MANILA, Philippines - The recent Third Annual Visionary Awards Competition (AVID) awards night at SM City North EDSA Skydome showcased some of the most exciting and innovative designs for a National Pavilion.
Spearheaded by BluPrint magazine, the Philippines’ design source, this year’s prestigious competition focused on the design of a National Pavilion for a future World’s Fair using native construction materials.
The theme was inspired by SM & QC: Vision of a City, a mall exhibit held earlier this year featuring the late President Manuel L. Quezon’s plans to hold a World’s Fair on the site where SM City North EDSA now stands. While the plans, as fate would have it, did not materialize, another visionary, SM founder and chairman Henry Sy Sr., instead built his first shopping mall, leading the way to a malling phenomenon.
The competition emphasized nationalism in design with the goal to produce an inviting and creative venue that Filipinos can proudly show to the world. Inspired by the tag line “The Philippines: We’ve Got It All For You,” entries contained elements of Philippine culture, creativity, and industry.
The challenge proved to be a success with more than 50 entries submitted in the Professional Visionary, Young Professional Visionary, and General Public Visionary categories. A Juror’s Choice Award was also given to a special entry chosen by the board of judges, while a People’s Choice Award was given to the entry with the most public votes in BluPrint’s Facebook page.
Architect Jonathan Dangue of UAP Intramuros’s “Perspective” was named grand prize winner in the Professional Visionary category; while “The Pearl” by Jose Bernadbe, Daryl Refuerzo, and Nino Ricardo topped the Young Professional Visionary entries, and also received the special Juror’s Choice award. “Butanding,” a design inspired by Donsol’s whale sharks, won the General Public Visionary category for Jose Panelo, Patrick and Rica Castaneda. “Taklobo,” a work by Adamson University students won the People’s Choice award.
All winners and runners-up received cash prizes from Bluprint, a plaque especially designed by Autodesk, and gift certificates from SM. Their winning works will be featured in Bluprint.
The distinguished board of judges was compose of BluPrint editor in chief Paulo Alcazaren, UP College of Architecture Dean Mary Ann Espina, architect Royal Pineda, architect Dominic Galicia, and architect Dan Lichauco.
The evening’s guests, Autodesk country manager Teddy Tiu, Challenge Systems president Richard Padilla, Motorola country sales manager Jasmin So, and architect Johnny Hubilla, and ANC’s Twink Macaraig were impressed by the entries. BluPrint magazine staffers as well as SM executives led by vice president for marketing Millie Dizon, regional operations manager Renee Bacani, AVP for marketing Ruby Reyes, and mall manager Hershee Angeles welcomed guests.