Artfully dividing space

When most people look at a wall partition, they don’t really see it at all. It is something that has always been there, served its purpose, and blended with the background. Being inconspicuous, subtle in its presence, uniting with the whole is perhaps its greatest strength. Everyone knows it as a "divider." A wall partition does, after all, divide a space into separate components and then again gives way to a bigger room if needed. Still, even what is believed to be the most common of things have their own stories to tell.

In 1966, architect Cesar Vergel de Dios needed a folding partition for one of his designs. But the only ones available on the market were either too expensive because they were imported or they didn’t fit his requirements at all. "If you want something done right, do it yourself," so the saying goes. With the prodding of his friend, this is exactly what the architect did. After a lot of hard work with more than a few trials and errors, he finally came up with an operable partition, accordion style, that was easy to push open and pull close. Varifold Architectural Products Inc. was thus born. Its first product caught like wildfire, fulfilling the need of a market looking for high-quality products in lieu of expensive imports.

Varifold has since been distinguished for providing business establishments, hotels, resorts, schools, hospitals, and residences, with the best made-to-order partitions. Today, Anna Lagman is in the driver’s seat of her father’s business. "None of the children became architects themselves. But we were exposed to what my father was doing," says Anna of herself and her siblings. She continues, "Could it be in the genes? I guess it’s in the blood because we understand the needs, most especially the aesthetics part, when dealing with clients, engineers, and architects."

Their business expanded to include a folding door system, operable walls, modular walls, demountable walls, and wardrobe door systems – all of which are specially made for clients to suit specific structural and style requirements. Varifold also imports acoustical partitions for the more sensitive needs of soundproofing between two rooms or spaces.

"We have a whole range of finishes: wall paper-covered, painted, varnished, capiz panels, etc. We also continue to improve our materials to make our products stronger," explains Anna. But aside from just making wall partitions, Varifold also gives full support to its clients by servicing them through installation, transfer and removal. Anna says, "They need a company that can respond immediately and according to their needs for the moment."

Varifold’s success in the local industry is one it truly merits. Though Anna worries, "Tariff for imported products are high. But because of the government’s more relaxed trade agreements, their taxes will soon be lowered, making them competitive with our locally-made products." We Filipinos, indeed, have an unreasonable bias for all things imported. Yet, Anna doesn’t have anything to worry about because when that day comes, Varifold’s quality will speak for itself.