MANILA – A new architecture learning center in Quezon City promises to have students’ best interests at heart.

Located across Santo Domingo Church along Quezon Avenue, Foundree is described as a “progressive” hub for aspiring architects, veering away from the usual practices at review centers.

Instead of simply focusing on passing the Architect Licensure Exam, Foundree aims to guide graduates and professionals in the next steps of their careers.

“It’s not to get as many students in the door, hindi dapat ‘yun yung goal eh… It’s about long-term impact,” said Foundree chief operating officer Edeline Payawal.

“We have ASEAN architects now,” she went on. “There’s ASEAN integration and everybody’s supposed to be a global citizen now. And if you are still being taught the way your parents were taught, iwan ka na. Paano ka magpo-progress? Paano tayo hahabol? We have to be competitive. And we want to help in that regard also to help the Filipino architects to be more competitive, to be more prepared for the global arena because that’s essentially where we’re going.”

Foundree can be easily considered an Instagram-worthy facility, with its colorful murals and open ceilings.

It offers review courses and professional development programs, as well as occasional seminars where esteemed architects share their knowledge with interested participants.

ABS-CBN News got to talk to Payawal on the sidelines of the learning center’s grand launch.

Here are excerpts from the interview:

Q: Can you tell us the story behind Foundree?

“Foundree is basically a collective vision, a way of paying it forward from the founders like Jason (Buensalido) and Gerard (Dy), who are both architects. And also for me – we came to a point that we found our calling in terms of mentorship. Not to be cheesy, but it’s really trying to… andoon ka sa time in your career na you want to make an impact on the next generation. Oddly enough, everyone was also on the same page.

“So noong si Jason in-approach niya si Gerard na parang, ‘What do you think about the school?’ Si Jason really wanted to expand his business interest into a school. Si Gerard naman, he always thought of himself as a teacher who has a sideline in architecture, kasi ‘yun ‘yung primary niya. Ako naman, I’m into business consultancy and I love mentoring startups and also small businesses. And from there, Foundree was born.”

Q: How did the name Foundree come about?

“It’s a combination of two words – foundry, where you cast metal so it molds into anything you want it to be; and tree, which is an allusion to the tree of knowledge. So it’s a combination of the two.

“We want to help mold the future of Philippine architecture and also with emphasis on learning, passing on knowledge, kaya Foundree. There is a tree is in the middle [of the logo] and branches na iba-ibang kulay to represent the different generations – the younger ones and the older ones, showing the diversity of the field. Then the face is actually like a book that is open, and then the tip of it is actually an arrow. Kasi nga raw, di ba, ‘Children are like arrows that you cast on to the world.’”

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Q: You keep referring to Foundree as a “progressive school.” What exactly makes it progressive?

“It’s progressive because the focus is on the quality of learning; we really wanted it to be different. Kasi ang traditional would be authoritarian style, ‘I talk, you listen to me.’ We wanted to be more democratic and more dynamic so there’s a lot of exchange, a lot of workshops, interactive activities inserted in all the programs, and a lot of multimedia.

“We also always use the term ‘real learning.’ Parang kasi di ba, imagine if you’re cramped in a room and you’re just there trying to listen for eight hours straight, walang ma-absorb eh. You will hear it, but it won’t stay there. So kailangan talaga may processing. And even the environment has to let you breathe.

“When we did our market research before doing this business, ang dami nilang kinukwento na, ‘ang hirap.’ The review for board exams was like a rite of passage [for them] – ‘mas mahirap, mas okay.’ Parang tanggap na nila, they’re so resigned to the bad experience. Ang point namin is, why? You deserve more. You guys deserve more, so we want to give you more… Ang hirap naman na ang ginagawa nila natutulog lang sila ng 3 hours in a day and they have to go to work. Tapos papasok sila [sa review] sa gabi, late pa ‘yung teachers nila ng 2 hours, ‘yung mga ganun. Tapos pagdating doon, ang dilim, amoy aso – ‘yung ang mga horror stories nila.”

Q: What are your main programs? Do you also have unique courses for students?

“We still have the traditional programs which are the comprehensive review, the design review, and the refresher review. That’s foundation eh, primary courses ‘yun eh.

“But we also have the special courses like the mock board exam session, where we simulate the actual board exams. They come in their white shirt and dapat ‘yung dala nila sa boards… Kasi ang daming horror stories na mali ‘yung calculator na dinala, mali ‘yung damit na sinuot, so pinapauwi sila. Or minsan kahit sa mga Facebook groups makikita mo, [tatanungin nila kung] ano ‘yung tamang calculator na dadalhin. It’s a standalone program, and as far as we know, it’s not offered in other review centers.

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“We also have booster classes, which is like a deconstructed refresher. Sa refresher kasi may seven subjects eh, but ‘yung booster classes hiwa-hiwalay siya ino-offer. Ang point namin diyan is it’s deconstructed so students can customize based on what they need. So kung feeling nila sa building systems and utilities weak sila doon, ‘yun na lang ‘yung i-take nila. Huwag na silang gumastos with the whole review. Or kung gusto lang nila ng something extra, like pump up their confidence in that specific subject, it gives them the power to customize and choose for themselves. We feel that it’s also cost-effective.”

Q: When did you start accepting students?

“Noong May, we started doing our pilot classes, but these are mostly free classes kasi we also try to gauge muna and get feedback from the students and the teachers. So we’re trying to see if we need more workshops or more interactions. So far, it’s been very fulfilling, maganda ‘yung feedback noong students. Actually, they’re very emotional when they give us feedback.

“The first class will start at the end of July. In each class, we accommodate 50 students para maluwag.”

Q: How did you choose the professors?

“Some of them are visiting, but we have our program directors. Kasi ‘yung isa naming na-realize when it comes to the traditional review centers is they only choose teachers based on availability. Pero sabi namin, parang di ‘yun optimal so let’s also do it in a way na it’s based on their expertise. Kunyari, like our program director for codes and professional practice, ‘yun talaga yung expertise niya.

“So we have director heads for history and theory, codes and professional practice, design and planning, building systems and utilities, and professional development programs.”

Q: What are your rates?

“The rates are very competitive kasi we did our research and we really wanted it to be affordable. We’re trying to come up with ways to make it more cost-efficient for our students, like the booster classes.

“One of the review centers, for example, their review is P11,000 but that’s 108 hours, equivalent to 12 days. But us, we offer 156 hours for the same price, so it’s much, much longer, almost 50% more.”

Q: Do you have a scholarship program?

“Yes, but we do it differently. Kasi sa traditional review centers, they only offer free admission kapag cum laude standing. Pero kasi it’s a business tactic – if they get the cum laudes, most likely they would place in the boards, so they have bragging rights and they have their advertisement. Us naman kasi, what we want is to give equal opportunity. What if hindi naman talaga sila magaling sa academics but their heart is in it and magaling ang kamay nila? Or wala lang talaga silang opportunity?

“For the selection process, the primary criterion is their story. They have to submit first a video essay of their story on why they want to become an architect and why they deserve to be a scholar. Then we’ll interview them and select from there.

“Right now, we have four slots for the scholarship. The application is ongoing, and the deadline is by the end of the month.”

Q: What has been your biggest challenge in putting up Foundree?

“I think it’s getting the word out there kasi we’re competing with review centers that have been in the business for more than 20 years. And ngayon, kahit anong gawin namin, they’re reacting like really fast. ‘O ginawa niyo ‘yan, edi gagawin din namin.’

“But we’re happy we’re shaking things up. We don’t see it as a negative that they’re reacting to us. It’s good because it means we’re impacting change. If nakita nila ‘yung sa amin and they want to step up their game, who benefits? The students. So it’s fine. Natutuwa lang kami.”