MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The International Design Conference (IDC), the Philippines’ premier
platform for design innovation since 2017, has returned this year with a bold ambition: to elevate
design from a problem-solving tool to a catalyst for transformative change. Organized by the
DTI-Design Center of the Philippines, IDC 2025 convened designers, business owners, and
decision-makers from across sectors, each bringing diverse perspectives to a shared vision of
collective flourishing.
With the theme “Holding the Whole: Design for Collective Flourishing,” the conference held at
Samsung Hall, SM Aura Premier last September 26 challenges attendees to look beyond
individual projects and see their work as a systemic force for good.
Beyond serving as a platform for showcasing design excellence, the IDC is a pivotal thought
leadership platform that aims to provoke new thinking, challenge norms, and explore uncharted
territories across design, policy, and social transformation.
By bringing together leading global and local voices, IDC empowers the industry to see their
work not merely as a profession, but as a systemic force capable of influencing change on a
national scale. It encourages participants to look beyond and consider the long-term impact of
their creations on society, the environment, and the nation’s collective future.
This year’s conference, divided into “Make,” “Break,” and “Become,” is a call to move from
designing solutions to guiding transformation. It urged the brightest minds in the industry to
explore how design can shape a future rooted in human dignity, ecological harmony, and shared
purpose.
Transformation towards collective flourishing
Prof. Eisuke Tachikawa, CEO and founder of the design firm NOSIGNER, focused on rewilding
the creative practice, urging the audience to look into their personal fractures and question what
it truly means to flourish for them to heal and ignite a transformation.
Beyond personal transformation, Tachikawa noted that every individual can also help transform
the Philippines. “The Philippines’ archipelagic geography is very unique, so it must innovate and
adapt according to its own circumstances. Filipinos—even young people—could contribute to
making a transformative change in their own way. Every stakeholder has a role in making an
impact,” he added.
Meanwhile, the panel discussion dwelled on how flourishing can take root in different contexts,
with the panelists sharing how they rewilded the way they live to create a path towards
flourishing. Another panel discussion explored the concept of reinvention in a changing
landscape, highlighting creative endurance and ingenuity.
Joseph Pine, co-founder of Strategic Horizons and author of “The Experience Economy” and “The
Transformation Economy,” encouraged the attendees to lead the transformation, underscoring
the role business leaders play in transforming the economy for a collective flourishing by not just
serving, but also elevating.
“The reason for the existence of your business [should be] to help people collectively flourish;
you help not just the customers, but also the employees. It [would create a ripple effect] on the
communities and societies in the Philippines. Then, you’re making a real difference—you’re
making an impact,” Joseph said.
By fostering a space for critical dialogues and unconventional ideas, IDC 2025 shifted the
conversation to a shared vision for collective flourishing. It inspired a re-evaluation of what
design can be and served as a call to help shape a future where creativity is a tool for social
progress and every design choice contributes to a better world.
The event was not just a conference, but an invitation to shift perspective and spark a
movement. By building relationships, exchanging ideas, and collaborating, IDC 2025 inspired a
new wave of creative energy and created a ripple effect from the transformation that started
from within. Through collective efforts, the Philippine design community can help pave the way
for a brighter future.
adobo magazine is an official media partner of the 2025 International Design Conference.
