Monday, December 19, 2005
Cebuano-Made
By Arch’t. Karl A.E.F. Cabilao, UAP
THIS architect could only blurt out an unusually sedate reaction when he recently received news about his feat in this year’s Metrobank Art and Design Excellence National Competition (Made).
“Honestly, I joined this competition not really aiming at the grand prize but I just wanted to show the people, especially those in imperial Manila, what designers from way outside the capital are capable of producing,” says Arch’t. Noel K. Tan, the lone Cebuano awardee who copped the grand prize in the Architecture Category. He adds that he was quite surprised why he was the only one from the Visayas who took part in the contest.
This year’s Made search expanded its program to include sculpture, interior design and architecture categories. Thus, Tan is the first-ever winner in architecture and he did it on his first lick at joining design competitions.
Made was launched last year by the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. after 20 years of handing out citations to promising painters under the Young Painter’s Annual. Just like its past competitions, it seeks to “provide a venue for talented artists of various disciplines to express their creativity and provide them with incentives to further hone their craft.”
Tan’s entry to this contest, which he aptly calls “Fusion”, is a residential project that he did for a relative in Pardo. The house literally stands out since it possesses a unique look that really catches one’s attention amidst clusters of run-of-the-mill, Mediterranean-style houses. “It’s quite strange why Filipinos keep adopting foreign styles, like Mediterranean and American, when we can use techniques that are more suited to existing environmental conditions here,” says Tan. He justifies the “Fusion” tag, stating that this house is “a product of synthesis between native cultural elements and responsiveness to climate conditions, between vernacular and new, progression and conformity and mostly, tradition and modernity.” “It is suited to a fast-paced lifestyle but remains sensitive to cultural and environmental factors,” he adds.
With this achievement, Tan envisions himself exploring new design philosophies that can have positive effects in the built environs. And when asked how important architects are to society, he explains, “The work of an architect is very powerful, considering the impact that it would make on its surroundings. For example, when one builds a mall or commercial center in a certain place, it influences not just traffic flow but also the lifestyle of the residents nearby. So, I say architects are integral to community and nation building.”
For Tan, the Made grand prize is just icing on the cake. He was more than happy to get his “cake”, which was to make Manila people notice and appreciate Cebuano design and ingenuity. And they sure had more than their slice.
(December 19, 2005 issue)
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