More than 4,000 participants from the Philippines and Southeast Asia gathered for the three-day Anthology ASEAN Architecture Festival, its seventh installment. Hosted by WTA Architecture and Design Studio, the event explored architecture’s role through discussions, exhibitions, and thematic programming under the banner “It encompasses the planning, design, materials, and techniques used to createGo to Architecture Glossary of Care, Culture, and Collective Futures,” Anthology brought together regional perspectives and.
Founder and festival curator William Ti welcomed guests at the Foro de Intramuros, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Centro de Turismo. The festival unfolded across various venues throughout the walled city of Intramuros, home to heritage sites and landmarks that showcase Philippine architecture.
Exploring Shared Social and Cultural Contexts
Each venue hosted a different set of activities, including the Anthology Talks, featuring guest and keynote speakers, and the Living Anthology exhibition, which will remain on display until December 7, 2026. The festival created a platform for architects and practitioners to exchange ideas on how the built environment can support communities and provide shared spaces that support collective life.
The first day of the festival brought designers, developers, and government representatives into a conversation about the architecture of care. This idea is rooted in the understanding that architecture’s purpose does not end upon completion, but continues throughout a building’s lifespan through its capacity to serve communities and provide shared spaces that support collective life.
During one of the Shelter Dialogues, entitled “Who Is Shelter Really For?,” the discussion focused on projects designed for and with communities, considering their needs beyond the provision of housing to create spaces that can be shared and used collectively. The goal was to create projects that not only respond to the needs of stakeholders but also provide solutions to broader social challenges and improve the quality of life of the people who live in them.
Collaboration and Cultural Identity
Day 2 of the festival highlighted the ten Ground Works installations at Fort Santiago, Plaza de Roma, and the Pasig Esplanade. Ti emphasized the importance of making architecture more accessible to the public, describing the installations as approachable ways for people to experience and interact with architecture. Each installation resulted from a collaboration between ASEAN and Filipino designers, bringing together different perspectives to create spaces rooted in culture.
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Keynote speaker Wael Al War, co-founder of the Dubai- and Tokyo-based studio waiwai, shared his concern that cities are increasingly beginning to look alike, regardless of their location. He emphasized that while cities should continue to pursue modernity, they should not lose sight of their cultural identity. For Al War, architects serve as facilitators who must create spaces that are both inclusive and culturally inspired.
The festival’s regional focus was informed by the shared problems and resources of Southeast Asia. Through collaborations between Filipino and ASEAN designers, the festival sought to create opportunities for new ideas to emerge from the exchange of different perspectives. This emphasis on shared values placed cultural identity not only in the physical language of architecture but also in the values that inform how people build and live together.
Ole Scheeren, founder of the international architecture firm Büro Ole Scheeren, emphasized how simply asking the question “How will a building contribute to the community?” can change the trajectory of project planning. He explained that these conversations allow him to propose solutions that maintain the quality of a project while encouraging more livable spaces for the community, even within a lower budget.
Scheeren’s philosophy is exemplified by one of his renowned projects, The Interlace in Singapore, a large-scale residential complex that comprises 31 apartment blocks, each just six stories tall, stacked diagonally in a hexagonal grid. The design incorporates extensive cascading sky gardens, green roof terraces, and landscaped common areas, achieving over 100% green coverage relative to the land footprint.
The Ground Works installations, which included “Conditions of Comfort” by Daniel Terence Yu of Visionarch, “Grounded in Context” by Royal Pineda of Royal Pineda +, and “Shared Authorship” by Jorge Yulo of Jorge Yulo Architects & Associates, were created through collaborations between ASEAN and Filipino designers. These installations provided a platform for visitors to engage with architecture and consider the values that underlie the built environment.
The Living Anthology exhibition, which features the work of various architects and designers, will remain on display until December 7, 2026, providing a lasting legacy of the festival’s ideas and inspiration. As the festival comes to a close, the conversations and collaborations that began during the event will continue to unfold, shaping the future of architecture in the Philippines and beyond. The 10 Ground Works installations were created through collaborations between ASEAN and Filipino designers, and they will remain a sign of the festival’s success in bringing people together to explore the shared values that underlie architecture.
