CAFA marks World Architecture Day with housing design challenge

Connecting architectural education with the global call for adequate and inclusive housing, the College of Architecture and Fine Arts (CAFA) of Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation marked World Architecture Day and World Habitat Day on Oct. 5 through a design competition that challenged students to develop people-centered housing solutions.

The celebration carried the World Architecture Day 2026 theme, “Housing is a Human Right. Build It.,” adopted by the International Union of Architects, alongside the World Habitat Day theme, “Adequate Housing for All.” Both observances fell on Oct. 5 and focused global attention on access to safe, adequate and sustainable housing.
The event featured architect Rhoan Alba as speaker and welcomed architect Dennis Leo De Belen, UAP, vice president for Area B of the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP), as a guest. CAFA students and faculty, alumni and members of the UAP Graduate Auxiliary also joined the celebration, bringing together members of the academic and professional architecture communities.

In support of the themes, CAFA challenged architecture students to develop creative, inclusive, sustainable and people-centered housing concepts. The competition encouraged participants to apply their architectural knowledge and design skills to address housing needs and respond to the realities of communities.

The activity also encouraged students to view architecture beyond building design and consider its relationship with human dignity, quality of life and equitable access to the built environment. The International Union of Architects similarly emphasized architects' roles in advancing equitable access to housing through design, research and advocacy.

Through their proposals, students explored approaches to creating functional, sustainable, resilient and inclusive communities. The competition allowed participants to translate classroom learning into practical design responses to a pressing social concern.

The participation of architecture professionals, alumni and members of the UAP Graduate Auxiliary also strengthened the connection between architectural education and professional practice, highlighting the importance of collaboration in addressing housing and community development challenges.

Through the observance, CAFA reinforced its commitment to developing socially responsible future architects who recognize their role in shaping inclusive environments and using design to respond to the needs of people and communities.

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The activity supported MSEUF’s learning-by-doing and transformative learning philosophies by challenging architecture students to apply disciplinary knowledge to a real-world social concern. It also reflected the core values of Mindfulness, Service and Excellence by encouraging thoughtful, responsible and people-centered approaches to the built environment.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities — The strongest alignment lies in the activity’s focus on adequate housing and the development of inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable communities.
• SDG 4: Quality Education — The design competition provided an experiential learning opportunity for students to apply architectural knowledge, creativity and social awareness to a contemporary housing challenge.