Early this year, the law requiring for practicing professionals to pursue for their own Continuing Professional Development (CPD), to keep their licenses, has been implemented in the Philippines.
Registered and Licensed Architects (RLAs) are among who are affected by the mandate. Unfortunately, there was not a enough circulation of this Resolution No. 2016-990 series of 2016, nor was there enough time for Filipino architects like myself to sit down and absorb it all in.
For any professional to renew their licenses, a point system has been provided by which you can quantify your professional development. Most numbers are greatly generated by attending accredited and evaluated seminars, conventions and forums which, for the record, are not free most of the times.
Nevertheless, my fellow architects and peers are already doing a headstart.
Just recently, a local architectural and design firm organized a 3-day event where a series of talks can be credited for the said CPD points.
Luckily, I was gifted with free tickets from my friend, whose friend also just have it to her. Had I not been lucky enough to be a recepient, I would have to pay 700php – 1400php to get in, which I would probably have whined doing, but even so, I’d still think it was worth it.
One particular reason why I am taking my time to writing this article is for documentation purposes. Especially because though I was naturally an attentive listener, and student (*coughs*), with time, things I learned fade in the background.
The second reason, was probably to justify that CPD points are not totally in vain. Though I also agree that it is quite expensive, greatly for young professionals like I am, I would just like to make sure I get the most of it.
Anthology Fest
1. Commercial and Computational Design
The first speaker/s I chanced upon to listen to were Masaki and Jiyoon Park, who altogether discussed their commercial projects as basis of the current trends in the Commercial/Retail Design and Architecture.
Masaki projected some of his design concepts for a few mall projects which taught me that: (1) online shopping is one posing threat for physical mall owners and developers, which is why Masaki and his team creates various shopping experiences for its end users (inside mall, outer mall, flea shops are among others); (2) computational design, which is the unfamiliar name they call for designs which require customised fabrication of steels, fittings and other components, is actually a good tool to creating attractive designs and; (3) one of his major consideration in designing a commercial interior is the creation of various focals point which are useful invitations for consumers to create traffic on usually less travelled areas.
Jiyoon, on the other hand, though mainly introducing the company she works for, Semba, also actually shared useful information including: (1) the different forms of mall plans which answers specific points for flow and traffic (circular, U, and box) and that; (2) malls nowadays also already incorporate in their designs and concepts, landscape architecture.
2. Architecture of Artifacts
The introduction of the lecture by Arch. Eunice Seng was actually both misleading and interesting for the reason that she started with history. She provided the audience with an in-depth and organized re-introduction to the 7 artifacts we know as curtain walls, core, roof.
She carefully explained how the trends we know now came to be. She set out examples and mentioned the architects who greatly influenced these such as Louis Sullivan, Le Corbusier and Mies Van de Rohe.
Architecture is a cultural practice, even when education is globalised. We all know Le corbusier for example, but still the concepts behind and how we design things this way and that way, it’s all cultural. (Verbatim)
– Archt. Eunice Seng
What I particularly like about her presentation was how she was able to link historical, cultural, geographical and economical factors to her explanations. Being a historian probably was one reason how she was able to achieve these effective comparisons.
3. Architecture for Community
Alex Furunes, a foreign architect, and Sudarshah Khadka of a local famous and legendary architectural firm, discussed side by side how they were always able to achieve a cost-effective design which perfectly suits and functions for the community it serves. But besides the technical aspects of their presentation, I was more inspired with how dedicated they both are for the cause their architecture serves.
One striking example which gained a rich reaction from the audience was the community kindergarten in Tacloban, which as we all know had been greatly damaged by typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). Well, it actually just cut very deep when the video of the then real-time devastation played. As Alex had coined it, it was very ’emotional’ project for him.
By the end of their presentation, I was more inspired to do these kinds of architecture for a cause in the future, especially after realizing that a foreigner like Alex himself might have more concern for Filipino youths than most politicians in the country. Sadly so.
On the technical side, I took note of their design process which greatly involves the input of the local people. The mothers are front-liners for the development of the plans, the kids’ creativity reflected on their depictions of the doors and windows and the fathers basically made the structures stand. For a community structure, it is a very effective step to collate the ideas of he users themselves. And in this light, it is actually interesting to see how well it always turn out, considering that these are cost-conscious projects.
4. Space and Forms
On day 3 of the event, we were able complete Arch. Julien de Smedt’s presentation on space and forms. Like the previous presentations, his will also make you wonder what his talk is actually about, until it makes sense. His solutions started with micro-spaces, built primarily for nomadic people with which he believes he belongs with. These solutions were basically furnishings (Makers With Agenda) which are collapsible and compact, indeed perfect for a nomadic lifestyle and well, small space living. These includes the swing, T42, accordion, stilt, pull-pong.
In the later part of his presentation, he was already tackling solutions in the urban scale. It was not difficult to note how his designs encourage movement and interaction (kindergarten, park by the river), and how they are not limited to just architecture, in fact, more of them focuses in urban planning with considerations of open spaces, including hardscape elements (bench).
Also, I was very much entertained by his humor, especially because he chose a good tool, Photoshop.
“My secret project is to kill people *slowly raises a peace sign*,”
“My secret project is to kill people *slowly raises a peace sign*,” his answer to when he was asked if he actually consider say, building codes and guidelines in his designs (the kindergarten being the basis of the question).
JDS Architecture Website: JDS Architects
“The series Anthology Talks in general strengthened my impression that though the practice of architecture is in fact targeting globalization, it is quite obvious that there are more factors which constrains the creativity of the local practice. Political and economical aspects top the list.”
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Gaia Perspectives
On the same day of the second in Anthology, we had to wake up early to make sure we attended at least two for Anthology before we move to another venue for a different set of talks, organized by our chapter in UAP, Makati Greenbelt, though the location was in Davies Showroom in Quezon City.
These set of talks tackle on a different set of matters concerning the most abused being, the earth itself. And while most talks talk about design and architecture and how to make it as tools to answer different environmental issues, we do not really get the status of the environment, or at least, what we know are just ballpark figures.
in Gaia Perspectives, these statuses are not going to be laid out by architects but by different professionals who work more closely with the earth in the literal sense.
1. Ancient Trees
Landscape Architect Susan Ong, opened our eyes, the privileged people to attend the event, on the account of cultural landscape– how important it is to conserve, preserve and respect them for they may have been older than the structures already built around them.
Though there weren’t concrete architectural solutions presented on how this can be achieved, the importance is that as architects, we ought to think about these ourselves, reassess our designs to respect the trees.
“Ancient trees are a universe in itself.”
2. Responsible Mining
Architecture and Design usually don’t care about this, but apparently most of the resources we use for the construction such as steel are mined. And while we strongly go against mining, we must understand that mining is still needed to keep certain materials available.
Perhaps what we are just missing in this whole deal is there is also what miners call among themselves ‘responsible mining’. Mining does disturb our forests but with enough supervision, there is a good chance. In fact, I was also surprised to know that quarry and mining sites in different parts of the world are now serving other functions after the mining activities there are done.
Eden Project in UK (before image)
Eden Project in UK (after image)
3. Composite Materials in Construction
This topic was presented less technically because I suppose we wouldn’t really get much given that metallurgical Engineering and nanotechnology are already too technical for us to handle.
Either way, the explanation in simple, for most of the constructions materials available in the market, all of them are scientifically engineered to better serve its purpose, combining properties to answer to its supposed function.
4. Soil
The material where are structures sit upon are apparently more complicated than what we know of them. Even after the the speaker, Mr. Carating, from Bureau of Soils, explained how soils are classified, I still have a lot of questions, practically because he is mostly on the agricultural nature of the soil. Nevertheless, he was able to provide the audience relevant knowledge as to which soil is best suited for urban development, and which are not.
“The Gaia Perspectives stayed true to its intent to show its audience a different perspective based on the the takes of professionals other than architecture– both from the positive and ugly truths.”
Architecture | Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in Architecture: start on the journey – Anthology Fest and Gaia Perspectives Early this year, the law requiring for practicing professionals to pursue for their own Continuing Professional Development (CPD), to keep their licenses, has been implemented in the Philippines.
