Filipino teams test run for WAF 2017 at GROHE send-off

PH teams join forces to refine their ten-minute pitches for the festival next month

October 27, 2017

Angel Yulo

27 Oct 2017 – With six projects to be presented at Berlin, 2017 is a milestone year for the Philippines at the World Architecture Festival (WAF). This is the country’s biggest representation yet. Yesterday, the four shortlisted firms went through their WAF presentations at the GROHE Philippines showroom at Wilcon IT Hub, Makati City.

The Streetlight Tagpuro project was presented by Pierre Go of Leandro V. Locsin Partners. Visionary Architecture’s Daniel Terrence Yu put forward the context and programming of One Ayala. Out of WTA Architecture and Design Studio’s three shortlisted projects, the Chapel of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica was expounded on by Dianne Naval. And Jorge Yulo narrated how he processed his design concept for the New Supreme Court of the Philippines.

sm MG 1401 — Pierre Go of Leandro V Locsin Partners

feat2. Closed doors of the study center photo by Alexander Eriksson Furunes — Doors of the Streetlight Tagpuro study center | Photo by Alexander Eriksson Furunes

sm MG 1450 — Visionarch president and CEO Daniel Terrence Yu

01 Aerial Dusk FA — The 390000 square meter transit oriented development by Visionary Architecture is dubbed One Ayala after its address No 1 Ayala Avenue corner EDSA

Following the formats of WAF live crits of 10 minutes for presentation and 8 minutes for Q&A, the event served as a test run for the festival next month. The audience, composed of colleagues and friends from the industry, served as a panel to critique what the different teams have prepared.

Besides questions on form and meaning, suggestions were given regarding presentation length and organization, as well as which aspects of the projects to highlight for greater impact. Encouragement and rallying spirits were palpable in the room as this year can hold the country’s first WAF win. The evening was capped by soprano Lara Maigue who treated guests with a stirring performance of Mozart’s Queen of the Night aria.

sm MG 1543 — Dianne Naval of WTA Architecture and Design Studio

the New Supreme Court concept by Jorge Yulo — The slatted surfaces of the New Supreme Court concept by Yulo communicate transparency and accountability Despite this make up the scheme evokes a sense of epic solidity

If this year’s Filipino shortlist is a testament to what we as a people hope for our built environment, we can say we seek to empower the marginalized, to mobilize those sustaining our economy, to tap into divine grace, and to make justice transparent and accessible to all. Embodied by the projects, these are the values the teams are set to present and defend on the world stage. May we defend them just as staunchly in our homeland.

Together with GROHE, we wish LVLP, WTA, Visionarch, and JYAA the best of luck. The Filipino design community is cheering you on.

Photographed by Ed Simon

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