Ending our Arki Weeks Rewind Series is the Avatar-themed National Architecture Week 2019 led by UAPSA-PUP Chapter President 2019-2020 Therese Ann Geneblazo also known as T-ann.
The preceding NAW events were always conducted in the NDC covered court, and T-ann noted that for the NAW 2019, for the very first time, NAW Celebration was held in Bulwagang Balagtas. They considered this as an achievement of their term. “It was truly fulfilling when we finally got approved with our desired venue with everything for free as we were able to make reservations a month or two earlier than the event date. This might be simple for some, but for us, this was actually a small milestone for our term.” writes T-ann.
The main goal of NAW 2019, according to her, was to reward architecture students a break from months of heavy academic workload. They designed the event in a way like it was saying, “You made it!” —a celebration of their hard work and grit over the previous months. Starting in thinking of a theme for the event, they thought of a theme that relates more to architecture students, and that is why they ended up choosing the Avatar. They even adapted competitions from prior terms that made students engaged like AyyCons, and Arkistilo.
One of remarkable moments for T-ann was the opening ceremony, and the Big Night. During the opening ceremony, the PUP LHS Lyre Band, the House Legends (aka house representatives), and Architecture students paraded from the College of Engineering and Architecture building to the PUP Main. The students wore clothes that corresponds to their House color: Blue for Water Tribe, Green for Earth Kingdom, Red for Fire Nation, and Yellow for Air Nomads. On the other hand, the Big Night is when the most-awaited participants of AyyCons will impersonate their selected celebrity. Also, it is when models and designers in Arkistilo Costume Design Competition will get to showcase their work.
Throughout the four-day event, they were overwhelmed with responses saying that they really enjoyed the event and that they had a pleasant time meeting their fellow architecture students from other year levels. They truly wanted to create an event that will be memorable to students and based on the remarks of the students, they accomplished that, and more.
Finally, T-ann thanked the people who are behind the success of the NAW 2019. “I am also truly grateful for incomparable efforts and undertakings my fellow officers and organizing committees exerted to make the event a success. Without them, NAW 2019 would not be as satisfying and entertaining as it was.” T-ann concluded.
The National Architecture Week is a week-long simultaneous celebration for the architecture schools, and even professionals in the Philippines. It can be an opportunity for architecture students to showcase their skills, enhance their creativity, and collaborate with students in other year levels. It can also be a time for rest and enjoyment—something that gets lost in today’s world of busyness and productivity. The purpose of NAW varies in individual’s perspectives, but what’s important is how did it make a difference. Perhaps you learned new things from collaborating with other architecture students. Perhaps you were inspired by the works of the participants in Arkistilo. Or most importantly, perhaps you have gained memorable moments that will elicit joy to you whenever you recall them—something that will make you feel hugely grateful that such an event existed. —Claire Hernandez/The Freehand Feature
Photographs credits to UAPSA-PUP Chapter.
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