The future is filled with uncertainty, as it can be molded by anything and everything. Planners inherently have to speculate how the present conditions of today will unfold tomorrow. Three pioneering firms—Sangay Architects, ESCA, and Cali Architects—demonstrate how embracing these changes can lead to organic opportunities, new ways of creating, and the possibilities in how we shape our lives.
The integration of natural materials holds potential for wider adoption in urban environments. In the Philippines and other places in the world, bamboo proves to be a versatile material. Bamboo’s raw form is often linked to tropical settings because of its rugged and natural aesthetic, making it seem incompatible with modern urban landscapes. Christian Salandanan, Principal Architect of Sangay Architects, however, challenges this perception. The firm’s specialization and expertise elevates this traditional material by showcasing its unique sophistication. By studying bamboo’s benefits and limitations, Sangay Architects can use it in a purposeful manner.
To integrate bamboo to modern and urban settings, it needs to be protected and conditioned first, as it is an organic material. This treatment process will allow it to withstand the elements, or else it would rot. But the effort is worth it, as bamboo offers a unique visual flavor, which Salandanan integrates into their designs. Their firm’s work displays a compelling fusion of modern materials in juxtaposition with this tropical timber. Their nuanced approach highlights its best qualities while adjusting to what spatial requirements call for.
Technological advancements continually reshape design processes. The introduction of AutoCAD decades ago revolutionized drafting, transitioning from manual techniques to computer-aided design. The adoption of this tool was met with initial resistance but eventually has now become synonymous with the practice.
This pattern now repeats with Building Information Modeling (BIM), which transcends traditional CAD by creating dynamic, information-rich models instead of static drawings. By its merits, it is now an international standard (ISO 19650) that is often required in other countries such as the United States, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
Ernesto de Castro, ESCA Engineering’s founder and president, champions these innovations as their firm specializes in BIM implementation in the Philippines—a revolutionary shift in how we conceive, build, and manage structures. The firm promotes its use locally and offers training to numerous companies across the country for its widespread adoption.
The emergence of new cities and widespread infrastructure presents a new frontier for Filipino architecture. Across the archipelago, different environments, local conditions, and stylistic requirements bring about a plethora of contexts that designers have to adapt to.
Amon Cali, Principal Architect of Cali Architects, shares how these changes have shaped his practice of architecture. The firm considers how architecture is a combination of art and real estate. Reflecting on his experiences, Cali shares that both elements of popular culture and practical realities nurtured his fascination with the high art of building design. Fashion runway shows, with their avant-garde backdrops, inspired his understanding of how spaces can amplify human presence. In conjunction, the need for shelter and what it can offer drives Cali Architects’ approach to spatial design.
Based in Baguio City, the firm primarily works in rural settings throughout the country. Whether it be summits above the clouds or by the shores of the Pacific, their designs adapt and offer a bold vision for provincial life and what these unique environments can offer us.
The future of design emerges as a synthesis of seeming opposites between societal forces of tradition, modernity, natural, and digital. This holistic approach and perspective point toward a bright future – where sustainability becomes not just a goal but a natural outcome, technology enhances rather than replaces creativity, and spaces are created not just to be occupied, but to be lived with.
Read the full feature on The Architecture of Change by ordering your copy of BluPrint Volume 2, available via the sarisari.shopping website, Shopee, and Lazada. E-magazines are available for download via Readly, Press Reader, and Magzter.
Images courtesy of the respective firms.
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