Empowering Young Architects: 3 Crucial Lessons from NATCON50 – 2025
Over 800 delegates attended the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) National Convention for Architects of the Philippines on its Golden anniversary theme – “Borderless: the State the Filipino Architects are Called to,” which was held last April 7 to 12, 2025 at SMX Convention Pasay City, Manila. Notable industry leaders across the globe shared insights about how Filipino architects can transcend their unique set of challenges in the post-pandemic world. The event emphasized the role of architects in shaping future landscapes.
Emerging Architects forum was the theme of the final day of the UAP Architecture Festival. Denny Setiawan, chairman of ARCASIA Committee of Young Architects (ACYA), lead the morning sessions which uncovered case studies, stories, and experiences while the afternoon sessions focused on branding, identity, and sustainability. Melvin HJ Tan, president of Singapore Institute of Architects and co-founding partner of LAUD Architects, moderated the panel discussions after the latter.
How can young architects supercharge the early years of their careers? Here are 3 key takeaways from the forum.
1. Interdependence
Architecture school equipped us with all the technicalities of the profession. From theory of architecture, the design process of different projects, and the creation of models to presentation of our work.
Each one was a jack of all trades or a technical team executing a tumultuous dream. Pulling all-nighters to do 20+ different tasks in a design project was the norm.
However, in the real practice, vision is shared among people. You’re not only dealing with the technicalities but also how you work together to achieve a unified goal.
Denny Setiawan, principal architect of Studio Denny Setiawan, emphasized interdependence as key to synergy. We can’t be successful alone. We have our staff, boss, and family.
As an intern, your ideas and plans develop as you deal with your colleagues, managers, and boss. You also do clerical tasks and miscellaneous works during the process. Junior architects collaborate with their seniors, guide interns, and supervise projects. Some stay in a firm for 5 or more years while others start their own venture. Career shifts are also prevalent.
Although different roles and responsibilities vary depending on the company, gaining experience for young architects is not limited to the technical skills but also the soft skills involved for social harmony. Doing hobbies and taking creative breaks keep you in touch with your core self.
Like how a seed grows with pressure, heat, and moisture, continuous training helps young architects establish one’s sense of identity, uncover what you dislike, and pursue what you love.
Are you growing older or growing wiser?
2. Understanding Generation Timeline
How would you know if you are on the right path? Is the architecture career path supposed to be difficult? Is there a shortcut?
Chana Sumpalung, Deputy Managing Director at Architects49 House Design Limited, differentiates career progresses among the six, five, and two year timeframe. His case study showed the non-linear path to success. Regardless of the number years, what you do with the time you have makes the difference.
How do you utilize the technological breakthrough in your generation?
- Baby boomers – Quality of manual drawings and renders were paramount.
- Gen X – Building Information Modelling improved efficiency and collaboration in design and construction.
- Millennials – 3D rendering softwares like Sketchup and Lumion leveled up the visualization process with Photoshop for post-production,.
- Gen Zs and Gen Alpha – AI tools makes 5 hours of rendering and post-production a one click away.
Varying perspectives can arise among generations, but how we collaborate towards a common goal is what truly connects us.
3. Lucky Break
“When did you have a lucky break in your career?”, one of the audience asked during the panel discussion.
Despite being burnt out, Melvin Keng, SIA-Young Architects Awardee and founder of Kaizen architecture, revealed that he also got his lucky break from designing his own home.
The Adaptive Home – the three bedroom open plan in a public housing flat represents hope and possibility of a new home typology. Imagine a well-defined function for every part of your space without the wall dividers. The joy of starting your day, eating in the morning, engaging in work, and relaxing at home unfolds a seamless indoor journey. Through experimentation with the Wabi-Sabi approach, the Terrace Flat is a revolutionary design response we can learn from the post-pandemic world.
His 10 years experience prior to founding Kaizen architecture involves working in a top international firm like Aedas and award-winning firm RT+Q Architects.
Travel observations were also incorporated to his work like the door from Le Corbusier’s Maison La Roche.
This shows that rather forcing, we can develop opportunities by leveraging what we have like designing our home.
Collective answers were also mentioned such as the following:
- Make yourself happy with what you do.
- Be an architect with good personality.
- Be sincere and kind to everyone.
- Learn from a great mentor.
The values that you hold as an architect reflects on the beauty of your works.
No project is too small to showcase your skills and capabilities. Balancing strong business acumen, supportive interpersonal relations, and evolving technical expertise position you to success.
Conclusion
More than 450 responses across 64 countries in a recent survey from Dezeen Magazine reveals that one in five architecture and design workers plan to leave the industry. This crisis points out workplace culture issues that calls for a change. As a career recommendation, 46% would recommend taking architecture as a career, but with caution.
Undeniably, solving how we can improve our systems in the building construction field are easier said than done.
However, hope is present for the new generation of architects in the industry. As we take inspiration and learn from our seniors, we can thrive as long as we adapt with the evolving generation and consider the world beyond the borders of architecture.
How do we move forward? We are sharing stories of hope and strategies for a brighter perspective.
Upcoming Post: This One Underrated Skill is the Antidote to Struggling Architects
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