Moment At Dusk - Simple Surprises

Baguio - Views, originally uploaded by jsigharas.

We stumbled across this particular mountain view as we explored the grounds of Baguio City's Convention Hall, one of the venues for the 2007 International Junior Delphic Games.

Almost anywhere you travel to in and around Baguio, nicknamed the "city of pines", it is common to come across breathtaking vistas that cause you to want to stop and appreciate what the present moment has to offer. It is those simple, instant surprise glances from nature that has caused me to re-assess where I am exactly in the world, and on what island (out of 7,000 or so) that I'm living on. As introspective as it sounds (and maybe even cliche), scenic views like these are special to the Philippines since the majority of the population live in the lowlands, and seeing that the highest concentration of mountains are on one island, ours; Luzon Island. It's truly a shame for anyone to come to Baguio and have their first impressions overshadowed by the pollution, trash and the unpleasing aesthetics of the concrete homes that have crept up what was once a city well-integrated with nature. The difference between the natural environment and the artificial is strikingly stark. The competing, unharmonious character of the two is one of the issues that Alex and I are basing our work on and striving to alleviate. Speaking to David, he reflected on his first experience coming and moving to Baguio some 20 odd years ago when it was still a small town in the mountains. Back then, he said, "I was able to go on my morning jogs around Burnham Park, with the morning mist and the fresh smell of pine in the air. If you were to do that now, you'd suffocate from all the pollution from jeepneys and taxis". Imagine if one day we were able to recreate this memory and feeling in Baguio, and any other decaying city in the world for that matter. This is our challenge, this is why we are here as students and designers, and this is why we feel that progressing in that direction is the most crucial effort one can make. This must happen now, or else vistas like this may never be seen again.