UST College of Architecture faculty members Ar. Cecilia May S. Villanueva and Ar. Juanito M. Malaga virtually presented their paper during the 5th International Conference on Architecture and Civil Engineering (ICACE).
Villanueva and Malaga’s work, titled “Minimalism and Essentialism in Manila: Architecture and Urban Wellbeing in the Post GFC and New Normal,” showcases architecture and urban architecture in Manila designed by Thomasian Architects as reflections of minimalism and essentialism. Villanueva is also a faculty researcher of the UST Research Center for Culture, Arts and Humanities.
According to the paper, the 2008 Global Financial Crisis caused shifts on the designs in the country. Architecture took austere approaches and financial considerations through frugal innovations, adaptive reuse, and different forms of minimalism in the design. A significant finding of the research pointed out that design considered natural wind flow on the interior spaces that has now become a significant tool on addressing the present pandemic.
The paper was co-authored by Jindal School of Art and Architecture Dean Dr. Thomas E. Mical.
ICACE 2021 also showcased different paper presentations from other countries and was participated in by architects, engineers, researchers, and members of the academe.
