Woven: The Philippine Pavilion - Carlo Calma Consultancy, Cat Inc. | Image © Masaki Komatsu
Woven: The Philippine Pavilion - Carlo Calma Consultancy, Cat Inc. | Image © Masaki Komatsu

Woven Pavilion, designed by the Philippines-based architecture firm Carlo Calma Consultancy Inc., in collaboration with the Japan-based architecture design studio Cat Inc., is a tribute to Filipino culture. Built using over a thousand pieces of woven rattan, the Woven: Philippine Pavilion draws inspiration from the metaphorical concept of “woven,” reflecting the scalability of weaving, from traditional furniture to architectural scale. 

Woven: The Philippine Pavilion - Carlo Calma Consultancy, Cat Inc. | Image © Masaki Komatsu
Woven: The Philippine Pavilion - Carlo Calma Consultancy, Cat Inc. | Image © Masaki Komatsu
Woven: The Philippine Pavilion - Carlo Calma Consultancy, Cat Inc. | Image © Masaki Komatsu
Woven: The Philippine Pavilion - Carlo Calma Consultancy, Cat Inc. | Image © Masaki Komatsu

One of the key ideas behind the design was the implementation of reusability and the exploration of new architectural possibilities. The team worked under a short construction timeline and navigated complex production, logistics, and other challenges. As a tribute to indigenous culture, over 200 woven textiles provide vibrant touches of color to the pavilion’s natural-colored façade. Each is encapsulated within a weather-sealed assembly that prevents swaying in the wind, a nod to the long history of resilience in these crafts.

Woven: The Philippine Pavilion - Carlo Calma Consultancy, Cat Inc. | Image © Masaki Komatsu
Woven: The Philippine Pavilion - Carlo Calma Consultancy, Cat Inc. | Image © Masaki Komatsu
Woven: The Philippine Pavilion - Carlo Calma Consultancy, Cat Inc. | Image © Masaki Komatsu
Woven: The Philippine Pavilion - Carlo Calma Consultancy, Cat Inc. | Image © Masaki Komatsu

The pavilion features performance spaces for traditional dance and craft in the area between the structural core and the façade. This creates a multilayered depth and fosters interaction between the pavilion and its surroundings. The interior exhibition space is conceived as a large-span box structure using CLT (Cross-Laminated Timber) panels and tension rods. Given the extended duration required for construction and dismantling relative to the brief exhibition period, scaffolding was deliberately incorporated between the CLT timber frame and the façade structure repurposed as an integral element of the architectural system. 

Woven: The Philippine Pavilion - Carlo Calma Consultancy, Cat Inc. | Image © Masaki Komatsu
Woven: The Philippine Pavilion - Carlo Calma Consultancy, Cat Inc. | Image © Masaki Komatsu
Woven: The Philippine Pavilion - Carlo Calma Consultancy, Cat Inc. | Image © Masaki Komatsu
Woven: The Philippine Pavilion - Carlo Calma Consultancy, Cat Inc. | Image © Masaki Komatsu

The pavilion incorporates handcrafted pieces from all 18 regions of the Philippines, symbolizing unity through diversity. The architecture stands as a testament to the future of handcraft, emphasizing its significance in an evolving digital landscape.

Woven: The Philippine Pavilion - Carlo Calma Consultancy, Cat Inc. | Image © Masaki Komatsu
Woven: The Philippine Pavilion - Carlo Calma Consultancy, Cat Inc. | Image © Masaki Komatsu
Project Images
Project Details
Lead Architectural Firm Carlo Calma Consultancy
Executive Architect cat inc.
Experience Design Tellart
Creative Producer 1053.co | Chochay Garcia
Executive Architect Somato Inc.
Structural Engineer yasuhiro kaneda STRUCTURE | OKStructure, ATA Co., Ltd
MEP Engineer Syou Sekkei Engineering, Eos plus
Facade Engineer ALT Cladding
Signage Design Natsuko Miyashita
Photography – Architecture Masaki Komatsu
Video – Architecture Maldavar Films
Experience Design Tellart
Creative Direction Tellart
Media Production Tellart Productions
Sound Design Resonate
Lead Weaver Francis Dravigny
Textile Artists Cebu Interlace
Photography – Experience Tellart
Video – Experience Tellart and Vincent Hecht
Project Management RF Construction and Development Corporation
General Contractor Asakawagumi-Nishio Rent all JV Corporation
Exhibition Contractor BeWunder
Facade Cladding Kenneth Cobonpue
Facade Signage Daikan
Lighting Endo lighting corp.
Furniture (Gift shop) Knotter
Furniture (Wellness area) Kenneth Cobonpue

Recommended