PSID’s ‘Globalscapes’ on its last week at SM

MANILA, Philippines - Traveling makes a person wiser, more sophisticated. It affords a person to absorb a country’s culture and traditions, to soak in the place’s architecture, art, music, and natural environment, and to know its people up close and personal.

Now, you can do just that without spending a single peso, as well as marvel at great interiors, at the Philippine School of Interior Design’s (PSID) “Globalscapes,” the graduation exhibit of the school’s Advanced Class of 2014, ongoing until Oct. 31, at the Super Sale Hall of SM North EDSA, Quezon City.

Marking its 47th year, the exhibit showcases 22 exquisitely designed spaces inspired by the joys of travelling across six continents and incorporated into basic design principles and ergonomics.

“What we want exhibit visitors to feel is that they have traveled around the world. At the same time, we want them to get to know different countries as they go around the booths,” says PSID Advanced Class of 2014 advisor Nicky Jardenil.

One of the most well-received booths in the exhibit is Egypt by Michelle Almanzor, Pamela Carunungan, Samantha Flores, Patrice Huang, and Christinne Maron. Meant for an Egyptian chef who wants his kitchen to be clean, modern, and functional, this booth features fuses glamour with influences from the time of the Pharaohs. Interesting features are the pyramid-shaped lighting, custom-designed seating inspired by the Egyptian klismos chair, and ingenious storage solutions.

The relaxation and luxury of Turkish baths is the centerpiece of the Turkey booth by Vitoy Bernabaye, Lauren Chua, Shirley Chua, Tina Mendoza, and Daphne Ong. The group has designed a sumptuous bathroom with touches of Muslim and European design elements, taking inspiration from one of Istanbul’s most famous landmarks: the Hagia Sophia. The Iznik tiles in the shower area, and a vanity mirror that also doubles as a TV screen make for a good conversation piece.

Meanwhile, Ann Chua, Czarina Indigne, Arata Kobayashi, and Valerie San Antonio have done an unexpected take on the United States as their theme country by incorporating Native American design elements, particularly that of the Lakota tribe. Their main inspiration is the dream catcher, a motif seen in the dream catcher-shaped ceiling and the twig-inspired chandelier. The kitchen space also features a totem pole to hold pots and pans.

Other countries featured in the exhibit include Kenya and South Africa in the Africa section; Cambodia, India, the Philippines, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates in the Asia section; the United Kingdom, Russia, Sweden, Italy, Spain, and Czech Republic in the Europe section; Mexico, Cuba, Peru, and Brazil in the Americas, and Australia.

For decades now, PSID has been known to produce groundbreaking exhibits that become the benchmark of interior design exhibits in the academe. “Globalscapes” is carefully planned, extensively researched and masterfully executed, a trademark that all PSID exhibits have always been known for and will continue to be known for in the years to come.

The exhibit is ongoing until Oct. 31.