Future interior designers from all over the Philippines gathered to celebrate design thinking, ingenuity, and sustainability at the recently concluded SIKLAB 2025.

In observance of the Philippine Interior Design Celebration (PIDC), the initiative was spearheaded by the Guild of Rising Interior Designers, the official organization of the Interior Design Program of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.

PIDC, an annual convention, serves as a collaborative ecosystem which links interior design students from diverse academic institutions nationwide. It provides a platform for knowledge-sharing, community engagement, and milestone commemorations.

With the theme “Minding the Gap, Closing the Space between Creativity and Business,” SIKLAB 2025 highlighted the importance of learning more about the world of interior design from a business perspective. Echoing the mission of PIDC, it also amplified the advocacy for sustainable practices — the creation of spaces which positively impact lives and communities.

Held at the Benilde Design + Arts Campus, the week-long event opened with a curated exhibition which championed the role of the interior design students in supporting the industry toward a more sustainable future. It featured both physical and digital projects, from manual rendering plates and best thesis boards, to virtual walkthroughs of trailblazing design projects. A series of flower arrangements likewise added a pop of color and life to the collection.

A mini display inspired by the World Building and Construction Exposition also introduced attendees to the latest technologies, sustainable solutions, and advanced material resources from various providers which are significant in their journey as practitioners-in-the-making.

Among the highlights of the event was the interactive roundtable discussion, which guided the young audience members through the licensure examinations and their path post-graduation.

To equip the attendees with the fundamentals, interior designer Hanna Chua imparted survival tips based on her journey, highlighting challenges and success stories in navigating the professional scene as a young designer. Interior designer Mike Suqui likewise shared the skills and attitudes essential in building the foundation for longevity as well as sustainable design practice.

In recognition of networking as a crucial part of the business, Abigail Tan from rug experts Decoliving and Melvin Austria from lighting solutions company Landlite shared their newest products as well as their personal experiences in working with interior design professionals.

Shell Pilipinas Corp., represented by Energy Transition lead Stanley Jordan Siahetiong and Sustainability lead Fred Telarma, likewise introduced the students to Shell’s sustainability campaign, Likas-Kaya, and smart design initiatives. They also challenged the participants to channel their inventiveness and talents in a rapid prototyping workshop to kickstart the Balik-Likha Smart Design Competition.

SIKLAB 2025 was organized under the mentorship of practitioner, educator and interior designer Candice Arboleda, with the exhibit team headed by Kathrina Germino.

Held in coordination with the Advanced Auxiliary of Interior Studies from Enderun Colleges, Mapua Mide Coterie from Mapua University, Society of Interior Design Students from the Philippine Women’s University, UP Design Core from the University of the Philippines, Interior Design Innovators from the University of Santo Tomas, and Integrated Students of Interior Design Education of the University of San Carlos Cebu, the event was attended by students from the University of San Agustin Iloilo, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology, SoFa Design Institute, Batangas State University, and Technological Institute of the Philippines.