This year’s best of the best in Design begins with a building that’s 50 years old. The restoration of the Philippine International Convention Center puts Leandro V. Locsin’s landmark 1976 work back in the spotlight. From there, we move to a very different scale. Bea and Marga Valdes take their intricate work with beads, shells, metal, embroidery, and stones to architectural proportions in the Islas installations at Aurelia Residences. Poltrona Frau’s Esedra Ottoman draws the eye with its sunburst leatherwork, while Baxter’s Aura and B&B Italia’s Metropolitan Relax make strong cases for comfort. Henge’s Obsession Bed goes bigger, with an expansive metal headboard that commands the room. Iñigo Elizalde explores what can be done with handknotting, tufting, and weaving, while Bang & Olufsen makes speakers that are as much about design as sound. Best of the Best: Philippine International Convention Center Fifty years after it first opened, the Philippine International..
