This year’s Worldbex focuses on Filipino interior designers

The upcoming 21st Worldbex or Philippine World Building and Construction Exposition turns the spotlight on a handful of Filipino interior designers who have been revolutionizing the industry with their expertise and artistry. Happening on March 16 to 20 at the combined venues of the World Trade Center Manila and the Philippine Trade Training Center, the unifying force of the construction industry and the various sectors including interior design will be showcased at the biggest construction exhibition to date.

In partnership with the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers (PIID), the highly anticipated Interior Designers Gallery at Worldbex 2016 will be featuring a dozen icons of the trade. At the gallery, each designer and their respective firms will be allotted a vignette, where they will showcase their own design philosophies.

The featured designers include Leo Almeria, Chat Fores, Rogelio Caringal, architect Arlen de Guzman and his daughter Pamela de Guzman-Reyes and Michael Pizzaro. Nicky and Marites Magcase have been awarded with the prestigious Outstanding Interior Designer recognition by the Professional Regulation Commission and inducted as Fellows by the PIID.

A former chair of the board of interior design of the Professional Regulation Commission and former vice head for the National Committee on Architecture and Allied Arts for the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Johnny Hubilla’s signature style involves making wise use of indigenous materials and native-inspired pieces in his designs. Moreover, he is a staunch advocate of sustainable practice.

Known for their modern and impactful Asian designs, the sisters honed their craft in designing high-end hotels, residences, restaurants and offices in Los Angeles, California, for 15 years before opening Atelier Almario studio. Specializing in luxury designs, these designing sisters have multiple projects all over the country.

A visionary leader in the field of green and sustainable architecture, James Jao’s 20 years of practice has resulted in revolutionary conceptualizations such as the LuzViMinda Eco-House Initiative which pushes for the construction of carbon-neutral houses and zero-net energy dwellings that boast of zero-net energy consumptions and zero-carbon emissions annually. Currently, Jao serves as the national president of the PIID.

For my showroom under my design firm, Trezza Group, I have collaborated with Cyndi Fernandez of Moss Manila to design our home office room. We will be incorporating chandeliers from Lumina Lights, wall accents from Wilcon Depot, and NXLED by Akari’s Bluetooth-controlled light bulbs to name a few.

Aside from the Interior Designers Gallery, the Architect’s Gallery will have the country’s top and upcoming influential firms come up with their own take on the future of metro structures—a collaborative project between the pioneers of Philippine architecture. Brought together, these renditions form the “City of Tomorrow,” an exhibit of a scale-model metropolis envisioned as tomorrow’s urban landscape.

Certainly adding another fascinating dimension, the DELAXX Competition puts the spotlight on the country’s landscape architecture industry with the Philippine Association of Landscape Architects to showcase the talents of up and coming landscape architects.

Worldbex champions the importance of a strong foundation as evidenced by the highly anticipated Worldbex seminars. Twelve local and international speakers alike will bring forward an insightful lineup of topics and issues.

Coming from its successful launch during the expo’s 20th anniversary last 2015, the Worldbex Lab is back to elevate the standards of the industry as a pool of short-listed products from more than 500 exhibitors will be showcased based on the products’ originality, impact, benefits and practicality. Whether visitors hail from varying fields of interest, the Lab serves as a platform wherein new concepts and innovations may be launched in an experiential and immersive manner. Among the selected products are Wilcon Depot’s MacroAir, NXLED by Akari’s Bluetooth-controlled light bulbs, APO Vinyl’s antibacterial floor panels and the Kevo Bluetooth-controlled door locks.