GLASS louvres on the facade help save energy consumption as these allow fresh breeze and natural light to enter the building.

A new four-story building along Pablo Ocampo Street in Manila recently opened as the Peter D. Garrucho Jr. Innovation Institute, which is envisioned by the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) Hub of Innovation for Inclusion (HiFi) to provide an open environment for curious minds, understand systemic problems and creatively find solutions and champion its implementation.

Benildeans will enjoy this new home, designed by the Javier Design Studios Manila as a business incubator. Each carefully outlined space aims to cater to the different phases of any revolution processes and improve the work life.

With a façade made of glass louvres, the structure welcomes fresh breeze and natural light and reduces the need for power-hungry electrical air-conditioning. It is also equipped with solar panels that provide for complete and total lighting of the building.

The lobby, referred to as the Empathy Hall, is a common ground that can accommodate public talks, meetings and film screenings. The mezzanine provides additional areas for product exhibitions with further opportunities to engage the public.

SOLAR panels provide complete and total lighting to the building.

LOUNGE area where students can take a break.

The second floor, dubbed as The Bright Space, houses the main office of the Benilde HiFi. It was designed to encourage ideation and collaboration with a conference room, two huddle rooms and a number of comfortable seats.

The third floor or the Maker Space has three rooms ideal for discussions, a training room for prototype development and a workshop area with basic equipment such as 3D printers and hand tools. These venues feature movable display walls that can be used for presentations.

Lastly, the Evergreen Roof Deck serves as the breathing space, garden and event hall where fellows can share relaxed conversations, synthesize ideas and pitch to ecosystem partners for possible scaling and social impact support.

The Benilde HiFi, which does not only offer services for the college but also welcomes external partners for incubation management and community development, made their newest hub and its facilities available for creators who are looking for co-working spaces. The building embodies the ideals and objectives of innovation, collaboration, community improvement and inclusion as it provides accessible assembly spaces to Persons with Disabilities.

DLS-CSB’s partnership with Peter Garrucho Jr., the vice chairman of Franklin Baker Company of the Philippines, is a testimony of the college’s commitment to social impact as it recognizes and incubates ideas that address Sustainable Development Goals.

“Now that this building is up, I hope it will attract not just institutions but also practitioners of innovation to spread their gospel. My last aspiration is that leadership remains steadfast and perseveres with its initiatives,” Garrucho Jr. stated. “I hope it continuously reinvents itself so it will have greater impact, not just for Benilde and the De La Salle system but for the development in our country.”

“To creatively solve systemic challenges, HiFi acknowledges that schools need to connect and collaborate with individuals and organizations from different sectors, locally and internationally,” noted HiFi Director Abigail Mapua-Cabanilla. “HiFi brings together under its roof a cross-pollination of various disciplinary fields, industries, public and private organizations to create rich conversations and open up opportunities to partner in championing innovative solutions.”