More than 100 years ago, academically earning the title of an architect in the Philippines was only possible by studying overseas. Since the formation of the first educational institution for the academic teaching of architecture in the Philippines in the Liceo de Manila, the planning and design practice in the country has undoubtedly come a long way. Philippine architects are currently enjoying the benefits of the domestic design sector and anticipating its expansion from foreign undertakings.
What Is An Architect, And What Is Their Role?
The practice of being an architect as a global profession makes its definition broad and diverse. Since we are talking about architecture on a local scale, let us use the Republic Act 9266, also known as The Architecture Act of 2004, as the basis for defining the architecture, eventually representing the Filipino architect.
As defined by the republic act, architecture is the art, science, or profession of planning, designing, and constructing structures, considering their environment following utility, strength, and beauty ideals. The effect allows Philippine architects to practice architecture as registered and licensed professionals in the Philippines.
The complexity of current building designs, both locally and internationally, resulted in the many roles and specializations in which today’s architects partake. While architects can specialize in various fields such as residential and commercial design, interiors, acoustics, urban planning, research, and more, they all stem from three essential roles:
Architect-of-Record – assumes the civil liability of the project.
Architect-in-Charge-of-Construction – assumes the liability for construction supervision.
Consulting Architect – focusing on specific specializations in the practice of architecture.
The ever-evolving industry of Philippine architecture shapes itself with globalization while maintaining vernacular qualities that make our architecture unique. It imposed a heightened role for architects and how they change the face of architecture, both local and international.
How Philippine Architects Are Embracing The Future Of Architecture
With the rise of the digital age that makes future architecture as complex as global technologies, architects worldwide must answer the call for better design solutions. While this may not be as ambitious as robotic flying cars or colonizing space, building innovations can manifest in many ways, such as the following:
Building Information Modeling (BIM)
For the longest time, the construction industry relied on a paper-based system where architects and allied professionals manually forward working drawings until completion. The event of the internet and digitization opened the possibility of having teams collaborate remotely is becoming the norm.
Building Information Modeling or BIM is quickly becoming the cornerstone of digital initiatives in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC). It is the creation and management of information for a constructed asset throughout its lifecycle, from planning, design, and virtual simulations, to building and operation. BIM technology enables AEC to collaborate within a single 3D model. At the same time, BIM is also looking into artificial intelligence to help with simulations and analysis of virtual models.
The entire model constitutes the foundation for Building Information Management, which enables property and facility managers to make educated decisions based on operational performance.
Sustainability
The World Commission on Environment and Development defines sustainability as development that meets present-day demands without sacrificing the future. The designs of buildings should be capable of providing healthy living environments that reduce negative environmental consequences, energy consumption, and human resources. Green architecture and environmental architecture are other words for sustainable architecture.
The concept of sustainability in architecture refers to the use of sustainable building materials and processes, resource utilization, and design with the overarching objective of maximizing the structure’s life cycle and, ultimately, its disposal.
Integrated Project Delivery
Through Integrated Project Delivery, or IPD, architecture and engineering design alterations during construction may better match project impact. IPD uses its members to handle design and construction risks as a team, as opposed to traditional construction-manager-at-risk, design-build, and design-bid-build, which shift risk to associated specialists.
The IPD agreement is made possible through a multi-party contract signed by the owner, designer, and general contractor. Team members share financial risks and rewards through a profit or incentive pool specially structured to ensure each member is accountable for contributing to the project outcome.
Through the collaborative nature of IPD, accountability and communication come naturally to the team members, resulting in a smoother design and construction process.
How United Architects Of The Philippines Is Promoting The Practice
For the past years, United Architects of the Philippines (UAP), along with the Integrated and Accredited Professional Organization of Architects in the Philippines, have been tirelessly promoting the “Get an Architect” campaign. The move involves using mainstream and social media to promote the works of architects and encourage UAP members to broadcast their presence in public places. Most often in collaboration with local government units.
Rising from honest intentions, the Get an Architect campaign has proven its success through its immense support from various media platforms, allied professionals, the general public, and even international exposure. In 2019, the campaign was internationally recognized with The International Achievements Award by the Europe Business Assembly in Italy.
The UAP’s Get an Architect program is only one of many opportunities for the next generation of Philippine architects to promote local design industry practices. With urban growth radically altering how the public uses spaces, Filipino architects are simultaneously introducing new approaches to Philippine architecture and reliving basic concepts of tropical design.
Future-Proofing Philippine Architects
While there are many intricacies to strong architect traits, the three core architect qualities are mainly curiosity, enthusiasm, and flexibility.
Curiosity. Becoming an architect necessitates a never-ending need for knowledge, especially with today’s abundant stream of new concepts, construction methods, building methods, and technology. However, before catching up on trends, one needs to be well-versed in many topics, some of which are distantly relevant to the job. An excellent architect should be well-versed in architecture and other sectors such as economics, psychology, technologies, geopolitics, and related matters.
Passion. Curiosity for knowledge begets the desire to pursue a study. This yearning might involve long hours at the workplace, on the building site, or even sharpening design skills at home. The next best set of architects should love knowing the aspects of the projects and have the drive to improve the outcome through experimentations, collaborations, and hours of design practice.
Adaptability. Adaptability, fueled by curiosity and enthusiasm, has been the driving force behind architecture since classical times. Throughout an architect’s career, each project will present unique challenges and experiences that can only be resolved through rigorous inquiries, immersions, and forward-thinking.
The Future of Architecture With Philippine Architects
Since the recognition of architecture as a profession approximately a century ago, the legacy of Philippine architects has undoubtedly advanced locally and globally. Time will tell how future Filipino architects will carry on the legacy of their predecessors, but until then, the task of creating more living environments remains vibrant as ever.
