Filipino-made designs were recognized on the world stage as four designers presented their works at the 2019 World Architecture Festival in Amsterdam.
The four representatives were part of the 534 award finalists from 70 countries that joined the prestigious event dedicated to the architecture and development industry.
Bringing pride to the Philippines was Kenneth Cobonpue who partnered with Buck Sia for the Cor Jesu, an abstract heart-shaped bamboo-clad oratory for their alma mater Ateneo de Cebu.
“Made of bamboo, concrete and steel, the abstract heart-shaped structures surround an inner garden that is full of symbolism and poetry,” Cobonpue earlier said about their creation which qualified in the Completed Buildings: Religious Category.
Also recognized was Carlo Calma for his The Infinity House design under the Future Projects: Home Category. He made the Brutalist-era inspired house influenced by MC Escher and Antoni Gaudi for his father.
Joining Cobonpue and Calma were first-time short-listed entrants, Ryan Santos of John Ryan Santos and Partners for his Sagip Kanlungan, a compact hospital model for disaster-prone Rural Philippines in Pangasinan, shortlisted in the Future Projects: Hospital category; and Jaemi and Jesy Cruz of Alero Design Studio for their Baliuag Community Center under Future Projects: Civic and Community Category.
The Filipino presenters were given all-out support by the local design community during the send-off by their peers, organized by Grohe, which has been recognizing and supporting local designers to become part of the WAF.
Among those who generously shared their insights during the event were WAF 2017 winner Sudar Khadka who won for his Project Streetlight Tagpuro under the Civic and Community Completed Building category, and Pinoy designers Budji Layug, Jorge Yulo, and Jason Buensalido who shared their words of encouragement, tips, and recommendations for improvement.
The WAF gathers members of the architecture community from around the world to celebrate, learn, exchange, and be inspired. It is the only architecture event where keynote talks from the industry’s most influential figures sit alongside live crit presentations from award finalists.
It is also big global networking and features an international product exhibition.