WLI Philippines Hosts A Design Competition for Paco Park
The Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) Philippines is hosting a Design Competition for Paco Park in partnership with the National Parks Developments Committee (NPDC). The competition aims to promote and provide further visibility to women in real estate. To the WLI Philippines, this is a unique opportunity to revitalize the park and highlight sustainable and responsive design by updating the developmental guide.
The organization opens the registration for the competition today, September 20, 2022. It is open to all female participants, professionals, and non-professionals. Each team is required to have at least one licensed architect to lead. She will engage in an exercise in concept and visioning, design story narrative, and schematic design.
Paco Park is a 6000-square meter park, initially built as a cemetery in 1820 and has been converted into a national park. It is known to be the first burial site of National Hero Jose Rizal. It is also currently the burial site of the three martyred priests: Padre Gomes, Padre Burgos, and Padre Zamora, collectively known as “GomBurZa.”
As a national park, it serves as a venue for many events, concerts, and weddings in its St. Pancratius Chapel administered by the Vincentians of Adamson University. It is currently managed by the NPDC, an attached agency of the Department of Tourism.
The initiative is led by the WLI, which is a global program of the Urban Land Institute (ULI). Seven National Councils around the Asia Pacific currently have active WLI groups, such as Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, China, South Korea including our country the Philippines.
The organization focuses on promoting the advancement of women in the real estate industry, increasing the visibility of women leaders, and increase the number of women who are active ULI Full members and supporting the development of young women members as leaders in ULI and their professions.
In the Philippines, one of the current Co-Chairs of the WLI is Architect Cathy Saldana who is the CEO of PDP Architects, a team of architects and engineers, based in Makati City. Architect Saldana is also the AIA International President in the Philippines and is one of the prominent female Architects globally, known for her expertise in Hospitality Design, Retail Mixed Use, Residential and Corporate High Rises, Industrial Cold Storage Facilities, Island Development, Master Planning, Affordable Housing, Project Feasibility Studies. She is one of the architects who pioneers sustainable resort design and urban regeneration.
Stephanie Coyiuto-Tay is the other Co-Chair of the WLI. She is the founder and managing director of Casa Bella Home and Living and Design Story. She has extensive experience in furnishing residential and commercial spaces by collaborating with local and international design firms. Her business mission is to partner with the design community in pushing the edge of interior design possibilities in the Philippines.
The National Parks Development Committee, meanwhile, focuses to provide fully developed and well-maintained parks for the wholesome recreation and socio-cultural education of the Filipino people for the enrichment of the country’s national identity and heritage through a partnership with the community, government offices (GOs), and non-government organizations (NGOs).
Qualified teams will be given ample time to design their concept based on the details of the lot plan. The top ten finalists will be shortlisted by late October, and the awarding ceremony will be done at the National Parks Congress in November 2022. Award winners will receive significant cash prizes and the grand prize winner will have a recognition plaque presented on the premises.
Photos Courtesy of Urban Land Institute Philippines
