DOHA: The recently-chartered United Architects of the Philippines Qatar Chapter (UAPQaC) launched their celebration of National Architecture Week (NAW) at the Filipino Cultural Centre (FCC) on Friday.
On its 39th year, NAW is observed by architects all over the Philippines and for this year it centres on the theme 'Pop Arch: Reinventing Architecture for the Next Generation.'
The theme recognises how the profession has evolved through time, how architects reinvent and diversify and seek other avenues in expressing their creativity and dynamism.
The UAPQaC has shown tremendous efforts to hold NAW in Qatar. The Secretary General of UAP himself has acknowledged the hard work of the UAPQaC for organising the event just two weeks after chartering.
Highlighting the first day of the celebration was the opening of an architectural rendering retrospective which showcased around 50 works by UAPQaC, UAPQaC Auxiliary and CG Pinoy.
"These works depict various plans created using new technology and software," said Adonis C Canonicato, Interim President.
Inaugurating the exhibition, Architect Mahmoud Salti of Petra Design lauded Filipino architects' excellence and contribution in the field of architecture and design in Qatar which he has observed in his long experience working with them.
Another feature of the first day was a children's painting competition which saw the participation of around 20 children from various expatriate schools such as Philippine School Doha, Philippine International School Qatar and Middle East International School.
For three hours, the young aspiring architects created their masterpieces using various media based on the theme 'What is an Architect? Identifying the Significance of Architecture in Society.'
"There are many students who want to enter the field of architecture who have enormous talent and potential, yet have to be guided to develop and refine their skills for them to reach their goal," explained Canonicato on the purpose of the contest, adding conducting workshops for the children is one of their projects.
An aerial photoshoot for a human formation on the occasion of International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) 2010 and the inauguration of the UAPQaC Headquarters were also held followed by a fellowship programme.
Symposia, product presentations and seminars on Mechanical Car Parking, Introduction to Photography Lighting, Safety Awareness and Toastmasters are some of the events lined up in the following days.
© The Peninsula 2010
