Bluprint Perspective

Carlo Calma and His Pursuit of Architectural Happiness

January 15, 2025
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By 
Chad Rialp

Beautifully designed spaces have the power to transcend their function. They evoke emotion, spark joy, and create meaningful connections through design. These choreographed experiences engage the senses, giving rise to a distinct sense of place infused with surprise, delight, and a sense of wonder. It’s what celebrated designer Carlo Calma, Creative Director of Carlo Calma Consultancy likes to call “architectural happiness.”

For him, material innovation and sustainability go hand in hand with comfort and laughter as key components of happiness. His approach celebrates cultural identity and storytelling, transforming spaces into vessels of emotion and narrative. And by respecting the natural environment, thoughtful design infused with playful elements create architecture that inspires, uplifts, and fosters a deeper connection between people and their surroundings.

Today, the designer stands at the forefront of contemporary Filipino architecture, always pushing the envelope in how we perceive and interact with spaces. Known for his multidisciplinary approach and penchant for storytelling, he integrates art, culture, and innovation into his projects.

Whether working on exuberant residences, cultural landmarks, or the immersive Philippine Pavilion for the Osaka World Expo, his work celebrates form and function, often infused with unexpected details that spark curiosity and delight. His ability to transform traditional concepts into extraordinary experiences position him as a visionary who crafts architectural narratives that resonate deeply with their environment and the people who inhabit them.

A Philosophy in Practice

Photo by Ed Simon.

Asador Alfonso neatly embodies Carlo Calma’s approach to architecture. It reflects his deep respect for site, nature, and the interplay of surprise and experience. It rises with the weight and rawness of its form. The structure’s concrete folds mirror the rugged forms of nearby Taal Volcano, grounding the structure in its environment which make it feel more like a sculpture than a building.  Here, architecture transforms into narrative. Every element contributes to a sensory journey that blurs the line between design and nature.

Set against this evocative backdrop, Calma sat down with BluPrint for an exclusive interview, sharing his bold insights on design, sustainability, and the art of storytelling through architecture.

Asador, like Calma’s other projects, is a story of connection—between the built and the natural, the past and the present, the tangible and the experiential. Here, every element speaks to a journey that transcends mere function, inviting you to linger, reflect, and feel. And this embodies his philosophy of sustainability, material innovation, and emotional design. Every design choice is intentional, celebrating both the site’s natural beauty and its potential for discovery.  

An Ode to Nature

The project is deeply personal, intricately tied to his father’s vision. And he infused this collaboration with whimsy and creativity, resulting in unique moments that elevate the ordinary.

“When I start a project, I’m always inspired by the place… I look at the site and [see] how I want to celebrate it,” Calma shares. “This is all of my dad’s vision, who is 95 years old and who’s also a dreamer.

“We didn’t destroy any trees. We worked with the landscape. It responds to nature. It opens up to views. It also shades from the sun. So all of these folds [are] actually intentional depending on the position… From the outside, this feels like a two-story space, but [visitors] don’t know that there’s a lot of nooks and surprise moments.

“My favorite space here is on the top floor, where you see a vantage point of the whole landscape. It’s like unpacking a Russian doll, and there’s mini Easter eggs that you have to go inside. And then there’s those elements of surprise.

These surprises also manifest in the pavilions and hidden spaces that populate the property. Even the smallest details contribute to the sense of exploration. But one of the standout features is the lagoon.

“The lagoon, which is about to be completed, is actually a sunken amphitheater. So you go inside the gallery space, and it’s a sunken amphitheater. So your experience watching theater would be underwater,” he describes.

With plenty of space to spare, the property that Asador Alfonso sits on brims with potential. And Calma has much more planned for the future. This makes it an evolving dialogue between architecture, nature, and human experience. From its sculptural design to its playful details, the space encapsulates Calma’s ethos of crafting environments that surprise, delight, and resonate with those who encounter them. 

A Multidisciplinary Upbringing

“My interest in art and architecture really started because we’re a family of architects,” Calma shares. “My dad is in construction and engineering, and my mom is in the terracotta business… So I’ve always been surrounded by art.”

He recalls waking up to a home that constantly transformed, reflecting his parents’ dynamic interests. Many of his family members are involved in fashion, architecture, and various artistic mediums. As a child, he often accompanied his mother to her ceramic factory and trade shows. His father took him to construction sites, exposing him early to both design and craftsmanship.

This creative environment helped inform his multidisciplinary approach, developing a design philosophy that blurs the boundaries between art and design. Reflecting on his academic journey, he shares how his education in San Francisco and London influenced his creative lens.

“I studied at California College of Arts and Crafts, and then I moved to Architectural Association. The education there is like a unit system, so you pick a theme that you want to explore,” he explains. This flexibility allowed him to tailor his studies, fostering a curiosity-driven approach that would later define his career.

“The training has always been multidisciplinary,” he adds. “Architecture encompasses a lot of spaces and scales: scale of interior, scale of furniture, scale of space. What’s nice is that you really see architecture as being an expression, and through that you begin to kind of understand and create your niche on how you want to express that language. It’s not always the built environment. It’s about networks and systems and how the environment plays in.”

Choreographed and Cinematic Spaces 

Calma’s work reflects a philosophy that architecture should engage the senses and evoke delight. The essence of his designs lie in tailoring each project to its unique context, crafting environments that resonate with their surroundings. This allows spaces to transcend their functionality, imbuing them with emotion, surprise, and a sense of discovery.

“I always say that my work has a little cinematography; a kind of choreography of spaces,” he shares. “It’s the idea of choreographing the audience and creating delights in architecture. So in the spaces that I like to create, I want to inject a kind of emotion. It always has this surprise element.” It’s a concept he dubs as “architectural happiness”.

“I’m trying to create a more daring architecture, but also a daring experience overall. And actually that ignites happiness. When you bring in nature and that kind of quirkiness, too, I think all of these aspects are a part of me,” he reflects. “And I always try to challenge myself with materials, experience, spaces, form, all of these things. What can I do to make it new?”

Ultimately, his work is a constant exploration of what’s possible; how spatial transitions, scale, and nature evoke joy and wonder. But his designs are not so much about challenging conventions as they are about inspiring awe, crafting spaces that linger in memory long after they’ve been experienced.

Exuberant Forms and Experiences

The Loop House by Carlo Calma Consultancy. (Artist's Perspective).
The Loop House by Carlo Calma Consultancy. (Artist’s Perspective)

Loop House is a prime example of the architect’s signature approach to design. The home is deeply experiential, highly imaginative, and attuned to the individuality of his clients.

“The Loop House is very interesting because the husband is a bike enthusiast, and the wife is an artist. So she gave me a free hand in terms of the concept. Sometimes the clients drive you into making something unique,” Calma explains. This creative freedom, paired with the couple’s distinct passions, led to a design that is both personal and playful.

“The experience is that there’s a bicycle path going up, and on top, it’s actually a roofscape,” Calma shares. “As you go up, it feels as if you’re going up into a mountain, because we created these terrariums that go in and out of the space. There’s a terrarium that is double-height, going from the ground level up to their toilet space, [one] in the middle of a living room, [and] a terrarium near the artist studio. So the level of their experience is really very choreographed and very unique, creating a different kind of forest landscape with different altitudes.”

This layering of spaces allows the residents and their visitors to feel immersed in a lush, otherworldly environment. Again, the carefully choreographed  layout creates a dynamic interplay between architecture and nature.

“I always add these kinds of art elements, these whimsical elements,” he shares. “It’s like a museum, actually, that can change through time, because the owner’s an artist as well.”

Calma incorporated a nearly 12-meter-tall inhabitable sculpture, matching the scale of the building itself. Despite its imposing size, he successfully persuaded the village association to approve it, thanks to its placement within the property’s setback. The sculpture’s context, positioned across the garden, results in an artistic, architectural element that reflects his drive for pushing boundaries.

“All of these things that I’m thinking of in terms of future projects are things that ignite senses, create happiness, create emotions… We have to create architectural delights. We have to create new experiences.”

Calma’s upcoming wellness project takes inspiration from the natural drama of its site: an existing waterfall. Reflecting on his first impression of the location, he recalls, “I was surprised at the amount of drama when you experience a waterfall. I wanted to celebrate that.”

The design centers on two circular buildings that appear to “kiss” at a pivotal connection point. “When the two circles kiss, we recreated and celebrated the drama of the waterfall, which drops exactly at the same place of the existing stream and waterfall, highlighting this natural wonder and its sounds,” Calma explains. This deliberate alignment emphasizes the waterfall’s presence, enhancing its impact.

“It’s about blurring the lines between nature and architecture; art and architecture,” he says. Acting as a bridge between two points, the buildings embody his vision of architecture working in tandem with nature, creating a poetic interplay between built form and the environment. The design exemplifies Calma’s philosophy, with the structure becoming part of the landscape itself.

The Philippine Pavilion at the Osaka World Expo

Throughout his career, Calma consistently explores the overlap between nature and architecture, art and space. He crafts environments that evoke wonder and sensorial stimulation. All these principles, as seen in his residential projects and institutional designs, find their ultimate expression in the Philippine Pavilion for the 2025 World Expo in Osaka.

Carlo Calma Consultancy's design for the Philippine Pavilion at the 2025 Osaka World Expo. (Artist's Perspective).
Carlo Calma Consultancy’s design for the Philippine Pavilion at the 2025 Osaka World Expo. (Artist’s Perspective)

An ambitious global showcase, the pavilion is a harmonious convergence of sustainability, material innovation, and cultural storytelling. The project intricately weaves tradition, sustainability, and innovation—both literally and figuratively. Scheduled to open on April 13, 2025, and running for six months, the pavilion will bring together the essence of Filipino culture through its immersive design narrative. Its concept, “woven”, reflects both cultural heritage and sustainable practices.

Positioned at the forefront of the Expo grounds, the pavilion’s facade features a tapestry of hundreds of textiles crafted by over 2,000 weavers across 200 communities. These weavers, empowered by traditions passed down for generations, recount the stories of their everyday lives.

“The Philippine Pavilion sits beside the United States and France, and when you enter, we’re the first ones there… The master plan is designed by Sou Fujimoto, [whom] I collaborated with before for our building in Nuvali, which is also about to open next year. Our building there will have a museum for architecture and design.

“So the master plan of Sou is there’s a wooden ring, which is made of cross laminate timber. So we’re promoting these lightweight structures that is wood, and it’s a more sustainable way of construction. The whole building is made of rattan and woven in Cebu by all these master weavers,” he explains. “All these 1,000 pieces of armature kind of open up and weave, showing the strength of rattan and being a sustainable material.

An Artisanal Showcase

“We went around the Philippines and immersed ourselves in these sustainable communities,” Calma shares. “We’ll be weaving stories of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao… The fabric actually tells the story from birth to death… With all these patterns, it has a lot of symbolism and cultural stories that are empowering and interesting.”

The integration of natural materials, dynamic forms, and immersive storytelling reflects Calma’s ability to create spaces that are both forward-thinking and rooted in heritage.

“We are showing the kind of stories and cultures in our heritage into the weaves.  And the facade actually is a live art performance… That will happen in the matinee and in the evening. As you enter the space, there’ll be three parts exploring nature, culture, and community. So it will show our regions, and these scrims will actually show the beauty and the love of the Philippines. But it also will show our craft. And so it’s actually going to be a lot of smart textiles and projections.”

Calma also highlights an AI-generated element featuring a vibrant fiesta, created in collaboration with Tellart, an Amsterdam-based experience design firm. He describes the concept as one of woven stories, celebrating the labor of love, the dedication of artists, and the creative spirit of the Philippines.

While the pavilion’s design celebrates the Philippines’ rich cultural tapestry, it also serves as a platform to explore the future of sustainability and design. It weaves together past, present, and future into an experiential narrative.

Here, Calma’s vision of architecture as a catalyst for emotion, surprise, and connection comes alive on an international stage. It demonstrates how design can transcend boundaries and inspire a shared appreciation for the human spirit.

A Refreshing Take on Sustainability

For Carlo Calma, sustainability extends beyond standard practices like solar panels and energy-efficient systems. It is a concept as diverse as the projects he undertakes.

“Sustainability is very diverse now,” he posits. While these baseline elements have become expected in architecture, his focus lies in innovative materials and empowering communities.

“I’m looking at sustainability more in terms of materiality,” he says, emphasizing the need to rethink traditional building practices. “There are materials that are made from mushrooms or hemp for concrete or other things… All of this interests me, of how we can put this in our spaces.”

His experimentation includes cross-laminated timber (CLT), which he hopes to introduce more broadly in local construction. His use of rattan plays a central role in his design of the Philippine Pavilion.

Furthermore, he works closely with artisanal communities across the Philippines, integrating their craftsmanship into his projects.  Across all his work—whether designing furniture, constructing buildings, or conceptualizing entire environments—Calma is driven by a commitment to innovation and locality.

He believes designers have a responsibility to make conscious decisions about sourcing. “My interests are always really pushing the boundaries of architecture in terms of concepts, in terms of experience, and then, of course, injecting material innovation,” he says. “As much as possible now, [I want to] work with local suppliers, local sources. I think that’s very important for us designers—to make a very conscious decision to work where we are, with what we have here, and elevate it into a standard of unique, new, or global.”

In this context, sustainability is not just a goal; it is a continuous process of discovery and elevation.

In the Pursuit of Architectural Happiness

Beyond aesthetics, Carlo Calma’s designs are about building emotions. He transforms spaces into extraordinary experiences, sparking wonder, joy, and connection. His design narratives that celebrate identity, culture, and innovation. The work consistently seeks to inspire, whether through whimsical details or carefully choreographed interactions between architecture and its users. A building shouldn’t just be a structure; it’s an experience that engages all senses and leaves a lasting impression. 

Many of his projects are an ode to the Philippines’ rich heritage, blending art, nature, and functionality in a way that redefines modern architecture. By infusing cultural symbolism and local craftsmanship into his structures, he creates spaces that tell compelling stories. 

Looking toward the future, Calma remains committed to challenging norms and pushing the boundaries of design. His vision is one of bold experimentation, embracing sustainability, not as a trend, but as a responsibility. 

“How do we inspire and how do we create this kind of architectural happiness?” he asks. “How do we ignite emotions, or how do we make your living more delightful and inspirational?”

From integrating innovative materials to collaborating with local communities, he marries culture with environmental stewardship. In doing so, his legacy becomes more than just a collection of striking designs—it’s a blueprint for a more creative, sustainable, and culturally resonant future. 

Read more: Tampipi House: Designing Outside the Box


Photographer: Ed Simon

Sittings Editor: Geewel Fuster

Art Director: Jehd Francisco

Managing Editor: Katherine Lopez

Shoot Coordinator: Mae Talaid

Images of Loop House, Wellness Project, and the Philippine Pavilion courtesy of Carlo Calma Consultancy.

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