Cover Manila Interior Design Summit ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Bonifacio High Street activity centre
Manila Interior Design Summit ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Bonifacio High Street activity centre
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Interior designers and creatives from all over the Philippines celebrated the second Manila Interior Design Summit
Organised by the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers and led by their president Paolo Castro and vice president Cyndi Fernandez Beltran, the event was a resounding success.
Signalling remarkable growth in the industry, this year’s summit presented a variety of engaging events that centred around a spirit of collaboration. The speakers emphasised the role Interior Designers play in shaping cultural consciousness, both in the present and in the future.
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Above MIDS ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Bonifacio High Street Activity Centre
MIDS ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Bonifacio High Street Activity Centre
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The summit showcased the best of homegrown talent alongside a display of the increasing presence of global brands in the Philippines. Design showrooms around Bonifacio Global City participated in design symposiums, exhibits, performances, talks and other activities during this three-day summit.
Events included an art and hospitality day at the Furnitalia showroom where paint and canvas were laid out, encouraging guests to create their works. Their finished pieces formed a collage which can be considered a metaphor for the summit’s message of the importance of cross-industry cooperation. By melding different perspectives, we can create something infinitely more beautiful together.
Above Guests exploring the Porcelanosa showroom
Above Guests exploring the Porcelanosa showroom
Guests exploring the Porcelanosa showroom
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Whilst drag performances and bathroom fixtures may not seem to form any apparent connection, a case was made for how Design in Drag relates to the nuance of how design should be both functional and fun in the Dexterton showroom.
Meanwhile, at Studio Dimensione, under the theme ‘Craft to Creation Behind the Furniture’, attendees took a peek into how furniture is made. Lively discussion focusing on ‘community, sustainability and heritage,’ in approaching design followed Dimensione’s program.
The festival concluded at The Playground at Bench Tower which hosted a whole-day conference. Speakers included luminaries in design Lyndon Neri, Jonathan Matti, Kezia Karin, Ben Stevenson, Kezia Karin, Alvin Tjitwirjo and Vignesh Kaushik sharing fascinating insights on the past, present and future of Interior Design.
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Above The design symposium on Day 3 of the Manila Interior Design Summit speakers' welcome dinner at Shangri-La The Fort
The design symposium on Day 3 of the Manila Interior Design Summit speakers' welcome dinner at Shangri-La The Fort
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The night before, speakers were welcomed to Manila at a dinner held at Shangri-la Fort. Lyndon Neri, renowned co-founder of the globally recognised Neri&Hu Design, spoke beautifully about how creatives–poets, musicians, artists and interior designers–form the soul of a city.
As one of the most contested topics these days, Vignesh Kauishik of Gensler Design discussed the role Artificial Intelligence plays in today’s design landscape. His presentation assures us that ‘technology is an ally and not an enemy.’
Beyond the traditional business-design model, notable product designer Alvin Tjitrowirjo detailed how his creation process considers a multitude of factors. They include livelihood, place, identity, culture, belief and people, which anchor advancements in arts, crafts and design.
Above Daphne Oseña-Perez hosting the design symposium on Day 3 of the Manila Interior Design Summit
Above The design symposium on Day 3 of the Manila Interior Design Summit
Daphne Oseña-Perez hosting the design symposium on Day 3 of the Manila Interior Design Summit
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Ben Stevenson of Foster and Partners takes a research-based design approach, zeroing in on the need to adapt culture to contemporary needs. In the same breadth, Jonathan Matti outlined his work on local heritage projects around the Malacanang area. He expressed balancing romanticised nostalgia with modern function. He also emphasised that collaborations with fellow designers are the way forward, working creatively within the constricted framework of property restoration.
During the conference, multi-awarded Indonesian designer Kezia Karin posed a very important question: ‘If designers don't bridge the gap between design and cultural heritage, how will we preserve our unique identity? And without merging design and culture, where will we root our sense of who we truly are?’
In these questions, we find the answers. As designers create linkages between practical use and visually rewarding spaces, we are left to consider how our interiors form our environment. Being our tangible reality, the significance of the choices we make in what populates our built environment reflects our understanding of self.
Culture is a starting point in this understanding and is crucial in determining the function of a space. As Kezia Krin implied, cultural traditions, beliefs and practices are an honest starting point for how we create our environment. In looking inward, we can produce spaces that reflect our inner truths.
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