Architecture is a process – one that is anchored to the present and extends beyond our reach.

Nowadays, with sustainability becoming the forefront of public consciousness, buildings are being rediscovered as living entities. Architects have stopped perceiving the end of a project at its grand opening. We are no longer just master builders; we give shape to the future. Architecture is our duty.

Traveling around the world and studying and working in France, Canada, the Philippines and now in Australia, I have been able to open myself up to different cultures and ways of approaching architecture. I have experienced both great and underwhelming cities firsthand. Manila – the city in which I worked for more than four years – is a patchwork of buildings competing for attention. This diversity is in itself an asset, but nothing ties anything together. Architecture is not about creating egocentric buildings; architecture needs to be mindful of the broader context of its existence and the lives it is affecting.

Buildings should positively affect not only their site, but their broader environment. Creating structures that enhance the life of people and that contribute to the cohesion of cities is the reason why I chose architecture. To question, to critique, to rethink the buildings, their role and impact in our cities, is what drives me as an architect.

Buildings shape the life of every person on this planet. We need them to not be thoughtless designs, we need them to support our lives. I truly believe every project can uplift not only its users, but also our societies. In order to do so, we need to stop diminishing architecture to its design and take a step back, look beyond our sites, imagine what our cities can be and push the boundaries of what we can achieve.

I think intent is king.

I think Architecture needs a Philosophy.