In another expression of camaraderie, the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP124) in Dubai convened once again to interchange ideas, sharpen the saw, and forge new connections. Held last December 7, 2018 at the Warehouse Four Dubai, the event consisted of two parts, with three resource persons taking turns for six hours to speak before an audience of over 400 active UAP members.
Dr. Issam Ezzedine of National Engineering Bureau, Steven Velegrinis of Aecom, and Joe Tabet of JT Partners, all high profile and deeply esteemed architects, were invited to speak in the Continuing Development Program in order for Filipino professionals to keep up with the practice, build self-esteem, and reinforce their theories. Incidentally, there were other architects who enthusiastically volunteered to share their insights but could not be accommodated due to time constraint.
Dr. Issam’s lecture focused on his research on public urban spaces and their importance in social interaction in the era of high-density living. He stressed on the need for open spaces, such as plazas in high-rise buildings, as a result of the increasing population and shrinking urban ground area. Citing buildings at the Dubai Marina that resemble nails fastened to the ground, NEB’s Project Director and Principal Design Architect envisions communities that are connected and interacting high up in the air.
Filipinos are known to be creative and passionate about their work, and Architect Steven Velegrinis could not help but commend his team of six Filipino architects for a job well done. As the Head of Masterplanning and Director of Operations at AECOM, Steven described his team as dynamic and versatile with superb skills in manual drawing, a skill that has been missing in some architectural schools today. He said his team may be cramped with last minute changes from the client but they always make space for humor and laughter.
“Architect” comes from the latin word architectus which comes from the Greek ἀρχιτέκτων (architéktōn). Architéktōn is composed of two parts: ἀρχι (archi: to be the first, who commands) and τέκτων (tecton: mason, builder). That is, the head who sends the masons.
Because of insistent demand, Architect Joe Tabet came back on stage to give his insights about the architect as dictator. He noted that the prime movers of shaping communities are architects, who are powerful influencers that positively revolutionize the society. Being the Managing Director at JT + Partners, Joe’s leadership extends to everyone in the profession, encouraging fellow architects to be proactive in voicing out their design recommendations to the UAE Government. After all, he stressed, it is for the good of the country which fostered and nurtured the practice.
With the afternoon packed with insights from three of the region’s leading architects, it was but necessary for coffee breaks to come in between sessions. Interestingly, the organizers distributed reusable thermal mugs, which also doubled as souvenirs, as an answer to environmental awareness. Despite being low-cost, they are an attractive and affordable alternative to plastic cups.
The second part of the day’s event was the General Membership Meeting. Among the items discussed were the amendments in the by-laws, the upcoming events for the remaining months of the fiscal year, launching of the architectour and the presentation of the thirteen shortlisted entries of the Zayed House design competition.
The event ended with words from the chapter president and UAE representative to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, Christian Romulo Vasquez, who inspired the audience by saying that every global Filipino architect is an associate of an elite class of professionals. Moreover, he encouraged everyone to be more proactive for the organization and called each individual to action and move forward in seeking professional growth and global competitiveness.
UAP 124 llc is a chapter of the United Architects of the Philippines. It was founded in 2010 by the Filipino Registered Licensed Architects working in the UAE.
It is the legitimate National Section representing the architects of the Philippines in the UIA (Union of International Architects), founding institute of ARCASIA (Architects Regional Council Asia) and is active in the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) registry of Architects.
Currently, over 400 global Filipino architect members from 382 companies are based in Dubai and has over 42,000 members within the Philippines and abroad.
By: Arch. Victor Mikael C. Tampos
