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design trail: bencab museum, baguio

As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I didn’t get to visit a lot of Baguio’s tourist spots when we went there. Our visit was short but sweet. And the BenCab Museum made the trip worthwhile. We were there for the opening of the pottery show of my aunt, Ofelia Gelvezon-Téqui. Her glazed stoneware works were on display in one of the several galleries in the multi-floor structure.

{lobby/reception area}

There are works by masters like Joya, Magsaysay-Ho, Edades and contemporary pieces by young artists, indigenous crafts and artifacts, and of course BenCab’s own masterpieces. I love how they displayed the bulol rice granary gods on cantilevered shelves along one whole wall from floor to ceiling.

{bulol collection on display}

I also love how they utilized natural light throughout the whole space. They installed skylights, floor to ceiling windows and clerestory windows.The museum also has a little shop which has a nice collection of books and souvenirs and a café (Café Sabel) which overlooks the forest. Below the museum, you can also wander the farm and garden which produces organic vegetables, fruits and coffee.

{glazed stoneware by Ofelia Gelvezon-Téqui}

{Café Sabel}

{farm and garden}

The same day we were there, a group of about 600 students just visited the place! The BenCab museum just celebrated their 2nd anniversary and it’s already one of the must-see attractions in Baguio. The BenCab Museum is on Km. 6 Asin Road. For more information, visit their site, http://bencabmuseum.org/

in good taste: café by the ruins

I want to go back to Baguio. There are a few restaurants that I didn’t get to visit when we were there last month — like Oh My Gulay! and Bliss Cafe. Luckily I was able to pass by Café by the Ruins. We really enjoyed the food (especially Tita Susie’s Crispy Tapa) but what made our lunch extra special was the atmosphere of the cafe.

The mostly wood interiors made the place cozy and relaxing. And the ruins they built the place around, the house of the first civil governer of Benguet which was destroyed in World War II, made the cafe fascinating. I also like how they made use of unique nature-inspired lighting fixtures and the rough textures of wood and stone to complement the ruins. I’ll definitely go back to Café by the Ruins when I get the chance. -lilli