The Inspiring Renovation of My Children’s House of Hope

Successfully designing spaces—whether it’s a dream home, a building, or even just a compact nook for your hobbies—brings a sense of fulfillment that’s incomparable and priceless. It would be even more special if your project touches the lives of others, too.

Every year, the graduating batch of BS Interior Design from the University of the Philippines—Diliman gets to design and renovate their chosen institution as part of ID 179: Special Projects in Interior Design. Aside from allowing the students to experience handling their first project as designers, it’s also an opportunity to give back and pay it forward.

Under the supervision of Dr. Raquel B. Florendo, Ph.D., the class initiated Tinig: Design that Speaks, a renovation project of My Children’s House of Hope (Bahay Bata 127). The project involves the renovation of 11 areas such as the common room, the playroom, the kitchen, and the speech pathology rooms, to name a few.

Established in 2004 by an American couple, Bahay Bata 127 started out as an annual mission trip that offered feeding and grooming programs for children in the Payatas area. It slowly turned into a community center that opened its doors to children who are hearing impaired and evolved into what it is today—they also opened a preschool for toddlers and after school activities for both primary and secondary students.

Prior to renovation, the center had colorful walls and a few nooks that could use some storage solutions and natural light. In order to improve the space, the team decided to break down walls and change the layout of the floor plan. This enabled them to maximize the space and create more open and flexible areas. The actual renovation of the center took around three and a half months to accomplish.