Two features have always characterised Filipino design: care for community and connection to the environment. As the early Christmas season rolls back around, it is also time for the country’s foremost architects, interior designers and creatives to gather in conversation. 

Tatler has rounded up three significant events happening in the design community this season. The gatherings are deeply rooted in the context of modern living, harnessing modern technology while honouring the traditions that make Southeast Asia a force to reckon with. 

From the International Design Conference on September 18 to the Anthology Festival happening from October 2 to 4, here are 3 design-led events you won’t want to miss.  Anthology Festival 2026 (October 2-4)

In the historic district of Intramuros, Manila, architects, designers, cultural practitioners and more will be conversing about the state of ASEAN design under the theme “Shared Ground: Architecture of Care, Culture, and Collective Futures”.

Organised by WTA Architecture & Design Studio in partnership with the City of Manila, Intramuros Administration and National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the tenth year of this festival will explore how design is impacted by heritage, public life, governance and the ever-changing state of Southeast Asian cities. 

Anthology Festival will feature 128 speakers from the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, as well as three international keynotes, cross-sector roundtables, ten regional installations, open presentations and evening forums.

“We are not looking for one imported answer to the future city,” shared William Ti, the festival curator, founder and principal architect of WTA Architecture & Design Studio. “The region is already generating its own knowledge and models. Anthology is a place to make those ideas visible, put them into conversation and ask what we can build together.”