In a way, designers are the modern-day soothsayers and prophets. They design for the future, predicting how a room, a house, a building or a whole city will be used by people. They foresee how users will interact with a space, conjure exact shades of colors to elicit specific behavior and arrange furniture to build […]
MIDS 2026: Designing New Worlds
In a way, designers are the modern-day soothsayers and prophets. They design for the future, predicting how a room, a house, a building or a whole city will be used by people. They foresee how users will interact with a space, conjure exact shades of colors to elicit specific behavior and arrange furniture to build routines.
The recently concluded fourth edition of the Manila Interior DesignInterior DesignThe discipline of planning and shaping interior spaces for function, comfort, safety, and beauty. It covers layout, lighting, materials, finishes, furniture, and color, and in the Philippines is a licensedGo to Interior Design Glossary Summit (MIDS) 2026 rallied behind the theme Designing New Worlds: Culture, Cities, and Future of Southeast Asia. In her opening message, current National President of the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers, IDr. Cecil Ravelas, posed an important question. “How do we design the future given the realities that we are facing at the moment?” She paused. “I’ve always believed that creatives should always be able to inspire. We should be able to plan for how we will shape a community to live with quality of life.”
This year, MIDS 2026 hosted more than 300 delegates for inspiring talks, walkthroughs of showrooms across around BGC and Makati, with a culminating design symposium held at the Proscenium Theater. Renowned designers such as Ed Calma, Anthony Nazareno, Anton Mendoza, Chat Fores and Tina Periquet were among the voices from Manila to converse with the delegates. Ravelas, however, stated that they weren’t placed on stage to be admired. “They are here to be argued with. And they are here to learn from us. So that when they go home, they carry back a deeper and truer insight into our culture and our design than the one they arrived with. An exchange runs both ways, or it is not an exchange.”
Related Read:Philippine Interior Design Claims Its Place in Southeast Asia
The Power of Space to Shape Experience
Architect Ed Calma addressed a room full of interior designers at the Poliform showroom and spoke of the language of space. “As an architect, defining space is our language. To create space that would make the viewer have a different perspective, you have to define an idea. Not necessarily in a verbal definition, but something more innate. I think everyone has a way of looking at space with which you can’t really verbalize, but it gives you a different way of seeing.”
It’s this power that great designers possess that can move people once they enter something that the designers have created. If that initial feeling is lasting, it will encourage change. Toronto-based architect Alex Josephson believes that tactility is one way of making a lasting impression. In his talk on the last day of MIDS, he showed the curved wood in the Grotto Sauna and also the facade of the Rolex Boutique that his firm Partisans designed. He told the story of how he had to tell the masons not to polish the limestone facade of the Rolex Boutique as they usually do. Josephson wanted to keep the marks of the bits on the stone to achieve the texture he wanted. The facade featured limestone that folded like soft pleats of a curtain. “I love a good curve,” he said to an amused crowd. “Nature can solve spatial and architectural problems organically.”
On stage, host Daphne Oseña-Paez asked, “Alex, do you feel like you represent Canadian architectureArchitectureThe art and science of designing and constructing buildings, structures, and spaces that are functional, safe, and aesthetically pleasing. It encompasses the planning, design, materials, and techniques used to createGo to Architecture Glossary and design and you’re going global or are you bringing what you’re learning from your global exposure back to Canada? Is there a meeting in the middle somewhere there?”
Josephson answered, “The identity of the architect and their nationality don’t necessarily have to be imbued in their aesthetics. Certainly, I believe that what I bring to the world is a sense of freedom. Canada is one of the freest places in the world, right? So, I feel like I can express myself and with respect to politics – which we all bring from our homes – the more we recognize that we have a power to bring each other together through our work, the better.”
Related Read: Serene Geometries: Ed Calma Finds Clarity Through Quietude
Timeless Design Begins with the Fundamentals
One goal of MIDS is to open as many doors as possible for designers – to show them all the tools and resources they have at their disposal. Despite the fast-paced technology that abounds in our time, architect-designer J. Anton Mendoza feels designers should tenaciously hold on to the basics to remain timeless. “To create timeless and modern spaces, you need to have a good grasp of classic orders. You need to know about Doric, Ionic, Corinthian. These all go back to the Stonehenge—the post and lintel. Every modern design now really is an evolution of the Stonehenge. So to be able to create timeless spaces, you need to avoid trends and make sure that your modern designs or your new creations are always deeply rooted in the classic orders.”
Related Read:Choosing the Right Architecture School in the Philippines: Top Institutions and Their Unique Offerings
Experiencing Design Beyond the Showroom
The delegates were able to see the creativity of SOFA Design Institute’s Sandbox. Three familiar spaces were given a twist – the Rest Room became a calming space with Asvesti swatches while the Breathing Room had delegates experiment with scents by Tadhana Fragrance. The “Living Room” was the most creative, filling a room with living plants in collaboration with Studio Grijalba.
Next door, Brian Hontiveros, General Manager of Modularity Home, welcomed interior design professionals and students inside the Scavolini and Valcucine showrooms. By tapping two of the hottest local F&B concepts out there – Goods From Scratch and Proudly Promdi—delegates were able to utilize the kitchens firsthand. They opened the refrigerator to get their drinks, pulled drawers to get garnishes, and ate on top of the countertops.
Related Read: Atelier Almario and Scavolini Redefine the Home Through Precision Design
Finding a Filipino Design Identity
As showrooms like Abitare Internazionale showed their brands such as Moooi and Flou; CasaBella with Cassina and Henge; CWC Interiors with Herman Miller and Magis, it’s no question that the world’s greatest designs are available here. One thing that MIDS 2026 did differently this year was to show that great design is already on our shores and exhibit it. The spotlight at the MIDS 2026 kickoff was on the Collective 8 – what Ravelas called “our captains of craft”.
The eight designers were Vito Selma, Leeroy New, JJ Acuna for Venzon Lighting, JB Woodcraft, Iñigo Elizalde, Jed Yabut, Nazareno/Lichauco and Milo Naval. “They are the ones designing the products and furniture we specify,” Ravelas stated.
One thing that Ravelas emphasized during MIDS was what the Philippines was staking its claim to. “Singapore is known for their sustainable architecture. Indonesia is very much attuned to their culture. Thailand is also now promoting their crafts,” she added. “How are we positioning ourselves? I’ve always believed that Filipino creatives are talented and are inherently great. I think we have our own voice. And with this conversation that we’re doing, we are giving everyone an opportunity to find themselves.”
When designers design a room for someone, they ask a myriad of questions. A conversation happens to find out what needs to be solved and what the client’s preferences are. And when the resources and tools are at their fingertips, what they design and predict usually comes to fruition – their renders turn into reality. MIDS 2026 may have come to a close, but the conversations have just begun. The future? The path being drawn is leading to a bright one.
Related Read: Alignment in the Boardroom: The Philippine Institute of Interior Designers (PIID) Introduces Its New Board of Trustees
About the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers
The Philippine Institute of Interior Designers (PIID) is the accredited professional organization for interior designers in the Philippines. Through programs including the Manila Interior DesignInterior DesignThe discipline of planning and shaping interior spaces for function, comfort, safety, and beauty. It covers layout, lighting, materials, finishes, furniture, and color, and in the Philippines is a licensedGo to Interior Design Glossary Summit, PIID advances the practice of interior design while creating platforms for professional exchange, education, and dialogue on the role of Filipino design within the local and international design community.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Manila Interior Design Summit (MIDS) is an industry event organized by the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers (PIID), bringing together local and international design professionals for talks, exhibitions, and exchanges on interior design and its evolving practice.
The fourth edition of MIDS, held in 2026, explored the theme Designing New Worlds: Culture, Cities, and Future of Southeast Asia. The summit examined the role of design in shaping spaces, communities, and the future of Southeast Asian design.
Collective 8, also known as Our Captains of Craft, was an exhibition highlighting eight Filipino designers and design practices. It celebrated local craftsmanship, creativity, and the growing identity of Philippine design.
MIDS 2026 featured local and international architects and designers, including Ed Calma, Anthony Nazareno, Anton Mendoza, Chat Fores, Tina Periquet, and Alex Josephson of Toronto-based architecture firm Partisans. Discussions explored spatial experiences, design fundamentals, cultural identity, and the future of design.
Highlights included talks by leading architects and designers, interactive showroom experiences across Metro Manila, SOFA Design Institute’s Sandbox, and the Collective 8 exhibition celebrating Filipino craftsmanship. The summit culminated in a design symposium at the Proscenium Theater.
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