DTI, Design Center eye sustainability

In its 11th year, the Design Center Philippines, in cooperation with the Department of Trade and Industry, is unveiling once again its Design Week Philippines, slated to happen from 14 to 22 October in historic Escolta in Manila.

In her interview with the Daily Tribune's morning show Gising Na!, Design Center Philippines director Maria Rhea Matute said this year's Design Week focuses on the importance of design sustainability, as the creative industry has recently gained support from the government through the passage of Republic Act 11904 or the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act.

"Design Week Philippines happens every year. It is basically a celebration of the design and the design innovation ecosystem. With the recent passage of the law, we want to introduce a new kind of design that is all about interaction, the user interface, as well as developing service processes and systems to make sure that you can deliver the kind of services or the kind of products that you want to provide to your audience or stakeholders," she said.

She said sustainable design is like establishing a green building, the use of recyclable materials, aside from the typical design such as fashion, furniture, graphic, architecture and interior designs.

"In the forthcoming event, we have several components including Design Talks, where we bring in designers and innovators and make them interact with our design stakeholders and then guide them in their career and portfolio reviews," according to Matute.

Mentoring sessions

She also said that they conduct "mentoring sessions on the business of design so that we can also teach creatives and designers about basic entrepreneurship."

The said event would also celebrate, dissect, and discuss Filipino design in new and important ways.

Also to be featured are Design Workshops with learning sessions that teach design skills to targeted audiences including design professionals, students, and even the general public.

There will also be Design Tours showcasing design throughout the country, illustrating the richness and diversity of Filipino design; and Design ATBP which will feature other activities and experiences celebrating design, building communities and the like.

Design Week Philippines will be launched in a hybrid format if attendees are unable to personally come to the event venue — United Building in Escolta, Manila, as they are pushing to make the edifice the most dynamic creative hub in the country.