not aware of its significance, but if they are given the chance to understand the beginnings of these buildings, they might give it more attention and value. All in all, it can be said that through education and awareness, the students will have the chance to recognize their surroundings, and later on have more appreciation for their environment.
Awareness of heritage structures is a necessary component in conservation. One of the basic reasons for the damage of these structures is due to the public’s lack of awareness and non-involvement of people in the current process of conservation (Shankar & Swamy, 2013). In spite of the general sense that in growing heritage awareness, it is still evident that there is a lack of awareness with regards to the heritage value coming from the visitor’s perspective towards the heritage structure in terms of identification, preservation, listing, or recognizing a heritage structure and gaining knowledge on its value on the different conservable elements of the past (e.g., old materials used in heritage structures) (Bessière 1998; Nora 1997). The protection and identity process of the heritage will not be successful if the guests and residents of the community have that certain level of awareness and acceptance of the heritage (Munjeri 2004). The campaign about heritage awareness is not a common way of making the community support heritage protection. (de Camargo 2007; Timothy 2000). This is very much relatable to the current state of heritage structures still currently used for its primary function (e.g., old schools and universities).
The researchers are assessing the awareness of students and the studies stated show the importance of awareness of heritage. These related studies pertain that if one is aware of the heritage significance of the structure, one can help in protecting and preserving the heritage building. In relation to the building that the researchers will be focusing on, it helps the researchers the important value of awareness to the campus.
METHODS
A qualitative study was conducted wherein the awareness of the students on the Heritage Significance of Winand Klassen’s buildings in the University of San Carlos-Talamban Campus (USC-TC) was assessed. An online survey was performed to gather data. The respondents were students from the USC-TC who have been to the campus for more than a year during the face-to-face classes. This is to ensure that the respondents were able to see and experience the buildings in order to properly assess these buildings. The online survey conducted focused on the different schools within the campus, thus it was university-wide and the researchers made sure that each of the schools were represented. Through quota sampling, 80 respondents from the different schools and departments in the campus answered the survey.
The survey questionnaire was divided into four parts; Respondent’s Basic Information, Familiarity with the campus, Awareness on Heritage Conservation, and lastly, the Personal Assessment of the Buildings. The first segment for the Respondent’s Basic Information contained questions such as the respondent’s course & year, in order to check the school and course they belong to. Then the second part was the Familiarity with Campus verified how long the students have stayed/studied in the campus, if they have visited the different buildings and how familiar they are with Winand Klassen’s buildings. Next was the respondent’s Awareness on Heritage Conservation, in this part, the researchers tested how familiar the respondents were with the concept of Heritage Conservation, whether they have any background on the subject or they are just familiar with it. Lastly, was the respondent’s personal assessment of Winand Klassens, the respondents were asked to rate the different buildings in terms of design, integrity, function, user-experience, and its relationship with the environment. The questions in the survey were validated through examination and the content validity in order to review the authenticity and efficacy of the questions. As for the survey proper, the survey questionnaires were disseminated online through Facebook and Messenger, the respondents were given fourteen days to complete the online survey before the researchers began the analysis.
Finally, the researchers tallied and tabulated the collected data, then analyzed and interpreted it in the form of descriptive statistics. Graphs such as pie charts, bar graphs, and horizontal stacked bars were utilized in order to present the data and eventually generate the conclusion and recommendations of the study.
RESULTS & DISCUSSION
The 80 respondents of the study came from the different schools and departments within the campus, namely the School of Engineering (SOE), School of Arts and Sciences (SAS), School of Business and Economics (SBE), School of Health Care Professions (SHCP), and School of Architecture, Fine Arts and Design (SAFAD). The number of respondents per department varies because the survey was available online for all students in the university. On the other hand, the researchers made sure that schools were represented.
Figure 1. Respondents Demographic
Familiarity with the Campus
The following bar graph presents the number of years the respondents spent studying in the campus. Most of the respondents have been studying for three years. Some of the respondents may have been from the first and second year, but the researchers have checked that these respondents have studied on the campus for more than a year since some of them studied senior high school in USC-TC. This graph shows that the respondents have been studying in the campus for over a year and even six years at most, thus, proving that they have indeed spent time in the campus and were able to see and visit the different buildings within the university.
Figure 2. Respondents Number of Years Studying in USC-TC
The next graph displays the different buildings designed by Winand Klassen in relation to how frequently the respondents visit these buildings. Based on the survey, the Church of St. Arnold and Joseph is the most visited building, next is the USC-TC dormitories, then the Arnoldus Science Building (SMED), and lastly is the Office of the Population Studies. The purpose of the students in visiting these buildings are mostly because they pass by these buildings when they have to go somewhere within the campus, others said that it was because of classes that were held on the said building (SMED), some even said they visit for leisure purposes, then for errands, some of the respondents said that they were lodging in the USC-TC dorms, while some attend the mass.
Figure 3. How Frequent the Students Visit the Buildings of Winand Klassen
Awareness on Heritage Conservation
The figure below shows the respondent’s background on Heritage Conservation. Based on the pie graph, it shows that most of the students know and are familiar with the term Heritage Conservation which has 30% and 45% of the answers respectively, while 25% of the respondents are not familiar with the term. Considering that the respondents were from different departments, not everyone was aware of the concept of heritage conservation.
Figure 4. Respondents Background on Heritage Conservation
Which now leads us to Fig. 5, since not all respondents were from the architecture and engineering field, thus, not everyone was familiar with Winand Klassen. Despite how frequent the respondents have visited the buildings Winand Klassen designed, they are still unfamiliar with him. Based on the graph, it shows that most of the respondents have not heard of Fr. Winand Klassen (62.5%), while some have heard his name in their respective classes (26.3%), while the others heard his name somewhere (11.3%). Being the author of the books History of Western Architecture and the Architecture in the Philippines that are widely used in the Philippines and around the world, it is quite unfortunate that the students of the University of San Carlos-TC are unfamiliar with Winand Klassen and his architecture.
Figure 5. Respondents Familiarity with Winand Klassen
When asked about their perception on what makes the University of San-Carlos significant in terms of heritage most of the respondents chose the buildings, then second was the landscape/built of the campus, third was the academic significance of the university, next was the materials used in the buildings, others chose the age of the university while a few thinks that the university has no heritage significance. Through this result, it is apparent that despite the lack of proper knowledge on heritage conservation as presented by Fig. 4, most of the respondents are still aware that the campus is in fact significant in terms of heritage.
Figure 6. Heritage Significance of USC-TC Based on the Perception of the Respondents
Personal Assessment of the Buildings
This part of the result shows how the respondents rated the buildings according to the different criteria in assessing the different buildings of Winand Klassen in the university. This is to assess how the respondents criticizes the stated buildings. The rating of the overall design of the buildings are rated from one (1) being the lowest mark and five (5) the highest mark.
Legend for Figure 7 – 11:
Figure 7. Respondents’ Design Rating
Figure 8. Respondents’ Integrity Rating
Figure 9. Respondents’ Function Rating
Figure 10. Respondents’ User Experience Rating
Figure 11. Respondents’ Rating on the Building’s Relationship with the Environment
Based on the results of the survey, most of the respondents rate the buildings designed by Winand Klassen with a mark rating of four (4) in terms of the building’s integrity, functionality, user’s experience and building’s relationship with the environment. These results suggest that the students think highly of these buildings in terms of their integrity, function, user-experience and the way they blend with the environment. On the other hand, most of the ratings of the design are above three (3), despite the fact that the design of these buildings are different and unique compared to the newer buildings within the campus, the students have a positive impression on the design of these buildings. But it should be noted that these ratings made by the respondents are all based on their own perception, by no means it represents the true value and significance of these buildings because every respondents are unique and have different impressions on these buildings depending on their experiences. Some may have given a smaller rating than others because they haven’t had the chance to experience these buildings as much as the others.
Figure 12. Significance on Design of the Newer Buildings in the Campus
The final graph presents the respondent’s final assessment on the significance of Winand Klassen’s buildings on the design of the newer buildings in the campus. 58.8% of the respondents can somehow see the effects on some of the buildings, while 22.5% can see the influence of these buildings in the newer ones, and the 13.8% of them don’t think that these buildings influenced or relate to the design of the newer buildings. The graph on Fig. 6 presents that the respondents consider the buildings and the built environment of the campus are the two main basis of the campus’ heritage significance. In relation to the results presented in Fig. 12, it can be asserted that most of the respondents see the significance of these buildings on the design of the new buildings.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This study aimed to assess the student awareness on the Heritage Significance of Winand Klassen’s buildings in the University of San Carlos-TC. Based on the results, the students are familiar with Winand Klassen’s buildings in the campus, where they often spend time and visit. But despite this familiarity, the majority of the students are not familiar with Winand Klassen, but they are aware that the buildings he designed have heritage significance and a majority of the students are familiar with the concept of heritage conservation.
Through the years, numerous buildings have been constructed in the University of San Carlos-Talamban Campus but despite these changes, the campus has successfully retained its architectural identity. Considering the results of this study, the administration of the campus should consider the design and environment of these buildings when designing and constructing new buildings as a form of respect to the heritage of the campus. The researchers also recommend further research on the assessment of the student awareness on the Heritage Significance of the different buildings in the campus with an equal number of respondents from the different schools and departments within the campus. And finally, the researchers recommend that the course heritage awareness be made accessible to all students within the university because the researchers believe that heritage belongs to everyone. All students should be given the opportunity to learn about our heritage and the concept of Heritage conservation because as stated by Eric Zerrudo. “Heritage awareness leads to heritage understanding. Heritage understanding leads to heritage appreciation. Heritage appreciation leads to heritage conservation. You cannot protect anything that you do not appreciate. You cannot appreciate anything that you can’t understand. More so, you cannot understand anything that you are not aware of…”
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Interview with Architect Amon Cali, UAP, Principal Architect of Cali Architects, Baguio City
“GREEN ARCHITECTURE BOOTCAMP FOR GAMERS! Known by the game Mobile Legends, Team Execration has earned great success through championships. Take a look at the proposed bootcamp for their team designed by Cali Architects. It’s amazing how green architecture goes well with technological innovation!” (1)
1. Green Architecture Bootcamp for Execration Gaming Team (Cali Architects)
Loyal viewers of Lantawan Magazine Facebook account can still remember this posting of June 15, 2021. It was a success—maybe because many students play computer games. They also follow a ESports Teams, including Team Execration. It’s just nice how bootcamps for these teams now become a new building type. Architect Amon Cali, Principal Architect of Cali Architects discovered it and offered an ingenuous solution.
2. Amon Cali, Principal Architect of Cali Architects, UAP-Baguio
Q: Nice to meet you, Architect Amon. I see on your page that you are architect, musician, and designer. And quiet famous even here in Cebu. Many of our students know about your studio. Thank you for being ready for this interview. My first question comes from our students, not directly from me. What was the thought process behind your proposed Boot Camp for the Team Execration?
Amon: We, as an architectural Studio already have a trademark which is Brutalism. Our approach to the project was to connect Brutalist architecture with gaming technologies, the design brief for the project. What does Team Execration do? Who are the people involved? What are the existing structures within the vicinity? In the design, we express both our identity and the client’s identity together.
Q: Is then gaming “Brutal”?
Amon: No! Gaming is an industry. And Brutalism is the design style that we are really passionate about. It came from the word “beton brut” which means raw concrete. In most of our projects, we want to express the natural state of a material, especially concrete. We don’t paint it. We expose the natural character of a certain material. Having the gaming industry and then the Brutalism architecture, we try to merge it together. In line with this, we created the Execration Team’s Boot Camp.
Q: For me, there is much common between the two. Gaming also exposes the inner self of a person. Your gaming habits show who you are. True? Gaming can be then “brutal”, in all meanings of the word!
Amon: It can be, it can be. Yeah.
Q: What inspiration connects these two, gaming and being a Brutalist?
Amon: In fact, games also feature architectures. There are games which feature our kind of Brutalist architecture. The gaming companies work with architects who design for the atmosphere of the game. I think gaming and architecture do have a really deep connection because the developers create these games for a full experience of the players. The same is offered by architecture, too! For that experience, game developers need to hire different professionals. Their architects will create the environment of the game. So gaming and architecture are quite connected to each other.
3. Peu Brut, the modular tiny house designed by Cali Architects
Q: Horror movies love Medieval architecture, do they? Other movies prefer other architectural inspirations. What about the games? Do games usually apply Brutalism architecture? Are there other styles applied?
Amon: It also depends on the theme of the game. Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe that Assassin’s Creed focuses on Renaissance. And then, some games, like Left 4 Dead, prefer other approaches like apocalyptic types of architecture. It really depends on the theme of the game or on the question, what environment theme would promote the game.
Q: Therefore Brutalism is fit for the Execration Team as I am getting your point.
Amon: I mean Brutalism can fit for all types of architecture. We have this project called Peu Brut, the Brutalist tiny house—see it above. It’s a tiny home, a modular tiny house which can be built anywhere. So, in that way, it is also Brutalism. We also have other projects, like Grey Area which will be constructed in Batangas. It is a museum, a cafe, with complex spaces. So Brutalism in our understanding is not only limited to a gaming facility, but it can be applied to different types of living spaces.
Q: What makes a boot camp design efficient?
Amon: It shall be in considerate with our architectural principles. It must be able for passive cooling and water harvesting. Harvested water can also be used to water the plants—water from the laundry shop will go to the plants. We also propose solar panels to harvest energy for the gamers. We recommend to use the energy from the Sun to power the gamers’ computers. Execration Team isn’t just for personal passion, as most private gamers play just for entertainment. These are professional gamers. They go
4. Green Architecture Bootcamp for Execration Gaming Team (Cali Architects)
abroad and they compete. They represent our country. So, we have to create an environment where they could practice to bring out the best from them in these games. We don’t want them to feel like crowded or stuck in a box. So we created an open plan, which is oriented with this green wall hydroponic system, so that sense, they would have a feeling of being outdoor without really being outdoor.
5. Logo of Cali Architects, Baguio City
Q: How does youth culture inspire your architecture?
Amon: I think that youth culture evolves. Every generation has a different type of style: from retro disco to modern or hip-hop. In these styles, every form of art has a role to play. While growing up, I was really into movies. Music and fashion influenced my daily life. I think if I was born in a different era, my design approach would also be different.
6. Peu Brut, Cali Architects
Q: Do you have a mentor?
Amon: Yeah, I have a lot of mentors through advices and inspirations—from architects who are already on the top, like Le Corbusier or Frank Gehry. I see them as my mentor. I study their works and their actions. I apply the good practices to my daily life. I am also influenced by architect vloggers.
Q: Who is your favorite vlogger?
Amon: I don’t have one specific favorite vlogger but I like the channel Living Big in a Tiny House. I think the most famous architect blogger in the Philippines right now is Oliver Austria who is from Baguio. I had a personal mentor years back, a pioneer of modern architecture in Baguio: Architect Villalon. He told me that his mentor was Leandro Locsin, one of the pioneers of Brutalism in the Philippines. It just hit me that I have a Brutalist lineage up to Locsin! From Locsin through Villalon, Brutalism was passed on to me. So there’s a sense of continuation.
7. Peu Brut by Cali Architects
Q: What principles does your studio promote in the word of architecture? What values?
Amon: One of the biggest values that we want to promote is uniqueness. This is because nowadays, it is so easy to be influenced by what is trending. So the architect might get the most amount of money—but to the point that there is no more architectural freedom. We love freedom, we are unique! Another thing is, of course, energy efficiency and harvesting water needs to be incorporated in all the designs. In a way that energy would become free for the people, so that we don’t have to pay for electricity or water bills anymore. There are different ways to harvest electric energy: not only through solar panels but also through wind turbines. Building footprints need to be minimized. We should always respect the site and think of ways on how to give back on Mother Nature.
Q: You love Brutalism. Other Filipino architects have other preferences: Mediterranean style, other Minimalism, vernacular style, and many more. How far is your love for Brutalism? Should it be the ideal style which is best fit for the Philippines? Should it be dominant here? Or is it your personal approach only?
Amon: It is my team’s personal approach. Regarding those different styles here in the Philippines, I don’t think there’s an ideal style. This is because every style may be applied in a way that it could be sustainable and adaptable to the site. It is up to the designers and to the client, what final output they want. It should always be a collaborative approach—depending not only on the architect. We want the client to design with us. In fact, there are architects who are specialized on their own particular styles—they follow different design paths. They promote their styles. In this way, a variety of design styles will be provided. I don’t want the Philippines to have all structures in Brutalism—although I love Brutalism. I really encourage that all architects find their own style and promote their own identity. If they’re into Minimalist clean lines—that, yeah, that’s a good thing. If they are into Mediterranean, it’s a good thing. As long as the client loves the style, the design is efficient, it doesn’t destroy the environment—it’s a good thing!
Q: But would you yourself design in Mediterranean style? If the powerful client comes with that wish: ”Architect, please design it in Mediterranean.” No Brutalism! Would you do it?
Amon: No! I would recommend him to another architect because at the end of the day, as much as possible, we want to design structures that we love and what we enjoy. I don’t hate Mediterranean or anything. But if I design, even though they pay me a lot, if I don’t like what I’m designing, then it is not worth it at the end of the day. So I would rather recommend the client to another architect who is specialized in doing Mediterranean rather than forcing myself to do it. However, in some cases, if the Mediterranean-loving client would really heavily motivate me, I could try the “Mediterranean” but at the end of the day, I will still inject the concepts of Brutalism. And then it would be really interesting to see this unique mixture of Brutalism and Mediterranean. So it will not be purely Mediterranean, but “Mediterranean with Cali Architects’ touch”.
Q: In fact, there is another group of Cali Architects in California who are eager to design Mediterranean residences.
Amon: They thought that we we’re also practicing in California but then I clarified that we are from the Philippines. Cali is not a place (like California) but a brand name from my personal family name.
8. Baguio’s skyline (Wikipedia)
Q: Baguio is home for excellent architecture studios and great buildings. Even the best architectural blogger is also originally from Baguio. How far is Baguio City an inspiration for you? Are you from Baguio?
Amon: The art scene in Baguio is really good. We have wood carvings from indigenous people who are originally from Baguio. They are naturally good in arts and crafts. We also have great artists like Kidlat Tahimik, a National Artist. Look at his restaurant (Oh My Gulay), a form of architecture and interior which is out of the norm. He uses rift wood to make unique shops. So that he is a big eye opener to me proving that we don’t have to follow usual trends or norms. We can create our own thing. People might criticize that “your work doesn’t go with the National Building Code,” etc. But it tickles the imagination of designers that you are not always stuck in the box. So, back to your question. Does the city really influence me? A big influence on me is to know that this is a creative City. Other details, like having stilts in Baguio’s vernacular architecture, have also a huge influence on how I approach design problems.
Q: How many are you in Cali Architects’ studio?
Amon: I have four junior architects. I also have a lawyer-accountant. So we’re six in the team right now.
Q: When was the studio founded? When did you start?
Amon: We started last year, in 2020, when the pandemic hit. It started just with me last year, so Cali Architects was just me, and then little by little we grew. We developed, we got clients, we had a huge impact on the social media. People are starting to notice our works until to the point that we are where we are now. Now, we still have to study a lot of things. But it is nice, it is really amazing that we have done this for a span of one year.
Q: Would you support the slogan of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) which is “Go Local”? In pandemic times, import is more expensive and we cannot travel.
Amon: I think that “being local” is also a form of sustainability. The availability of the local materials is important. Sometimes designers want imported materials so much that it is too expensive to ship the material from a far place. So going local is actually a good thing. I’m so also interested in the Lantawan magazine. What does the word mean? What is the purpose of the magazine in general?
Q: ”Lantawan” means “viewpoint” in Bisaya. It is the art and architecture magazine of University of San Carlos. Not a textbook—although many Filipinos think that all school periodicals are just textbooks. But Lantawan wants to give a motivation, represent an advocacy of our school. We also have the Lantawan Magazine Facebook account. That’s where we noticed a great influence of your design through the whole Philippines. It is run by eight students from various departments of our University.
Amon: Nice! That is like really a good initiative which empowers the students to move forward. You have my support for the magazine and what you are doing. I hope one day I could visit your school, talk to the students and experience what you guys are doing there.
Q: I am sure that our Theater will be full if you visit us since Carolinian architecture students already know you from the media. Unfortunately, we have to wait for the face-to-face classes. Thank you very much for the interview.
(The interview was conducted by Br. Bela Lanyi SVD assisted by Mr. Raphael Xandro Milan, BS Architecture student, University of San Carlos, Cebu City.)
LANTAWAN’ S INTERVIEW WITH PATRICK KASINGSING< KANTO FOUNDER
(1. Part)
First of all, I would like to thank for the initiative “KANTO” which, as I hope, will support design communication in and outside the Philippines. From a previous research, I know the story of BluPrint magazine which has been counted as the most powerful architectural magazine in the country. You, Patrick, were part of it. Even during our conversations before, when you were in/out/in at BluPrint and when you visited University of San Carlos as a guest speaker, the necessity for a stronger and more transparent architectural communication in the Philippines was always highlighted. Thus first I would like to discuss with you the basic situation of design communication in the Philippines and then I will request you to insert in this mosaic the initiative KANTO which grew out from a private one-man initiative to a powerful design engine
It started rather as a photoblog published on issuu.com How did it become a design platform? What moved you to start and to develop it?
Kanto originally sprung forth from my desire to create a magazine that caters to my many interests: architecture, design, photography, literature, and travel among others. It was a very personal project in its first few iterations until it sprung a life of its own when it started gaining readers and I started to gain the guts and confidence to ask hard questions and to talk to bigger, well-known individuals. It has evolved to become a platform for storytelling and creative discourse, where design novices can learn from the greats and where the established names are introduced new, precocious talent from all over the world.
Does KANTO wish to become a “DESIGN SOURCEBOOK” as BluPrint intended to become?
More than a sourcebook, I’d like Kanto to be a space and a lifestyle companion to designers and creatives in that it not only talks about the issues that directly affect their work, but also contain stories about things and topics that interest them, like travel, food, music, and film among others; more often than not, these side interests and hobbies often become wellsprings of inspiration when we design.
How does KANTO care for its financial support? Through accepting advertisements? This is a question because KANTO is free. Are the employees part-timers or do they earn their livelihood mostly through KANTO?
Kanto is presently published by a multimedia studio called Spaces of AWE who provides financial and editorial support to the brand. We have no full-time employees and rely on our network of contributors. We do accept advertising to keep the site running and maintain its freely accessible status.
I also noticed a good connection of KANTO with the National University. What could KANTO learn from the academe?
Two of the partners that help run Kanto are part-time instructors at the National University 😊. There’s definitely a lot we can learn from the academe; I think exposure to it helps Kanto, as both documenter and platform for design discourse, shine a light on the issues and concerns both students and professors grapple with.
7. Is ORO Design Conference an initiative of KANTO? Or are you a media partner of it?
Kanto is a media partner of Oro Design Conference. We are honored to have been part of it and to have gotten the chance to show our support to fellow creatives in Northern Mindanao (and beyond!)
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