MANILA, Philippines – Among the highlights of Philippine School of Interior Design (PSID)’s annual exhibit is the conversion of the Philippine National Railway Station in San Fernando, Pampanga into a contemporary “Gentleman’s Barber Lounge.”
The work is just one of the numerous booths featured in this year’s “Juxtapose: Espasyo at Panahon” by PSID’s Advanced Class of 2018. The exhibit, which opened last September 29 at the Rockwell Santolan Town Plaza in San Juan City, is centered on adaptive reuse as a solution to design problems.
Organizers said the exhibit aims “to showcase how design can breathe new life into historical spaces and go beyond a structure’s function, thereby challenging the audience to see these historical structures in a new light.”
Such is what four of the batch’s graduating designers achieved in the adaptive reuse of the railway station, which has been labeled “KM 102 Gentleman's Barber Lounge.”
“In its original state, the interior architecture of the train station is composed of brick walls and arches in harmony with classic Filipino Capiz windows and Vigan tile flooring. We intend to completely transform the space with a modern and masculine aesthetic evoking understated luxury,” the group earlier told Philstar.com in an email.
"Juxtapose: Espasyo at Panahon” is being held in celebration of PSID’s 51st founding anniversary. Partners include Boysen, Fineza, Tierra, Bamco, Icon Graphics, Eubiq, Ilaw Atbp, Spectrum by Larry's, Bamco, Pacific Glass Corporation, Polylite Industrial Corporation, True Vision, THISISPOP! Showcase Carpets, Design Story, Keystone, Fashion Interiors, W/17, Titan, Abenson, Technolux, LG, Neumann.Berlin, New Mika Laminates and Edison Electric.
The exhibit, which is free of charge, runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily until October 31.