Spearheaded by Benilde Interior Design students, the “Akin to Atin” exhibit opened at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Parañaque on Nov. 25 and ran until Nov. 29. It invited viewers to discover the spirit of bayanihan through the fusion of Filipino heritage and sustainable design. The collection of pieces featured in the exhibit offers a contemporary and multifunctional design that addresses modern needs.
Each uniquely designed furniture piece took inspiration from different shared public spaces, such as museums, plazas, and malls, aiming to promote community and inclusion in the contemporary world.
Redefining shared spaces
Ar. Harvey Vasquez, Dean of the School of Environment and Design (SED), commenced the opening ceremony; which was then followed by Chancellor Benhur Ong who offered words of encouragement and commend the students’ innovative achievements accomplished and showcased in their works.
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With this exhibit, “Akin to Atin” aimed to showcase 30 unique and innovative pieces of furniture that emphasized inclusion and sustainability, while highlighting Benildean students' ability to cultivate public spaces into environments that are open to all and inspire connection and interaction throughout the community. It not only displayed the ingenuity and creativity of the students but also the values of Filipino culture, demonstrating how traditional cultural elements can be reimagined into modern designs that remain functional, inclusive, and meaningful.
In an interview with The Benildean, Alyanna Cinco, an ID123 Interior Design student and head of the exhibit’s documentation team, stated why the exhibit focused on bayanihan, “I think it's the one value that summarizes us Filipinos [...] we like to welcome everyone despite the fact that they are just strangers to us.“
This strong sense of community and hospitality is a defining trait of Filipino culture, one that the exhibit sought to capture not only in its theme but also in its spatial design and materiality. Cinco added that the choice of materials, such as wood and bamboo, reflects Filipino identity and resilience, emphasizing the country’s connection to sustainability and resourcefulness.
Championing innovation and creativity in design
On its last day, the exhibit held its awarding to acknowledge the excellence and innovation of the many pieces that were featured.The first award out of the three was the Intellectual Property Award which honors the top three pieces that exemplify innovative design and commercial viability.
Evaluating the winning pieces were judges, Ms. Camille Albarracin, an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Hub of Innovation for Inclusion (HiFi), Atty. Ma. Janice Tejano, the Director of the Center for Intellectual property Management (CIPM), Engr. Mc Gyver Olan, an IP Specialist at CIPM, Katherine Correa, the Interior Design program’s chairperson, and Atty. Jocel Isidro Dilag, a lawyer-innovator who also teaches law at the UP College of Law.
Taking home this award were the following pieces:
Grand Winners
“Habi” by Lienne Legaspi, Chandalle Ong and Madison Sanders
“Kalinangan” by Ayen Lei Noromor and Matthew Notarte
First Runner-up
“Pasada” by Kishi Ivy Banzuela and Yzzabela Aeris Ilagan
Second Runner-ups
“Cuervo Siena” by Myjelaa Therese Imbao and Anya Dominique Teodoro
“Pamana” by Andrea Lorraine Calacday, Aimee Nicole Chua, and Jessrene Naryel Cruz
For the second award, the Professional’s Choice award is presented to the furniture pieces that best showcase craftsmanship and professional-level quality that elevates the standard within the furniture industry. Pieces chosen for this award were judged by Ar. Jed Yabut, a graduate of the University of the Philippines-Diliman, and an MBA graduate of Waseda University in Tokyo, Mr. Romeo Catap, Jr., Industrial Design’s program chairperson, and Ar. Joshua Cunanan owner and Chief Architect of Cunanan Designs. The pieces that managed to win this award were:
Grand Winner
“Habi” by Legaspi, Ong, and Sanders
First Runner-up
“Sali-Sali” by Celine Gabrielle Montenegro and Ma. Juliana Avionah Naguit
Second Runner-up
“Likmuan” by Cattrionagh Mykole Salonga and Katrina Cielo Romanes
Third Runner-up
“Kalinangan” by Noromor and Notarte
“Lagas” by Alyanna Tan and Francine Laurice Gunda
“Marahuyo” by Mikaella Bernardo and Aurora Mae Molo
Fourth Runner-up
“Haplos” by Mikayla Angelika Reyes, and Ana Mariam Leonor Dianalan
Finally, to complete the trio of awards, the People’s Choice award, a recognition given to the most popular piece of furniture, as voted for by the exhibit goers. The winners of this prestigious awards were:
Grand Winner
“Kapit-Bisig” by Alyanna Krishna Cinco and Mariel Grace Coloma
First Runner-up
“Tahana” by Alexandra Nicole Garcia and Myles Sinag
Second Runner-up
“Haplos” by Reyes and Dianalan
Third Runner-up
“Binnadang ” by Maria Janelle Reyes, Leila Ricci Senga, and Naomi Josana Uy
“Pamana” by Calacday, Chua, and Cruz
Fourth Runner-up
“Salo” by Sophia Ysabella Argana and Nicole Ann Chua
Re:Classified furniture for upgraded classrooms
Included in the exhibition were pieces for McDonald’s Re:Classified, a competition aimed to encourage innovation by designing furniture pieces that could be used in public schools using recycled furniture from McDonald's.
Among the lineup of student designers was team 4town, consisting of ID121 Interior Design students, Amara Averion, Patricia Malijan, Ginelle Poblete, and Chloe Tan, who won third place with their design titled “TwisTiers,” a freestanding, modular furniture that merges function and flexibility, making it able to support a dynamic and multipurpose classroom environment.
Coming in at second place were ID121 Industrial Design students, Abby Lim, Ali Arricivita, Pablo So, and Reese Yulo, who formed team Asra. They designed the “McShare Chair,” a chair connected by two straps that could be easily separated into three individual smaller chairs, combined into a single chair, as well as split and positioned to face each other. Their goal was to create a space-saving and modular piece that was straightforward and practical for everyday use.
First place was awarded to the “McLab,” designed by team Benilde’t Different, which consisted of ID121 student Maria Espeleta, and ID120 students, Ralph Sales, Glenn Hernandez, and Justin Orsorio, all hailing from Industrial Design. “The McLab,” catered mainly towards STEM learning, is a laboratory table created almost entirely of decommissioned materials from McDonald’s warehouses.
The “Akin to Atin" exhibit encouraged people of all ages to reflect on the possibilities of Filipino led and centered design. By highlighting the spirit of bayanihan alongside prioritizing locally-produced materials, the exhibit explores the world of design through the lens of Filipino creatives.
