ALTERING THE LANDSCAPE: ICONS OF PHILIPPINE INTERIOR DESIGN
What was once a niche field of interest in the Philippines, interior design has evolved into a dynamic
and prolific industry that has caught the attention of the global scene. Indeed, local interior design has come a long way — a feat that could not have been possible without the drive and determination of its pioneering
visionaries.
Paying homage to the individuals who have, in each of their unique ways, contributed to the growth of the local interior design practice, the 21st WORLDBEX turns the spotlight on a handful of Filipino interior designers who have been revolutionizing the industry with their expertise and artistry.
IDR NICKY AND MARITES MAGCASE
Highly regarded for their design philosophy and making noteworthy contributions to the field of interior design, this interior design duo has been awarded with the prestigious Outstanding Interior Designer recognition by the Professional Regulation Commission and inducted as a fellow by the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers.
IDR JOHNNY HUBILLA
A former chairman of the Board of Interior Design of the Professional Regulation Commission and former vice head for the National Committee on Architecture and Allied Arts for the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Hubilla’s signature style involves making wise use of indigenous materials and native-inspired pieces in his designs. Moreover, the veteran designer is a staunch advocate of sustainable practice.
IDR CYNTHIA AND IVY ALMARIO
Known for their modern and impactful Asian designs, the sisters honed their craft in designing high- end hotels, residences, restaurants, and offices in Los Angeles, California for 15 years before returning the Philippines to establish the Atelier Almario studio. Whereas their specialty lies in luxury designs, it has since been their commitment to deliver the best design solutions in a timely fashion and at the right price for their Filipino and foreign clientele alike.
IDR LEO ALMERIA
A native of Tacloban City, Almeria is a multi- awarded interior designer, product designer, stylist, and floral designer. The multihypenate started out as a design staff for Edith Oliveros, and later on, became an associate of Russell Emmert of ASID in the US. To date, Almeria continues to push the boundaries of his craft with his very own design studio, as the creative director/owner of Abundance Creations Resources Inc., a faculty member of the Philippine School of Interior Design, a member of the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers and several other interior design organizations, a design consultant, and a published author of design and architecture books and articles.
IDR TESSA PRIETO-VALDES
A licensed interior designer from the College of Notre Dame in California, Prieto-Valdes established the Trezza Group which mainly handles residential and commercial projects. Together with Tessa Alindogan, Trezza’s most recent project is the boutique Y2 Residence Hotel in Makati. Reflecting her famous personal style, Valdes’ design signature is an imaginative expression of colors and textures met with an abundance of patterns and harmonious integrations of varying styles and periods.
IDR CHAT FORES
After a stint with Leandro V. Locsin and Partners, Fores went on to establish her very own design studio which is responsible for the lot of remarkably beautiful and sophisticated spaces around the country. A member of the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers, Fores also teaches Furniture History at the Philippine School of Interior Design.
IDR MICHAEL PIZARRO
Functioning as the executive director for professional practice at the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers, Pizarro earned his degree at the Philippine School of Interior Design and consequently topped the 1995 Interior Design Board Exam. Presently, he is at the helm of his own design studio and the Acanthus Home Furniture and Furnishing. IDR/ARCH’T ARLEN DE GUZMAN AND ARCH’T PAMELA ISABEL DE GUZMANREYES
Upon earning an architectural degree from the University of Santo Tomas, De Guzman ranked fourth at the Philippine Regulation Commission for Architects in 1977. Since then, he moved on to work on some of the most iconic commercial and luxury structures in the country and abroad such as the ShangriLa Hotel in Bangkok, City Plaza II, and the Taikoo Shing Commercial Centre in Hong Kong and Macau. In the Philippines, Arlen De Guzman continues to employ his signature touch on the urban landscape together with his daughter, Pamela, who currently serves as his studio’s Head of Design. Among De Guzman’s notable projects are the Marriott Hotel Cebu, the presidential and junior suites of the Heritage Hotel-Manila, the Power Plant Mall, The Palms Country Club, the Bellevue Hotel, several high-end condominiums, and more recently, the interiors of the Hyatt City of Dreams.
IDR/ARCH’T JAMES JAO
A visionary leader in the field of green and sustainable architecture, Jao’s 20 years of practice has resulted in revolutionary conceptualizations such as the revolutionary LuzViMinda Eco House Initiative which pushes for the construction of carbon-neutral houses and zero net energy dwellings that boast of zero net energy consumptions and zero carbon emissions annually. Currently, Jao serves as the national president of the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers.
IDR/ARCH’T ROGELIO CARINGAL
Caringal formerly served as the national president of the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers and is currently a faculty member at the College of Architecture at the University of Santo Tomas. For him, a structure may have the right proportion, the correct scaling and theme, but everything will fall apart if the wrong color scheme is used. Needless to say, the landscape of Philippine interior design rests upon designers who value aesthetics as much as form and function.
In partnership with the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers, an institue that vanguards the welfare and progress of local interior designers, the highly anticipated Interior Designers Gallery at WORLDBEX 2016 will be featuring the following icons of the trade. At the gallery, each designer and their respective firms will be allotted a vignette, where they will showcase their own take on the season’s interior design trends. Throughout the five-day exposition, attendees have the chance to pick the brains of these designers through their works and free consultations. Aside from the Interior Designers Gallery, present as key highlights of the biggest construction and design expo is the Architects Gallery where the country’s top and upcoming influential firms to come up with their own take on the future of metro structures — a collaborative project between the pioneers and mavericks of Philippine architecture. Brought together, these renditions form the “City of Tomorrow”, an exhibit of a scale model metropolis envisioned as tomorrow’s urban landscape.
Certainly adding another fascinating dimension to the multifaceted offerings that abound at the highly anticipated trade show, the DELAXX Competition puts the spotlight on the country’s landscape architecture industry with the Philippine Association of Landscape Architects to showcase the talents of up and coming landscape architects.
In seeking to reflect its thrust in each of its facets, WORLDBEX champions the importance of a strong foundation as evidenced by the highly anticipated WORLDBEX Seminars. A staunch advocate of continued learning as a bedrock of excellence, 12 local and international speakers alike will bring forward an insightful lineup of topics and issues. Through these seminars, relevant industry matters will be put into proper perspective in the national and global context.
Coming from its successful launch during the expo’s 20th anniversary last 2015, the WORLDBEX Lab is back to elevate the standards of the industry as a pool of shortlisted products from more than 500 exhibitors will be showcased based on the products’ originality, impact, benefits, and practicality. Whether visitors hail from varying fields of interest, the Lab serves as a platform wherein new concepts and innovations may be launched in an experiential and immersive manner. Among the selected products are Wilcon Depot’s MacroAir, NXLED by Akari’s Bluetooth controlled lightbulbs, APO Vinyl’s antibacterial fl oor panels and the KEVO Bluetooth controlled door locks to name a few.
The 21st WORLDBEX happens today until March 20 at the combined venues of the World Trade Center Manila and the Philippine Trade Training Center, where one will witness the unifying force of the construction industry and the various sectors within that work in tandem to conjure some of the most impressive and groundbreaking innovations in history.