How is Artelano 11 reflective of your aesthetic as an
interior and furniture designer?
I am fond of different period styles, especially the Art
Deco and Bauhaus periods. I also have vivid childhood
memories of being curious and fascinated by those mid-
century style houses in my hometown of Tarlac.
Being an interior designer, aside from addressing the
functional requirements, I also need to tackle different
design typologies in coming up with unique solutions
for each project.
We live in a world that is one global village. One’s
living space can be multicultural in its spatial and
design requirements and also the aesthetics.
Many things that people buy now and that you see
are products of global consumerism and fast retail. There
is always a demand for unique and well-crafted objects.
Was Artelano 11 created with a target audience in
mind? If so, how did this shape its eventual form and
how it is being run as a mixed use space?
My objective in opening a-11 was to make it like an
experiential walk-thru portfolio of my furniture line, design
capabilities and branding ideas. We still rely on it a lot, in
doing projects for clients and the design community.
The retail component and having a mixed-used space
are add-ons to the experience, and they expand the story of
the a-11 brand.
People who come and visit are the ones in the know:
tastemakers, creatives, designers, architects, travel bugs, cool
hunters. We never do straightforward advertising. We had
the good luck of being supported by a lot of noted editors,
writers and publications.
What do you find beautiful?
My first Paris visit was life-changing. I have become
a modernist in love with the old world. I came to a
greater appreciation of the classics, culture, historical
and heritage values, and realized that the only way to
preserve these is to keep them relevant.
I am also awed by the timeless designs of objects and
the stories behind how they were made. I love things
that are not perfect and knowing how they are able to
withstand time. It’s my wabi-sabi way of looking at things.
Tell us about your process as a designer for both
interiors and furniture. Do you depend on
an ordered sequence of steps, or do you allow
spontaneity to dictate your output?
I’m on my creative high in the mornings, with lots
of random thoughts and ideas.
It takes time for me to conceptualize and finalize a
design. I do initial sketches. Production and functional
requirements are to be considered, too. It’s the old
school way of producing. After discussing concept
sketches with my team, they will produce the necessary
drawings that are needed to produce the prototype.
Then, we do all the necessary adjustments for the first
run of the final product.
A Filipino spirit pervades your pieces and spaces
without having to resort to tokenism and pastiche.
How has the Filipino space of yore evolved? How
would you describe Filipino spaces now, and what
past interior practices before do you think our spatial
design practitioners today should implement more?
Their old world and colonial charm is inherent to the
houses. They were gifted with an amazing volume and
proportion of the rooms, and integrated by a very smooth
efficient original floor plan. Another original feature are
the baldosa cement floor tiles that were handcrafted with
unique patterns and color pigments that never fade.
When we did the interiors, we were very conscious
that the feel of the old structure would not be erased or
concealed. We even enhanced some imperfections.
More important now is on how we should find ways in
making use of old and heritage structures as much as possible.
It is a challenge to the architects, builders and owners.
Demolishing an old building for the purpose of greater
financial gain is the worst thing one can do. We have a duty
to respect and preserve our history, culture and tradition. This
is one way we can keep our spaces Filipino.
Having dabbled in both interiors and furniture
design, what design insights have you arrived at
concerning the livability of today's homes and the
spatial needs of its inhabitants?
People will have to contend with living in compact
volumes of dwellings in congested, urban cities. Around
50 cubic meters of space, from the dimensions of an
urban dwelling of 7 meters by 3 meters by 2.4 meters
height. It is already happening in Manila.
In spite of how compact the living space, the home
owner is conscious about how to make it picture-pretty
and worthy of being on social media.
An eclectic wonderland awaits at @artelano11 and artelano11.ph
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