The Stephan Holzinger monograph, Moments of Life, Live Moments, was launched in Manila through a vernissage by Design For Tomorrow in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Makati. Stephan Holzinger is a self-taught street photographer whose work captures the unadorned and unscripted poetry of everyday life: fleeting glances on bustling streets, shadows dancing in urban light, and human presence in motion. After decades of representation, foreign relations, and negotiations, his perspective shifted into a lifetime’s pursuit of clarity—light piercing complexity, resilience blooming in silence, purpose etched in every frame.

Emerging from an intentional way of seeing how life unfolds, Stephan’s debut monograph, Moments of Life, Live Moments, transforms ordinary scenes from his travels into profound reflections on humanity. Through Holzinger’s lens, unguarded impressions turn into an invitation to witness, feel, and join something that reaches beyond the images. Each spread extends a small gesture, an urge to honor life’s unadorned edges—the everyday, just as it is.

Framing Passion Into Presence

Design For Tomorrow played a central role in bringing Holzinger’s vision into form. We designed the monograph, curating layouts that preserve Stephan’s unfiltered authenticity while infusing purposeful structure. We also orchestrated the vernissage for launching the monograph, facilitating an intimate, ambient gathering for reflection that turned each page into a living dialogue.

Hope Through Every Page

All proceeds from Moments of Life, Live Moments support the Rotary Club of Makati’s The THREEE AI Academy and Anak-Tulay ng Kabataan Foundation, Inc. These partners champion and uplift children and communities with education, empowerment, and care, echoing the book’s message of restoring dignity, resilience, and hope—even in the streets.

Gratitude in the Gesture: A Lasting Echo

This project encourages us to reflect, witness, and support work that creates a quiet yet lasting impact. Moments of Life, Live Moments endures as that invitation—now amplified through Design For Tomorrow.

We are deeply honored to have been given the privilege of being part of this impactful initiative, with profound gratitude to Stephan Holzinger and his family for entrusting us with a fulfilling project that contributes to the empowerment of the underprivileged youth.

To secure a copy of the monograph and select prints from the vernissage, you may reach out to the following:

While the European edition is set for release in the coming weeks, copies of the monograph and select prints from the Manila launch can be secured through the project’s partner organizations:

The Rotary Club of Makati
Email: rcm3830@gmail.com
Contact: Angie Falceso
Mobile: +63 977 804 2865

ANAK-Tnk – Tulay ng Kabataan Foundation, Inc.
Website: www.anak-tnk.org

You may also visit Stephan’s website for more information about his work.

Holzinger’s vernissage will also continue to be hosted at Spruce Gallery in Manila from March 14 to April 3, 2026. Follow Spruce Gallery on Instagram for updates.

Spruce Gallery Exhibition

The post From Street to Spread: Design For Tomorrow Brings Stephan Holzinger’s Monograph to Life appeared first on Design For Tomorrow.

Last April 2025, Design For Tomorrow (DFT) partnered with the Ateneo Collegiate Society of Advertising (CoSA) to take part in their flagship project, Ad Expo. This annual program offers Ateneo students firsthand insights into the dynamics and work culture in the advertising industry through brand-led experiences, agency activations, and career opportunities. This year’s edition was themed Ad to Cart, and with our participation, we aimed to offer a unique perspective, emphasizing the crucial role that branding plays in the industry. 

We participated in the on-campus booth fair for two consecutive days, offering inquisitive students an inside look at our agency’s work and role in the creative industry. We showcased some of our works and opened internship opportunities for students aspiring to gain hands-on experience in the creative industry. We also plugged our sister company, Spruce Gallery, a third-space shop and art gallery in Ortigas that houses independent magazines. 

Honored to Inspire the Next Wave

Our engagement extended to the talk series, where DFT’s Creative Director and Chief Strategist, Ric Gindap, delivered a keynote on navigating the creative process of campaigns. Our talk explored how innovative strategies can amplify a brand’s market presence, illustrated by case studies from our work with luxury property, The Velaris Residences, and five-star event and entertaining brand, Marquis. Among the other guest speakers were Dennis Austriaco, Head of Nescafé, who discussed creating an authentic brand identity that fosters lasting customer loyalty, and Juliana Denise, a marketing strategist and entrepreneur, who shared strategies on positioning products as must-have items. 

We are honored and grateful for the cherished opportunity to play a meaningful role in crafting an inspiring journey for the next generation of aspiring creative, advertising, and branding professionals.

We are currently accepting internship applications. If you are interested in working with DFT, visit our careers page for more details or send your CV and portfolio to bl@designfortomorrow.co.

The post DFT at Ad Expo 2025: Branding the Future with Ateneo’s Aspiring Creatives appeared first on Design For Tomorrow.

Pacita Abad was a storyteller, a traveler, and an innovator. Born into a political family in 1946, her artistic journey was prompted when she moved abroad, initially intending to pursue graduate studies in the field of law. Shortly after, she took up Asian History in San Francisco, exposing herself to the 1970s robust art scene. She has traveled extensively, setting in motion a lifetime of exploration, frequently revisiting her homeland and residing in various locations around the world. Needless to say, her peripatetic lifestyle shaped her perspective, infusing cultures and social consciousness into every piece she created.

Weaving Culture into Canvas

Abad was an avid collector—not just of experiences, but of materials and traditions. The fabrics and weaving techniques she encountered through her transglobal ventures inspired the creation of the trapunto painting, a process that involves layering, stitching, stuffing, and sewing fabric into canvas. Crafting an art that was not just seen but felt—vibrant, tactile, and deeply expressive. Through color, texture, and intricate patterns, she transformed personal and collective narratives into something tangible, giving voice to the places and people that shaped her journey.

A Vivid Sense of Identity

As a reflection of both her personal and global consciousness, Abad’s works centered around various themes relating to sociopolitical commentary, cultural celebration, and abstract exploration. Her art carried the weight of history and the urgency of the present, capturing stories of resilience, displacement, and celebration. Whether evoking political demonstrations, migration from the purview of an immigrant, or other nuances of society’s disenfranchised including indigenous and tribal identities, her artistry is an expression of experiences across communities, economies, and histories—probing into unchartered reflections with a sense of global identity.

An Enduring Legacy

Pacita Abad passed away in 2004, but the ripples of her legacy endures. Beyond exhibitions that celebrate her extensive oeuvre and significant contributions to contemporary art, her imprint persists to resonate even beyond the confines of the art community. She is revered for her role as a trailblazer for female artists and for her innovative commitment to illustrating cultural perspectives through dynamic visual storytelling.

As creative professionals, we draw parallelisms from Abad’s art and visions. At DFT, we believe that great design is nestled in great inspiration. Our global footprint and wealth of experience serve as powerful catalysts that amplify us to uniquely express the visions of our collaborators. We accentuate the nuanced and bring in novel perspectives—ultimately crafting compelling and meaningful stories for the brands we articulate.

Visit the Pacita Abad: Philippine Painter exhibition on the 3rd Floor of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila until March 30, 2025.

The post THE HOMECOMING TO CULTURE—Pacita Abad at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila appeared first on Design For Tomorrow.

Why Branding Is The Shorthand of An Entrepreneur’s Story

On Friday, 22nd of November 2024, the entire SMX Convention Center Manila was filled with an estimated 120 exhibitors, 180 business solutions, and attendees reaching more than 17,000 within a 2-day event. Thirty keynote speakers shared their experience, passion, and most of all, hard-earned wisdom in running their own businesses. ‘Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart,’ my great friend and colleague Ric Gindap opens the series of talks with an audience who understood in the bosom of their existence what daily bravery means to one who has decided to run a business, and decides for that entity every day, come what may.

My father, called Ave by the whole town and people who loved him dearly, was a serial entrepreneur in the food business (despite later being beleaguered by serious illnesses). Going into business was a primal reaction to losing a job at the factory when my siblings and I were in high school.

Primal reaction is what’s elicited when humans are tested for survival. The word ‘serial’ gets a bad rep in modern times, but for an entrepreneur, ‘serial’ amounts to an incredible amount of courage to start right from the beginning, often with nothing, and to surmount desperations (but also celebrate wins) that words fall short for.

On stage heralding the entire 15ᵗʰ Philippine SME Business Expo is a lady named Trixie Esguerra-Abrenilla, whose beloved husband David Abrenilla, PhilSME’s former CEO and biggest advocate, had passed on in 2023. Trixie ‘inherited’ what now goes beyond an advocacy and has become a singular lifeblood for SMEs. What amount of bravery would Trixie have to summon, not just during events like these, but in daily life, I wondered. Entrepreneurship consists of constant restarts.

Once in 2022, for World Entrepreneurship Day, I penned lines which Ric had then asked Homonym (another entrepreneurial company who works with the science of music) to weave some melody into. Each line in that poetry was a vignette of the seasonality of emotions that accompany an entrepreneur’s life. ‘You’re the first in the office, because you never left,’ was enough reminder from Ric on the dire hole entrepreneurs have excavated for ourselves – from which we manage to come up for an air of fulfillment every now and then. And everyone can use a whole lot of help, starting with being seen and heard, as an entrepreneur and as a brand.

Creativity gives us hope. One of the many tools of the entrepreneur is branding, and an indispensable one at that.

The genesis of branding dates to 2700 BC among ancient Egyptians when livestock were branded because there was no way of identifying them should one landlord’s sheep or cattle cross the land of another. Branding was about ownership, identity, and even a magic spell that protected animals from harm.

Then and now, in a thousand-year span, branding still does its magic. It’s still an owner’s most prominent asset which holds his intentions, his vision, his hopes and dreams, and his potential to be valuable.

At Design For Tomorrow, branding is the ultimate shorthand of your story. And one, that at all costs, entrepreneurs must be proud of. We must commit our own stories to memory.

‘Branding pervades almost everything these days,’ Ric says, extending from popularly known global enterprises present in our daily consumption to business startups in all industries to countries to politics to superheroes to individual celebrities and influencers, human and non-human.

Think for a moment about the sea of brands: who or what actually gets your share of significance? A few might. But also, many won’t.

Two bags, same size, same shape, same type of material. One is US$18 and the other is US$18 million. While there are intrinsic differences in quality and provenance, the value perception is as large as the Pacific Ocean. And the pride in ownership, as vast.

One bread, one story. The humble pan de coco is one of the most loved local breads in the Philippines. It’s my favorite. When travelling out of town, it’s one of those treats I joyfully look for, because when it’s made good, it is good. It’s flour-full, coconut meat-loaded, and sugar-drenched.

Filipinos love it because it’s delicious, filling, affordable, and easy to find in hometown panaderias.

The owner of COCOPAN approached Ric one day, and said, ‘We know that you’re doing premium branding, but think of a call center, a single mother, somebody who will rush in the morning and plow through the day with nothing but a single pan de coco as their fuel.’

At that very moment, the humble pan de coco was a piece of bread no more, it was fuel for humans who need to go through the lengths of everyday work, with nothing much in their pockets and stomachs. COCOPAN, the courage to continue. It is one among numerous unique stories we love to tell.

There’s a semi-question that Ric has forever etched in my mind: ‘Imagine what we can do, if we were less afraid?’ And we both ponder on it endlessly. Every entrepreneurial and every worthy human story is a narrative of being less afraid. DFT has become a keeper of stories, and a shaper of identities. We differentiate, elevate, captivate. A huge amount of technicality goes with the work, yet the real human work belongs to an entrepreneur.

Our little team spent a bit of time at the DFT booth especially designed to welcome visitor inquiries and for them to drop entries to win a DFT branding service package (or for the introverts, allow one to grab a brochure unnoticed). It was the quintessential un-booth. No official facades, multiple entrances, Swiss-Japanese inspired open seating, real breathing plants, and only a big signage of a thought to take home: ‘Welcome to a partnership where your dream takes center stage.’ And on that day, there were nearly 20,000 dreamers and 20,000 storytellers, discovering their share of significance.

Pris Santos is Director of Strategy and Head of Copy for Design For Tomorrow, working closely with CEO & Founder Ric Gindap and the team in developing communication strategies and crafting brand narratives.

The post Our Share of Significance in the Sea of Sameness appeared first on Design For Tomorrow.

Design For Tomorrow celebrated a progressive architectural firm’s milestone project with the launch of Shifting Sands – Visions, Propositions, and Imaginations. This monograph marks the transformation of Buensalido Architects into their new name, Barchan Architecture. 

At the launch event at Manila House, BGC, this past April 25, 2024, Jason Buensalido and his team acknowledged our Manila-based creative agency’s work in orchestrating all the elements of this 400-page mammoth. 

Both Barchan’s brand identity and Shifting Sands were designed by Design For Tomorrow’s Mikaela Torres, with grid, typesetting and technical direction by Senior Designer Israel Contreras. The book project was managed by Michelle Longronio, with overall creative direction from Ric Gindap, Rashina Tuazon and Bonnapart Galeng. A project spanning nearly three years – from branding to book design –  this weighty monograph highlights Barchan’s “innovative, original, and forward-thinking design solutions” across disciplines.

At the launch event, founder Jason Bunesalido thanked the Design For Tomorrow team “for [their] creative direction and putting together all of our thoughts and visuals into this wonderful piece of art that allows our ideas to be shared to the world.” 

Design For Tomorrow has long been a partner of the Buensalido team, having also helmed the design of their 2014 book, Random Responses: A Crusade to Contemporize Philippine Architecture. Jason Buensalido once remarked, “There are a lot of branding agencies out there, but if you want a group that really listens to you in an empathetic way, really tries to extract what you mean and what your objectives are beyond what you are saying; Design For Tomorrow […] is the perfect match for you.”

This is only one of Design For Tomorrow’s branding and design work for homegrown brands that have been making an impact throughout the Philippines and beyond. Most recently, DFT rebranded the heritage shoe and bag brand Mendrez, which has since had its first store re-opening in SM City Cebu. Design For Tomorrow are also behind the branding of two local start-ups in Cocopan, a neighborhood bakery, and Reseta, a community pharmacy which has just opened in Malolos, Bulacan. Elsewhere, the newly Singapore-registered company has made a global impact in cities such as Tokyo, Munich, Vienna, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Melbourne, and Pretoria. 

Design For Tomorrow’s signature style is marked by timeless sophistication and branding co-crafted in collaboration with their clients. Moving forward, Design For Tomorrow continues to pursue projects underpinned by their work as Vision Articulators^®. Design For Tomorrow has established prominence in Placemaking, or the delicate art of crafting spaces into living narratives. Recently completed luxury property development projects include Eluria (Arthaland), The Observatory (FNG / Federal Land + Nomura Real Estate) and Velaris Residences (RHK / Robinsons Land + Hong Kong Land). 

Design For Tomorrow’s sibling is Spruce Gallery, an independent magazine store and art gallery in Ortigas that recently celebrated its opening salvo this past March 9 with the launch of Boys! Boys! Boys! The Book. Both companies act as creative outlets for its shared team on their mutual quest for expression. 

Shifting Sands is now available on the Barchan Architecture website and you may order here.

Design For Tomorrow is always on the lookout for potential partners and projects. You can express your interest at designfortomorrow.co or via email at nb@designfortomorrow.co.

The post Design For Tomorrow Launches Barchan Architecture’s First Monograph, Shifting Sands  appeared first on Design For Tomorrow.

It is high time for the printed art form to take center stage as Spruce Gallery opens its doors to the public in Ortigas Center.

The store’s carefully selected collection of magazines spans a wide range of titles, from indie faves Monocle, The Gentlewoman, Kinfolk, Apartamento to design bibles like Design Anthology, It’s A Passion Thing, Wallpaper, Frame; LGBTQ+ zines such as Butt, Boys! Boys! Boys!, Kink and iconic Japanese titles such as Popeye and Casa Brutus.  Each magazine is handpicked for its unique perspective and editorial excellence, ensuring that visitors will discover new and exciting voices in the world of publishing. As a champion of independent voices, Spruce Gallery will also prominently carry zines locally and from Southeast Asia. Many of these titles are being made available in the Philippines for the first time. 

In addition, Spruce Gallery Ortigas also features a rotating selection of art exhibitions, showcasing the works of emerging and established artists from the Philippines and around the world. The gallery’s commitment to celebrating diverse and innovative artistic expression provides visitors with a chance to experience the breadth and depth of contemporary art.

Spruce Gallery is the brainchild of Bonnapart Galeng and Ric Gindap, who are also colleagues at Design for Tomorrow, one of the Philippines’ top branding and creative agencies based in Manila, and now registered in Singapore. Gindap is currently Design for Tomorrow’s CEO and Chief Creative Director. DFT has just entered its second decade of vision articulation for high-profile clients, both in the Philippines and around the world.

Design for Tomorrow developed Spruce Gallery’s brand identity, logo design, packaging design, digital and social media applications, as well as signage design and in-store environment. Both Spruce Gallery and Design for Tomorrow will act as inseparable partners in our collective quest for various manifestations of creative expression. 

“Our biggest goal is to build a community,” says Spruce Gallery co-founder Bonnapart Galeng. “We really believe we’ve opened a space that will inspire creativity and attract like-minded individuals to embrace their own creative potential.”

Spruce Gallery welcomes readers, printmakers, artists, and creative enthusiasts from all walks of life as it opens its doors this month. It is located on UG3, Upper Ground Floor, of City & Land Mega Plaza along ADB Avenue in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

To learn more about Spruce Gallery, follow their Instagram at @sprucegalleryph.

Photos by Jar Concengco

To request a press kit, please e-mail jam@designfortomorrow.co

The post Spruce Gallery Opens For Magazine Lovers In Manila appeared first on Design For Tomorrow.

It only took a year for this premier aesthetics clinic to become a powerhouse in elevating the beauty scene in the region, providing world-class beauty for Davaoeños and the Mindanao region at large. Davao is set to be the next beauty and wellness destination in the Philippines, putting the region along the list of prestigious aesthetic clinics across the country.

Prioré brings a well-rounded approach to Davao beauty and wellness. Prioré’s top-notch service is an experience of feeling confident and comfortable in your own skin, both inside and out, and the bespoke identity that DFT developed beauty and wellness branding that speaks to both the physical and the emotional. The triumphant celebration held recently was a resounding signal of the success of both the brand and vision of Prioré!

We’re more than excited to see what Prioré has in store for the coming years! Prioré has indeed elevated the beauty and wellness landscape in the city, and we’re more than honored to have collaborated with them in articulating this world-class branding vision to life. 

Learn more about Prioré’s services and more on their website and social media.

The post Prioré Beauty and Wellness Center Celebrates its First Anniversary appeared first on Design For Tomorrow.

This award-giving body celebrates distinctive and groundbreaking property globally, with categories ranging from interior design, architecture, and residential design projects. COMMTALK’s vision of a sustainably well-lived life earned high recognition marks.

Continuing years of collaboration, Alveo briefed Design for Tomorrow to publish the special 20th Year edition of COMMTALK, the brand’s engagement platform and community lifestyle magazine.

Themed “Panoramas of a Life Well Lived,” COMMTALK walks readers through different perspectives on living life and creating meaningful change from a wide array of topics such as design, technology, sustainability, art, lifestyle, and fashion. The publication also highlights the significant milestones of Alveo’s contribution to Philippine real estate and its contribution to nation building.

Design For Tomorrow delivered a thoughtfully-crafted edition through fresh stories, stunning visuals, and elegant design highlighting the work of innovators, craftspeople, creative thinkers, and the bright sparks that inspire and do things for a life well lived. 

Alveo’s achievements, vision, ideals and practice over two decades, filtered through the lens of sustainability and quality of life are celebrated in this landmark edition. The richly-produced magazine is widely distributed to all partner institutions and Alveo communities and beyond.

Design For Tomorrow is thrilled to receive the news of Alveo’s well-earned win at the TITAN Property Awards. We extend our congratulations to our loyal collaborators – the talented writers, photographers, designers, illustrators, stylists, editors, who all endeavor to elevate COMMTALK to the realm of excellence!

The post Alveo’s COMMTALK Magazine Receives TITAN Platinum Award for 20th Anniversary Issue appeared first on Design For Tomorrow.

Most recently, Arthaland unveiled its intent to usher in sustainable design thinking with the launch of Eluria – a sustainable, ultra-luxurious, and super-exclusive residential property in Rada, Legazpi Village, Makati. Limited to only 37 well-conceived units, the project has already garnered LEED, WELL CORE, EDGE, and BERDE certifications without compromising amenities, quality, and ideals.

Eluria’s architecture, with its contemporary treehouse concept integrated with the interiors’ Japanese philosophy of Wabi-sabi, is the masterful execution of FMB Architect Michael Banak. 

Manifesting a luxury home that is mindful of its context, place, and spirit and incorporating elements of nature results in an elegant condominium, full of space and light and replete with top-line materials, finishes, and sustainable features. MJB further elaborates on the thought process behind Eluria in the above extensive interview.

The Eluria brand, conceived by Design for Tomorrow, echoes the project’s sophistication and craftsmanship. DFT commissioned a bespoke typeface from Tudotype Foundry‘s João Miranda that speaks of the brand’s values, aspirations, and personality. Eluria’s logo embodies “a house flourishing with beauty and light” or “a path to illumination,” communicating mindfulness, wellness, refinement, and purposeful life that embrace sustainable luxuries.

Design For Tomorrow also developed two vision articulation films, a suite of brand applications, an exclusive book/monograph, a brand experience strategy, showroom graphics, wayfinding system, and also instrumental for the conceptualization and realization of Arthaland’s prestige property services to support Eluria’s superior value.

For Arthaland, Eluria stands as its most ambitious project yet, and the commitment to sustainable luxury real estate will be Arthaland’s brand philosophy moving forward.

Architectural Design by FMB Architects
Eluria Showroom Design by Jigs Adefuin of Adefuin Design Studio
Bespoke Typeface by Tudotype Foundry
Date Published April 27, 2023

The post Eluria’s Sustainable Design For Ultra-Luxurious Living By Arthaland appeared first on Design For Tomorrow.

This launch was inevitable after a successful rebranding launch with their new boutique store in i12 Katong in Singapore with the new branding identity incorporated. The new identity created in collaboration with Manila-based creative consultancy Design for Tomorrow further communicated their mission to be kind to the environment and to the self with what one eats. Branding kindness for a plant-based dessert in Malaysia is a step towards creating brands in Southeast Asia that pursue sustainability and health & wellness in food and beverage products. Their expansion from Singapore is now in full swing to go towards neighboring Asian countries.

Kind Kones continues to share with the world how plant-based desserts are up to par with traditional confectionery, with collaborations on brands that share their advocacy for sustainability and greener living. Design for Tomorrow wanted to honor that commitment by putting their advocacy into their branding and design, creating bespoke yet accessible wordmarks and logomarks for audiences of all ages and profiles. The new retail products are a testament to their commitment to make plant-based products a staple and a suitable yet equally delicious choice as a dessert.

Find out more about Kind Kones’ story and branding identity here.

The post Kind Kones Launches New Retail Line-up Hitting Malaysian Grocery Stores appeared first on Design For Tomorrow.