IN celebration of their 7th Founding Anniversary, the Guild of Liturgical Designers (GOLD) and the UAP Committee on Liturgical Architecture and Sacred Spaces (UAP-Class) have joined forces to present the 4th Liturgical Architecture Conference (LAC) entitled “LANGKOB: Ecclesia Et Cultura: Integrating Catholic Tradition and Cultural Diversity in Vernacular Liturgical Architecture” on Oct. 14-16, 2024.
Spearheaded by the founding chairman of both GOLD and UAP-Class and Conference Convenor Ar. Marie Stephanie Gilles, with Ar. Gilbert Fortich as the Davao event coordinator, the conference is co-hosted by the UAP Davao Chapter and supported by architects from Area D covering Mindanao.
The event involves collaboration with the Holy Cross of Davao College, the Center for Culture and Arts, the Institute of Davao Studies, the Archdiocese of Davao, local clergy, and academic and professional partners.
A key highlight is the creation of the book “LANGKOB: Ecclesia Et Cultura,” which will feature Davao City’s Catholic churches and sacred spaces. This book will delve into these spaces’ respective history, architectural design and photographic documentation, offering a comprehensive resource on the region’s cultural and religious heritage. It aims to contribute to the discourse on preserving and celebrating Davao’s sacred spaces within the context of Catholic tradition and cultural diversity.
The choice of holding this conference in Davao is an effort to span the entire country: the first was held in Manila, Luzon, in 2018; the second one was online due to the 2020 pandemic; the third was in Bohol, the Visayas, in 2022; and this fourth shall take place in Davao, the Crown Jewel of Mindanao.
The cultural blend of Mindanao’s rich heritage and Christian traditions amidst the backdrop of other religious denominations creates a unique tapestry that reflects its diverse history and vibrant communities.
Mindanao is home to various Indigenous groups, each with their own customs, languages, spiritual beliefs, and various religious denominations, alongside a significant Roman Catholic population comprising 73.3 percent of the country as of the 2020 Census Statistics. This reinforces our conference theme on Langkob, which in the native language means integration and consolidation.
This cultural blend enriches Mindanao’s spiritual landscape and serves as a testament to its people’s resilience and adaptability. Let us embrace this diversity, recognizing it as a source of inspiration that can guide us in creating spaces that honor both Christian faith and Mindanao’s rich traditions.
Conference program
Historically, the GOLD/UAP-Class Conferences (2018, 2020 and 2022) have attracted a diverse range of local and international participants, including bishops, parish priests, seminarians, chaplains, artists, architecture students, and liturgical architects, all united by their involvement in designing and building sacred spaces.
To ensure accessibility, registration fees for these conferences cover less than half of the actual costs, making them more affordable for on-site attendees. These events’ success heavily depends on the generosity of sponsors who recognize the vital role of liturgical designers in enhancing the quality of sacred architecture.
Days 1 and 2 will have the participants engage in rich discussions and collaborative workshops, like the Liturgical Architecture Guidelines, a project of GOLD’s liturgical architects who help disseminate the standards of sacred space design to the clergy, seminaries and architecture schools.
Day 3 will tour sacred spaces: San Pedro Cathedral, a prominent landmark in the Davao religious cultural landscape; and the two chapels of Ateneo de Davao that are replete with meaningful artistic iconography. We will revisit cultural traditions and explore innovative approaches while grounded in theology, ecology and traditional cultural sensitivity. Let us remember that every line we draw and every material we choose can resonate with the faith of those who gather within these walls.
The conference will conclude with an early dinner for guests highlighted by the oath-taking of officers and induction of members of UAP-Class. UAP National President Ar. Donato Magcale, along with UAP Area D District 1 officers, chapter presidents, and the organizing committee of the 4th Liturgical Architecture Conference 2024, will attend.
This event underscores the collective hope for advancing liturgical design and sacred spaces, focusing on the conservation, preservation and retrofitting of heritage churches, aiming to elevate standards in these vital areas of architectural practice.
Ar. Marie Stephanie N. Gilles, as the founding chairperson of the Guild of Liturgical Designers (GOLD) and of the United Architects of the Philippines Committee on Liturgical Architecture and Sacred Spaces (UAP-Class), is the convenor and head of the Organizing Committee of the 4th Liturgical Architecture Conference 2024. She is the principal architect of SNG Design Enterprise, a dynamic service-oriented firm that specializes in the design of liturgical and institutional spaces.
Ar. Angeluz A. Tesoro is an architect in the academe in the College of Architecture and Fine Arts Education (Cafae) of the University of Mindanao, Davao City. She is also a partner architect of the BAI Arkitektura design firm based in Davao and Soccsksargen.
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