New condo owners might do well to head to the RONAC gallery at Paseo de Magallanes for the culminating activity this year of the Philippine School of Interior Design (PSID).
For the first time in 48 years, the graduates will show full units instead of just specific rooms.
From Oct. 3 to 31, on display on three floors of the new, five-story building are the 24 condo “units” designed by 110 graduates who were divided in groups of three to six.
“Our dean Dr. Pojie Pambid decided that instead of simply designing kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms or bathrooms, we should design condo units because that’s the trend,” said PSID batch president Julie Gil.
Groups were divided into three categories: Ladies’ Lair (single women), Man Cave (single men) and Perfect Pairing (duos). They were given specific customer profiles before they could begin designing.
Hypothetical profiles included a female blogger, an elderly bachelor, a gay couple, and “a pair of spinsters in their 40s.”
“We came up with details on our clients’ lives before we could begin designing,” said Margo Felix, the batch’s internal vice president.
After submitting their detailed design proposals on large illustration boards, the groups were given three weeks to execute these. Each was given 24 square meters at RONAC gallery, the common cut of a studio unit.
“Our challenge was to maximize the area but make it functional as well,” Felix said.
Given the limited space, the students use similar design elements to delineate areas and free up much-needed space. Curtains double as doors while beds are on platforms.
“The exhibit serves as a thesis for the graduating batch. It’s really more of a contest where winners are validated if they bag any of the three prizes, namely Alumni Association’s Choice, Viewer’s Choice or Faculty’s Choice,” said Jenn Canada, the batch’s publication and promotions head.
More than the awards, however, the students—many of whom are “second coursers”—are more interested to meet with potential clients.
“The employment rate of students who graduate from the PSID is higher than in all interior design schools in the country combined,” Felix said.
Follow the author on Twitter @raoulcheekee and Instagram @raoulck