
Seven months from its original schedule, the RE-TERRA 2021 Winner was finally announced on October 25, 2021 at the Pasig Rainforest Park, Pasig City. Gracing the event were Agriculture Secretary William Dar, Asst. Secretary Noel Reyes, and Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto who were also members of the jury for the design competition.
“Team Anarchi” with their winning entry “C.URB: A Call for Pasig City to Counter Urban” is a group of five young architects from the University of Sto. Tomas, namely: Paula Casia, Aramis Corullo, Althea Poblete, Angelo Landicho, and Gellaine Burgos. Their concept, C.URB, follows the philosophy of “providing a solution to the root problem while solving every other problem within its web simultaneously” – a holistic approach to current cities and calls upon the introduction of a new urbanity. The winning team takes home P250,000 cash prize.
Secretary William Dar, represented by Asst. Sec. Reyes, thanked RE-TERRA for investing in the talent and energy of our youth through this “futuristic” design competition, enabling them to widen their mindset for farming to be more progressive. He also said that while ingenuity and value of designs make up for the majority of the criteria, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is also looking into the doability and viability of the winning design.
Other members of the jury were DA Food Ambassador James Reid, Edgar Sabidong of the Philippine Green Building Council, Jun Palafox of Palafox Associates, Chona Ponce of Architectural Schools in the Philippines, Hank Hermans of East-West Seeds Philippines, Joey Yupangco, former dean of Benilde School of Design and Arts, and Philippine Baumann of Pratt University of New York (via zoom).
Early in the year, the group of Re-TERRA, headed by Architect Kathleen Encorporado, teamed up with the DA to conduct a design competition for future architects showcasing innovative and transformative designs that will integrate agriculture into the urban setting. (Photo by Rita dela Cruz, DA-StratComms)