When I first moved to Hong Kong some 20 years ago, I was appalled by the sizes of the apartments, and more so, the sizes of the bedrooms they were provided with. Friends who had moved there earlier had forewarned me that bedrooms were sized at 2 meters by 2 and a half meters.
No one can argue that when one speaks of simplicity and elegance in the world of global fashion, Giorgio Armani is one of the first to come to mind. Through many years of fashion revolutions, he still adheres to largely structured and tailored lines, masculine colors, mostly basic “noncolors,” and unpretentious yet cleverly constructed forms. Although fashion trends and styles evolve and change over time, the core values of Armani’s design have remain unaltered.
A recent trip to Hong Kong had me exploring all the places that supply building materials and furnishings, places I used to scour some 15 years ago when I lived in this city-state. Between then and today, I’d still visit these places occasionally just to see what was new in the market. Sometimes, these visits were with a client as we looked for items we could not source back in the Philippines.
The past Holy Week was “celebrated” in many different ways. For some, the 5-day long weekend was a good time to wind down into a “staycation,” or a stay-at-home-vacation. Others took that short drive out to nearby churches for Visita Iglesia, and yet some went driving far out, hoping to catch sight of the Lenten penitents. I hope that for not so many, it was an opportunity to travel for a much-anticipated holiday with family or friends—fun and frolic with late nights of partying.
If there’s anything about technology that is both impressive and annoying, it’s that it is constantly evolving at high speed. You have to be on your feet all the time, keeping up with all the improvements in hardware, software plus all associated devices. Some advances benefit only certain industries, but others cross industry borders.
Some 15 years ago, a European furniture distributor told me that the Philippines was known as the “prototype capital” of the world, where furniture samples were done so well for exhibition but could rarely be mass-produced with the same quality level. But 15 years later, we have gone beyond the prototype, and the local furniture industry continues to flourish and penetrate markets at every corner of the world with its beautiful and well-crafted pieces.
Today was scorching hot! The summer has made its presence felt. As I write, my thermometer shows a reading of 34 degrees on the Celsius scale, many notches higher—and hotter—than the 24 degrees on a Sunday morning not too long ago. In a few weeks, we could be hitting the 36 or 37 degrees of furnace-like heat.
Are you a designer or an architect? A builder? Or simply a homeowner hoping to do some minor renovation to an existing property? Or are you a business entity or individual looking for a suitable space to buy or rent, then fit out?
The Cambodians are a resilient people. After their country fell into the destructive rule of the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979, the people have risen to their feet, picked up the pieces and are beginning to thrive once more.
THE PLAZA of our grandma’s days was the place where the community gathered. People came mainly on “market day” when families sold their produce, home-made and handcrafted items and the season’s harvest—fruits, vegetables, grains. Here, men and women shared ideas, made conversation and built the ties that kept their community together. It was, in a way, a barometer for the social, political and economic development in the town. It measured the status and values of its society.
The great majority of Filipinos still live in rented homes. That makes the big dream of owning one alive and well. For many, a house on the ground is still the ideal but there are also those who prefer the apartment or condo lifestyle. Early and empty nesters are usually the market for these types of homes that more often than not, house only a few persons, need minimal maintenance and—being usually single level—are quick and easy to move around in.
A few weeks ago, I picked up a book from Fully Booked, a little “handbook” sized one titled “Design: A Very Short Introduction.” It was written by John Heskett, a professor of Hong Kong Polytechnic’s School of Design, who has also authored many essays and stories for various design publications. In his book, Heskett looks into the application of design into everyday life, and explores its many definitions and applications
