RCCAH Diskarte Team-SALIKHA Creative Grant recipients launch forum on Design Culture

The first of the two-series, the 2019 Forum on Design Culture explored the aspects of design culture against the conceptual framework of Filipino resiliency and creative ingenuity. Featuring renowned practitioners and educators, the forum, held on November 13, 2019 at the UST Miguel de Benavides Library Conference Room, focused on design culture as practice and as academic discipline to articulate its theories and practices. 

Among the resource speakers was Interior Designer Antonio “Budji” Layug who studied at the UST College of Architecture, and is recognized as one of the brains behind the Movement 8 and is credited for pushing the possibilities for Philippine products, placing Philippine design among the premier design houses of the world, through design and indigenous material exploration. 

Layug, together with Royal Christopher Lopez Pineda, forms a formidable tandem in the field of design. Pineda, a well-rounded architect, trained under the firm of National Artist for Architecture Leandro V. Locsin. Pineda presented the concept of Total Design, the advocacy of the BUDJI + ROYAL+ Design + Architecture that embraces nature and progressive Philippine design through their projects that are also featured in the recent publication ‘Budji: Design Journey.’ 

Royal Pineda discussed how practical luxury could be achieved for every Filipino through creative ingenuity. Design culture shapes identities and contributes to the advancement of nationalism and cultural pride. Sustainable design that re-invented the Philippine folk architecture are authentic and cosmopolitan. The resource speakers were joined by Arch. Norma Alarcon of the United Architects of the Philippines and IDr. Mike Pizarro of the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers during the round table discussion. 

University of the Philippines-Diliman Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development IDr. Raquel Baltazar-Florendo, Ph.D., an interior designer and associate professor of interior design at the College of Home Economics, UP- Diliman, was another resource speaker. Design culture, according to her, is commonly shared value that is learned formally and informally, and creates its own language and fosters inclusivity and authenticity.  “Design as a way of life,” the main theme of her presentation tackled the need for reflexivity among baby boomers, generation X, the millennials, and the generation Z and the role of design in enriching the design practice and design education. The resource speakers were joined by IDr. Trisha Ann Padernal of the interior design at the College of Home Economics, UP, Diliman, IDr. Kat Correa of the interior design program of the DLS-College of Saint Benilde, and Dean Ma. Lourdes Samson of the College of the Holy Spirit, during the round table discussion. 

As part of the dissemination activities of “Diskarte: Understanding Design Culture Through the Filipino Chair,” a SALIKHA Project of CHED—NCCA for the K—12 transition program, the forum was organized by RCCAH Research Fellows Diskarte Team and SALIKHA Creative Grant Recipients Asst. Prof. Guillerma Mendoza, MBA-project team lead, Assoc. Prof. Lilia de Jesus, PhD, Asst. Prof. Mary Grace Hernandez, and Assoc. Prof. Nady Nacario. Dr. Salvacion Villavicencio of the CHED NCCA Salikha program and Asst. Prof. Mary Christie Que graced the activities. 

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