Design Authenticity Matters in Philippine Architecture

by Edwin Dychauco Uy (Edwin Uy Design Office)

Filipino architect Edwin Uy spent time at Hong Kong Polytechnic University undertaking a master's degree, the capstone of which was a book encapsulating his work throughout the course. Uy had been struck by the characterisation of his work by compatriot architect Buck Sia as ‘authentic', and set about delving deeper into the concept, guided by the philosophies of luminaries like Ettore Sottsass and Paul Rudolph. Four chapters trace the application of critical regionalism as a response to globalisation in architecture, with particular reference to smaller practices that incorporate cutting-edge techniques, as a kind of bridge between current approaches and the heritage crafts for which the Philippines is still known — this, to Uy, is where design authenticity is to be found.

Interestingly, the book itself is an exemplar of the craft Uy discusses and strives to display in his own work, with multiple paper types, a diy weaving centrefold in reference to the Philippine craft tradition, and Smyth-sewn binding that reveals the underlying structural properties of the object.