THE
STUDIO
We are a dynamic team of Architects, Designers, Technical Experts, Urbanists, Thinkers, and Provocateurs - driven by the pursuit of creating places and spaces that matter.
We are not defined by a certain style. We are not inclined to create cookie cutter solutions.
We are interested in shaping our cities, in developing new interpretations of the public realm, and in creating sustainable architecture that is socially relevant.
Rather, we are interested in formulating solutions that are specific and which constantly evolve through the changing times.
We Are
HANDS.
HANDS is a forward-thinking collective of architects, designers, technical experts, urbanists, strategists, and provocateurs united by one purpose: to create places that matter.
We believe architecture is more than form-it is influence, experience, and responsibility. Our work is driven by a deep commitment to shaping cities, redefining the public realm, and delivering sustainable solutions that are socially meaningful and culturally responsive.
We do not adhere to a signature style. We reject repetition and resist the ordinary. Instead, we craft context-driven solutions-thoughtful, adaptive, and progressive-designed to evolve with time and transform with the communities they serve.
At HANDS, every project is an exploration. Every space is intentional. Every design is a statement.
OUR
PHILOSOPHY
Urban Shaping and Adaptive Evolution
We view Philippine architecture not as a static identity to be reclaimed from the past, but as a living process—one that must continually evolve in response to shifting urbanization, culture, technology, and climate. Rather than imitating culture, climate, and context to inform contemporary expression.
Our work explores how architecture can intelligently confront the pressures of density and urban compression by applying lessons from the organic evolution of the traditional Filipino barrio and the Filipino without resorting to literal references. We design with awareness of movement, scale and rhythm—layering, unfolding street patterns, pedestrian flow, and spatial transitions to ensure each project strengthens the living fabric of its place.
Moving beyond the notion of isolated structures, we approach design as part of a responsive urban system—adaptive, interconnected, and forward-looking.
Environmental Intelligence and Resilient Design
Our commitment to sustainable architecture is anchored in the principles of climate and intelligent design. We treat heat, humidity, typhoons, seismic forces, and heavy rains not as constraints but as active collaborators in design. We harness these conditions to inform our material choices, building identity, and spatial strategy from the very beginning.
Rather than replicate global trends, we pursue deeply contextual solutions. Through passive cooling strategies, calibrated daylight filtration, breathable building envelopes, and climate-responsive planning, we enhance both performance and human comfort while reducing environmental impact.
Guided by research and long-term thinking, our framework ensures that every project is not only ecologically responsible, but resilient— prepared to endure and adapt to the next fifty years of climate reality.
OUR
CORE VALUES
RESEARCH-DRIVEN
INNOVATION
We don't just build; we investigate. Every project begins with an exploration of new possibilities to challenge architectural conventions.
CONTEXTUAL
RESPONSIVENESS
Our work is grounded in its environment. We translate cultural roots into a contemporary language that feels both timeless and modern.
COLLABORATIVE
DIALOGUE
We believe the best ideas evolve through partnership. We engage with our clients and specialists to ensure every design is a precise response to their needs.
THE
FOUNDERS
HANDS is led by partners Arch. Yonni R. Habúlan and Arch. Maricris B. Ngo-Habulan, alumni of the University of Santo Tomas. Their aspiration to create programmatic and technically innovative Architecture drove them to create the Studio.
Functioning as a design laboratory, the Studio gave them the freedom to explore the infinite possibilities of Design as it transcends social, cultural, and economical issues while steadily pushing the formation of a new archetype of Philippine Architecture.
Arch. Yonni R.
Habulan, UAP
Managing Partner
Arch. Yonni R. Habulan, UAP is an award-winning Filipino architect and urban strategist redefining the relationship between architecture, ecology, and the city. As Managing Partner of HANDS Group., he leads a multidisciplinary practice recognized for crafting forward-thinking, climate-intelligent, and socially responsive environments.
A graduate of the University of Santo Tomas and a Megaworld Foundation Scholar, he further advances his expertise through Urban and Regional Planning studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman—bridging architecture with long-term urban vision. His body of work spans cultural landmarks, ecological prototypes, civic spaces, and experimental urban concepts that have received international acclaim. Among these is Casa Tropica, recipient of a RED Award for Placemaking, recognized for its sensitive integration of climate, community, and contemporary Filipino identity. The studio's projects have also earned distinctions from the World Architecture Festival, Architizer A+ Awards, Futurarc Prize, and the Asia Pacific Property Awards.
Arch. Yonni R. Habulan's work is driven by one conviction: architecture must not only respond to its time—it must shape what comes next.
Arch. Maricris B.
Ngo, UAP
Managing Partner
Arch. Maricris B. Ngo-Habulan, UAP is a visionary Filipino architect and urban planner whose work bridges commercial precision with socially responsive design. As Managing Partner of HANDS Group., she co-leads a practice recognized for crafting climate-intelligent, community-driven, and future-forward architecture.
A graduate of the University of Santo Tomas, she is currently pursuing advanced studies in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of the Philippines Diliman, strengthening her expertise in large-scale urban thinking and long-term spatial strategy. Her early professional years at GF & Partners and Asya Design Partner shaped her technical depth, contributing to landmark developments such as Glorietta and Greenbelt—projects that redefined contemporary retail architecture in Metro Manila.
At HANDS, she has played a pivotal role in award-winning and internationally recognized works, including Casa Tropica, which earned a RED Award for Placemaking—affirming her commitment to creating environments that foster community, climate responsiveness, and cultural identity. The studio's body of work has also received distinctions from the World Architecture Festival, Architizer A+ Awards, Futurarc Prize, and the Asia Pacific Property Awards.
Grounded in technical rigor yet driven by creative exploration, Arch. Maricris B. Ngo-Habulan champions architecture that is collaborative, context-sensitive, and designed not only to endure—but to inspire.