There are many ways to interpret grandeur. J Antonio Mendoza, architect and interior designer, has a unique way of adding elegance to varied spaces such as the hallways of Manila retail development Greenbelt 3, which he styled with luxury and sophistication.

He was also tapped to reimagine museum Casa Manila in Manila’s historic Intramuros in late 2021. He had a treasure of references to work with, including never-before-seen archival photographs from the collections of Georgina Padilla Zóbel de Macrohon and Fundación Ynchausti’s Nik Skalomenos de Ynchausti.

In 2022, the interior designer began his first build-and-sell project in Tali Beach in Nasugbu, Batangas, southern Luzon. He comments, “I’ve spent decades designing clients’ dream houses, so perhaps it’s my turn. When I first built my beach house, it felt so wonderful to be the owner, architect, interior designer, contractor and landscaper all rolled into one. I did whatever I wanted, with no parameters.”