spaces
Spaces and Places to Be: Space Encounters
4:02 PM
I was able to interview them about their shop and along this post, I'll tour you around their space as well. It's nice to see shops like these around Manila because you can rarely find people that appreciate vintage pieces + supporting the local culture. I find it a breath of fresh air because these kinds of shops I usually find outside of Manila.
Somewhere tucked away in an office building's nook and cranny in Ortigas you will spot this amazing space aptly called, Space Encounters. Oddly enough, the experience of entering a different dimension in space was the same as I felt like I was transported in a different location the moment I stepped on the stairs leading to their space.
When you enter the said office building, you will spot this small and cute signage on the right side of the entrance hall. The signage will lead you to a staircase that leads to one of the coolest interior design showrooms I have ever been to.
As I got to the second floor, I was greeted by two guard dogs that were guarding the shop. They were cute and idle by the way.
As you enter the shop you are greeted by these amazing resting chairs elevated on eye-level.
Would it be possible for you guys to introduce yourselves?
Space Encounters is a Filipino brand centered on Midcentury modern-industrial designs. The brand actually started as an interior design firm which later branched into furniture design, interior branding and graphics. Right now, we are trying to fuse a Filipino character into our designs.
We’d like to know why you guys thought of the name Space Encounters. We have to agree that we find it both cute and witty for an interior shop.
We wanted a name that was both vintage-sounding and quite literal. Space Encounters means anything you will encounter in space on the surface. But we like that it also recalls vintage video games and films.
Space Encounters is a Filipino brand centered on Midcentury modern-industrial designs. The brand actually started as an interior design firm which later branched into furniture design, interior branding and graphics. Right now, we are trying to fuse a Filipino character into our designs.
We’d like to know why you guys thought of the name Space Encounters. We have to agree that we find it both cute and witty for an interior shop.
We wanted a name that was both vintage-sounding and quite literal. Space Encounters means anything you will encounter in space on the surface. But we like that it also recalls vintage video games and films.
Could you explain more about what Space Encounters is all about?
Space Encounters is primarily a bespoke midcentury modern furniture store. One can personalize the fabric, wood, and to an extent, the dimensions of a furniture piece. But it is also a creative playground that aims to push the boundaries of furniture, graphic and interior design. For our annual collection, we approach it thematically. Our current Boring Things collection challenges what is perceived as interesting while exploring the concept that boredom is just a matter of perception through experimentation of graphics and forms.
What made you guys think of the concept of creating amazing designed furnitures that are locally made? Why not just import them like other shops do?
I think as a creative, you really have this inextinguishable desire to create new things that can help uplift living conditions. Though most of our design inspirations came from Scandinavian influences, we also want to have the leeway of making the design our own. We are constantly reinventing our products and ourselves as well as designers. In the process, we would like to support the local scene by collaborating with local manufacturers and fellow designers.
I think as a creative, you really have this inextinguishable desire to create new things that can help uplift living conditions. Though most of our design inspirations came from Scandinavian influences, we also want to have the leeway of making the design our own. We are constantly reinventing our products and ourselves as well as designers. In the process, we would like to support the local scene by collaborating with local manufacturers and fellow designers.
We love your selection of furnitures in your show room, what made you guys choose the Scandinavian style back in the 40s to 70s and replicate it?
Wilmer Lopez, the person who started Space Encounters, is actually very much in love with anything vintage and midcentury- modern. The creative direction of Space Encounters stemmed from his affinity towards these styles.
We also noticed that there were some inspired pieces from the Philippine culture like your Sandok desk lamp and your interior in SE has a mural/painting that resembles the hand painters’ style of the jeepney placards. What made you want to delve inspiration into the daily lives of the Filipinos
The pieces are part of our Boring Things Collection which we launched April last year. It’s a celebration of the mundane in the Filipino culture which we usually find “boring”. The collection serves as a challenge to not go farther in search of inspiration. Nowadays, many of us have a higher appreciation towards anything Western. This is an invitation to be more observant of what our local culture is.
Seeing that you’ve bagged designing the space for Hole in the Wall for Century Mall’s high-end food hall. What was it like to see your hard work come to life?
It’s very fulfilling. The project took months in design concept and construction. To see it in “flesh and bone” is very surreal. We are very happy that it turned out great and it has a good reception. We believe it changed the way Filipinos see the usual food court- that food courts can actually be fun and interesting.
We also noticed that there were a LOT of Filipino references there. Was that purposely done? And what was the inspiration for the whole food hall?
The Filipino references were actually a collaboration with the owner of Hole in the Wall. We want the space to still exude a sense of “home” since most pieces are midcentury-modern in style. The idea came from the concept of flea market/bazaars seen abroad. We liked the idea of a free-flowing set-up and that each stall has its own unique character. To make our design more interesting and cohesive, we talked with the chefs of each food stall to know their food concept and design. The division of space was very playful against the typical food court layout which is linear. We also introduced outdoor elements to bring a piece of the outside inside.
Do you think that inserting Filipino references with a modern/western twist can help more Filipinos appreciate great design and art and at the same time appreciate our own culture?
Yes. Filipinos nowadays are very much attracted to Western designs that somehow they forget that there’s so much good design in our own culture. Mixing local elements with Western influences is a step in awakening appreciation towards our own culture.
Yes. Filipinos nowadays are very much attracted to Western designs that somehow they forget that there’s so much good design in our own culture. Mixing local elements with Western influences is a step in awakening appreciation towards our own culture.
What is next for SE and what are your goals in 2016 and beyond?
We honestly don’t know yet but that is the exciting part. We definitely want to challenge ourselves and create something that we haven’t done before.
Is there any way people can contact you for a project?
Email us:
info@spaceencounters.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/space.encounters Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spaceencounters Landline/Mobile: 910-8031/0917-795-6739
We honestly don’t know yet but that is the exciting part. We definitely want to challenge ourselves and create something that we haven’t done before.
Is there any way people can contact you for a project?
Email us:
info@spaceencounters.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/space.encounters Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spaceencounters Landline/Mobile: 910-8031/0917-795-6739
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