The third annual ARCHTECHCON 2025, held from July 25 to 27 at Ayala Central Bloc in Cebu I.T. Park, placed a significant spotlight on the critical convergence of design, digital technology, and sustainable development. Organized under the theme “Future/Form: Rethinking Workspaces in Design,” the convention underscored a growing national push to modernize Philippine architecture through innovation and global alignment.
“What started as a response to the changing landscape during the pandemic has evolved into a long-term agenda,” stated Ar. Buddy Lim Ong, President of UAP Datu Lapu-Lapu and event Chair of ARCHTECHCON 2025. “Our objective is to turn ARCHTECHCON into a launchpad for international partnerships and to position Cebu as a creative and technical hub in the global design economy.”
ARCHTECHCON’s origins trace back to a UAP National Headquarters directive in early 2023, seeking to examine technology’s role in reshaping post-COVID architecture. A few months later, the Datu Lapu-Lapu Chapter launched its pioneering event, marking a strategic shift from conventional exhibitions focused on traditional materials to a forward-looking emphasis on software, artificial intelligence (AI), 3D fabrication, and other emerging tools.
Ong noted that the pandemic significantly accelerated digital transformation across the industry. “Architects, clients, and contractors were suddenly meeting online, sharing designs digitally, and managing builds remotely. It catalyzed an irreversible shift in the way we work,” he added. The role of AI in architecture, initially met with skepticism in 2023, has by 2025 become an integral part of practice, embedded in workflows from parametric modeling to energy optimization, and was prominently featured in this year’s speaker lineup.
Cebu’s architecture community is increasingly drawing the attention of global firms. “We’re now in talks with architecture and design studios from Japan, the U.S., and other parts of Asia who are seeking local partners or satellite offices,” Ong revealed. “Cebu’s creative and technical talent is gaining recognition not just for its ideas, but for its fluency in new tools and practices.” The normalization of remote collaboration has further opened doors to international projects, enabling real-time design consultations between Cebu-based firms and clients worldwide.
ARCHTECHCON has also strengthened vital links with government and development agencies, including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Design Center of the Philippines, both consistent supporters since the event’s inception. These partnerships are crucial in bridging the gap between creative professionals and public-sector opportunities, particularly in infrastructure and community design.
The convention’s momentum reflects a broader surge in the Philippines’ creative economy. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the creative industries contributed ₱1.72 trillion to GDP in 2022, a 12.1% year-on-year increase, with architecture and design among the top-performing sectors. A 2024 report by the Design Center of the Philippines emphasized that the fusion of art, technology, and sustainability will be a key growth driver, singling out cities like Cebu as critical innovation centers.
The three-day event featured CPD-accredited seminars, 3D printing workshops, and interdisciplinary design talks. Notable speakers included Ar. Arts Serrano (One Zero Design) on adaptive reuse, Charles Barrete (Field Ready) on mobile makerspaces, Bien Alvarez (Philippine delegate to the Venice Biennale 2023) on cross-disciplinary collaboration, EJ Angeles and Idr. Isa Pulvinar (Mold Makati) on maker culture, Ar. Jonathan Cruz (Obra Majoralia) on cultural architecture, and Mona Alcudia-Ong (Studio Unosinotra) on youth and digital innovation in city-making.
A standout feature was the WikiHouse Pavilion, a modular, digitally fabricated structure anchoring the “Build A City” 3D printing exhibit, designed to showcase scalable and sustainable models for urban development. Key exhibitors included Boysen Paints, Smart Home Cebu, RiverRecycle, Fablab UP Cebu, and Landlite Lighting Solutions.
ARCHTECHCON 2025 was proudly supported by the Department of Trade and Industry, PRWorks Inc., and MyTV Cebu. As the Philippines accelerates its investment in the creative and digital economy, events like ARCHTECHCON are playing a pivotal role in shaping a future where design innovation becomes a strategic economic engine.
“The question is no longer whether architecture should integrate technology,” Ong concluded. “It’s how the Philippines can lead with it.”
