Last holiday season, the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Bachelor of Science in Interior Design Batch 2025 embodied the spirit of generosity by giving back to the community through Silay Kulay: Design Through the Lens of a Child. This capstone project continues the 22-year legacy of the UP Diliman interior design students' commitment to giving back to the community through their selected beneficiary.
Legacy of service through design
For over two decades, UP Diliman’s BS Interior Design program has showcased how interior design can serve communities. Through the course ID 179: Special Project, graduating students combine passion, creativity, and social advocacy, aligning with the university’s core values of honor, excellence, and service. The students of the BS Interior Design Batch 2025 continue this legacy with Silay Kulay and their chosen beneficiary, the St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) Shelter for Girls.
Transforming lives through interior design
The SVP Shelter for Girls provides refuge and care for girls ages 6 to 12 by offering education, healthcare, and emotional support. Over the course of a semester, the students from the BS Interior Design Batch 2025 meticulously planned and constructed renovations to nine spaces within the shelter. Drawing inspiration from the girls' artworks, the students redesigned key spaces to create functional, safe, and inspiring environments that cater to their needs.
Silay Kulay, derived from the Filipino words silay (to glimpse) and kulay (color), brings the children’s sketches to life, transforming the shelter into a vibrant space for hope, learning, and safety. Through thoughtful design strategies and features, Silay Kulay nurtures the girls' emotional and personal development, aligning with the SVP Shelter’s mission to empower them and help build their growth for a brighter future.
On December 17, 2024, the students officially turned over the newly transformed spaces in a ceremony filled with joy and gratitude. This meaningful event celebrated the collaborative efforts of students, mentors, donors, and sponsors who supported the project. It also highlighted the students’ desire to give back during the season of giving, ensuring that the girls at SVP had a brighter and more nurturing space to call home. The SVP Shelter for Girls now features thoughtfully designed spaces, including the entryway, receiving area, hallway, stairs, toilet and bath, dining area, kitchen, stock room, and multi-purpose area, all catering to the girls' emotional, educational, and recreational needs.
Designing brighter futures
Silay Kulay emphasizes that interior design is more than just aesthetics—it is about creating spaces that inspire, heal, and empower the lives of everyone. This capstone project reflects the notion that good design should be accessible to all, especially those in need, fostering brighter futures and stronger communities.
As the graduating batch of UP Diliman’s BS Interior Design students moves forward, they carry with them the lessons of Silay Kulay: that through thoughtful design, empathy, and purpose, one can transform lives and embody the true spirit of service.