WSI Founding Chairman Joseph Ang (7th from left) and Hon. Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale led the opening of PHILBEX Cebu 2017 last September 14 at SM City Cebu Trade Hall. [CDN Photo | Lito Tecson]
WORLDBEX Services International (WSI) held the 14th Philippine Building and Construction Expo (PHILBEX) Cebu 2017 last September 14 at SM City Cebu Trade Hall featuring the Philippines’ established and up and coming interior designers.
Marked with engaging exhibits, a young designers’ competition and convention talks by locals and international speakers, Philbex Cebu 2017’s activities centered on the theme “Building Bolder Perspective”.
Designers from Mindanao, Cebu, Eastern Visayas, Panay, and Negros chapters conceptualized the first Philippine Institute of Interior Designers (PIID) VisMin conference with the theme “Designing Inclusivity.” This focused on people’s diversity and the impact it presents in making design decisions. The 3-day convention also featured a series of talks from professionals hailing from Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines with topics on innovative spaces for healthcare, transforming design, appreciating design heritage, and the beauty of bamboo as a natural wood.
Furniture designers also displayed their latest furniture pieces through the Projeto Furniture Design Competition which aims to advance young local talent into strong career and design paths. The competition featured five teams from the Visayas region who were tasked to create a modern-day stand-alone reading nook with storage provisions.
Aside from the competition, the Premiere Architects and Interior Designers’ Gallery introduced the latest in building and design materials, equipment, construction services, interior design and renovation, security and fire protection, mechanical and electrical engineering, information technology, and telecommunications. The following architecture firms also participated in the exhibition: Nueast Arkitecture, AC Barrera Architects, Espina, Perez-Espina & Associates, and United Architects of the Philippines, as well as interior designers Ryan James Mantuhac, Shiela Gumba, Rosette Yabut-Arnaldo, Jonathan Fortu, and Maria Isabella Robles-Go.
WSI is the Philippines’ leading events and expositions organizers and through Philbex Cebu 2017, it hopes to encourage visitors to adopt a more progressive and resilient mindset in approaching design and development.
To stay on top of the industry’s design trend and direction, you may follow Philbex Cebu 2017 on Facebook and Instagram @worldbex.