2020 has been a rollercoaster of global and national events. All things considered, it was difficult to notice how the holidays have been approaching. Celebrating the season may be a lot different from how it was used to, but there are still a few ways how families can invite the Christmas spirit into their respective homes, like the good old tradition of putting up a Christmas tree. In this episode of Something Light, BluPrint asked 10 architects, designers, and firms about their out-of-the-box ideas for a Christmas tree. Their designs can be built using a variety of materials that are accessible to all.
Ours can come in three sizes. It can be small, to be used as ornaments in Christmas trees; medium, to be hung as lanterns; and large, so it can stand on its own as a tree. It will be hollow inside for storage of gifts, and it will be made of metal sheets, in auto paint finish. The lower part will be made of acrylic, and the base will have embedded lighting. – Chok Manalo and Marie Martin of ArkisensWhen I was a child, I looked forward to Christmas because of the toys I received from my parents, relatives, and ninongs and ninangs. I designed my tree to mimic an intuitive toy, where acrylic blocks skewered by a round tube in the middle can be rotated to create a “helix” movement. Whether the blocks are spun or static, it will still have the form of a Christmas tree when viewed at eye level. – Hawk Caro, design architect of ArkisensWe will weld rectangular metal sheets together for our tree. The metal will have a mirror finish to recreate the glazed look of glass for a festive shimmer for the Yuletide season. – Isabel and Ding Asuncion of Asuncion-Berenguer, Inc.Mine would be a Gothic tree, made of flying buttresses. – Carlos Hubilla, architectWe want a tree with cantilevers because we like hanging stuff. – Alfie Agunoy and Francis Sta. Romana of Twofold ArchitectureI’d do a modern abstraction of a tree, made of steel in a powder-coated finish. The color will be white with apple green, with internally lit accents. – Jason Buensalido of Buensalido+Architects This is a deconstruction of our Philippine pavilion design for the BluPrint AViD contest in 2011. I want it to embody the values of togetherness and conviviality because Christmas is a big deal here in the Philippines. The tree’s dancing stilts are made of bamboo and the outer shell of recycled wine stoppers. LED lights will wrap around the tree. – Jay Panelo, architectI want it to be stable, so I can sit on it. It will save space in my room, and the little crimson features that act as the leaves will serve as lighting. – Megan Palero, illustrator and graphic motion artistMade from a variety of materials like wood, textiles, moss, metal, and paper, this tree stands for how we define and celebrate Christmas in our own way. – Wilmer Lopez of Space EncountersThis tree addresses the need for more space for presents. It portrays a balance between weight and wealth, with the most precious or expensive gift rotating at the apex. – Angelo R. Ramos, architect
This article first appeared in BluPrint Volume 6 2015. Edits were made for BluPrint online.
