Step inside these 6 recent interior design projects by Benilde students

Recently, 21 design students from Benilde transformed the Philippine Animal Welfare Society’s Animal Rehabilitation Center (PAWS) into a haven of healing and hope. Their project Alwán—Filipino for serenity and relief from sorrow—reimagined the 70-year-old sanctuary established by British educator Muriel Jay in Loyola Heights, Quezon City. 

One of their first plans was to create a spacious waiting lounge. This space includes puppy-friendly ramps and feline steps for adventurous kittens, comfortable seating for adoptive families and donors and 10 meticulously redesigned recuperation pens. 

Lush indoor plants like selloum and moses-in-the-cradle complement photographic displays throughout the facility, creating an environment that nurtures both distressed animals and their human caretakers. Through community fundraising efforts, including bazaars and merchandise sales, these budding design activists have crafted spaces that not only serve practical needs but also embody PAWS’ enduring mission to alleviate suffering and challenge stigmas surrounding abandoned companions.

In a harmonious blend of functionality and symbolism, a 22-square-meter section of the Philippine Navy barracks has been transformed into Daong, a nurturing sanctuary for those safeguarding the nation’s waters. Benildean students from the School of Environment and Design crafted a contemporary space that honours naval heritage through thoughtful details. One can see the anchor motif representing stability, alongside a hand-painted 15-square-metre mural set against pristine white walls. “The blue accent wall in the form of camouflage symbolises hard work and resilience,” shared the team. 

The redesign features modular furniture, personal storage, and a dedicated pantry area, all arranged with careful attention to spatial efficiency and illumination. This student-led initiative provides more than just aesthetic improvement. It also offers the naval personnel a restorative haven where they can recharge before returning to their noble mission of protecting the Philippine maritime domain.

Benilde’s interior design students recently breathed new life into the Positive Action Foundation Philippines Inc (PAFPI), established in 1998 for people living with HIV. Testing and recuperation areas now feature acoustic padding and privacy screens, while redesigned workstations maximise storage with thoughtful wooden partitions. The waiting lounge, reimagined with accent seating, infuses tranquillity into the space.

The medical area also features improved ventilation systems, sanitation stations, and strategically placed indoor plants. This embodied their vision of “a united society driven on panic prevention and social stigma mitigation.” Now, Project Alpas stands as a powerful testament to how thoughtful design can nurture dignity and wellness for an often-marginalised community.

In celebration of intergenerational connections, students elevated the senior citizen centre of the Magsilay community in Pasil, Kalinga Province, with a more contemporary spin. Their project reimagined the parola-inspired space through thoughtful accessibility features. These include slip-resistant flooring, contrasting wayfinding colours and supportive grab rails. 

The team balanced functionality while celebrating local heritage through mindful design choices. Indigenous materials like sawali bamboo mats served as a delineation in the space. Repurposed chapel pews also create flexible spaces for activities and conversation. Meanwhile, traditional Machuca tiles with organic patterns serve as tactile cues throughout the room. The colour palette draws directly from cultural significance. The red of native attire and ceremonial clay pots defines kitchen spaces, complemented by cream, blue, yellow and pink tones that evoke serenity and optimism. Exterior wall lamps illuminate a façade mural depicting local life, as the community engages in agriculture and celebrates a deep love of coffee.  

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One of the most recent projects by Benilde’s interior design students is Project Liwaga, a poetic fusion of Filipino words for light (liwanag) and care (alaga). The 42 students transformed the dormitories of Hospicio de San Jose, which caters to special needs residents. This service-learning initiative embraced the Langit Lupa (heaven and earth) concept, symbolising both grounding strength and uplifting hope for residents with special needs. They include people from ages 9-55 with varying conditions, including intellectual disabilities, autism, Down syndrome, and visual impairments. 

The girls' and boys' dormitories were meticulously reimagined with tactile paving for visually impaired residents, interactive sensory panels and creative drawing boards. The colour scheme features muted soothing shades, intuitive spatial zoning through ceiling and flooring design, enhanced task lighting and durable furniture. The team made sure to incorporate personal touches like stuffed toys and picture frames for each resident.

Beyond mere renovation, Liwaga embodies the Benildean-Lasallian commitment to social awareness, creating a space that fosters comfort and joy while reflecting the genuine spirit of tahanan (home).

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