The Philippines will once again take the world stage as 12 Filipino projects have been shortlisted in various categories at the prestigious World Architecture Festival (WAF) 2023, all set to happen from November 29 to December 1, 2023 in Singapore. The Philippines has once again broken its record with this year being its largest showing yet, both in project number and participating firms.
This year’s Filipino WAF finalists is a mix of newcomers and veterans who will compete live at the festival where they will present their projects in front of an esteemed panel of judges.
New to the shortlist stage are five participants including Pampanga-based KJHP Design Group whose project, La Terrain made it under the Future Projects, Leisure-led Development category; Archion Architects who made it to the Built Project, Office category with its Manta Corporate Plaza project; PDP Architects where its Damosa Diamond Tower project was shortlisted under the Built Projects, Office category; Dominic Galicia Architects with its Kilyawan Farm Resort who made it to the Built Project, Hotel and Leisure category; and Davao-based Laurence Angeles of MLA At Home with the Microhomes for Ancestral Domains qualified in the Built Project, Housing category.
Meanwhile, set to make their WAF comeback are seasoned firms Visionarch for its Carbon Cebu Trade and Expo Center which qualified under the Future Project, Commercial Mixed-Use category; Carlo Calma Consultancy for the Hotel Elizabeth Resorts and Villas under the Built Project, Hotel and Leisure; WTA Architecture and Design Studio with FEM Stadium under the Built Projects, Sport category.
Also continuing their shortlist streak are Buensalido + Architects for the Pangasinan Barangay Centers in Future Projects, Civic category; JRS + Partners with the St. Luke’s Medical Center New Hospital Building (NHB), done in close collaboration with ARUP, under the Future, Healthcare category; the DST Design + Build whose Unfinished Basket project was made it to the Built Project, Hotel and Leisure category; and the Alero Design Studio who was shortlisted in the Workplace (Small) category for its Alero Rebel Base project.
To get these designers ready for the competition, the finalists took part in the Live Practice Crit Sessions organized by WAF’s founding partner, GROHE, in partnership with Wilcon Depot and Kanto. The annual Practice Crit Session is an opportunity for the designers to gain valuable insights from the panel of judges consisting of world-renowned architects and designers.
“GROHE Philippines is proud to witness 12 Filipino entrants in the World Architecture Festival 2023. This is just proof that the ingenuity and creativity of Filipinos can compete on a global scale. And we at GROHE Philippines continue to show our unyielding support to these Filipino firms through a series of activities and events to get them ready for the competition,” concluded Hermie Limbo, country leader, Philippines, LIXIL Water Technology APAC.