More than 130 architecture students, faculty members and administrators of La Consolation College Bacolod arrived in South Korea for an international academic tour aimed at giving future architects a broader understanding of design, culture, heritage and the built environment.
The delegation from the LCC Bacolod School of Architecture is composed of 127 students, six faculty members and three administrators. The tour, scheduled from June 14 to 20, forms part of the school’s effort to strengthen global exposure and prepare students for the demands of an increasingly connected architecture profession.
The itinerary includes a benchmarking visit to Cheong Ju University School of Architecture, where students and faculty are expected to learn from South Korea’s approaches to architectural education and design training. The group will also visit major architectural, cultural and urban sites, including Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Starfield COEX Library, Bukchon Hanok Village, Gyeongbok Palace, Insadong Street, Cheonggye Stream, Gwanghwamun Square, Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, N Seoul Tower and Nami Island.
LCC Bacolod President Sr. Flolyn S. Catungal, OSA, said the international exposure is part of the college’s commitment to form students who can think beyond local boundaries while remaining grounded in service and social responsibility.
“This journey opens a wider world for our students,” Catungal said. “Architecture is not only about structures. It is about people, culture, history and the way communities live. Through this exposure, we hope our students will return with deeper insight, stronger creativity and a greater sense of responsibility as future architects.”
Dr. Vincent Raymund Alovera, dean of the School of Architecture, Fine Arts and Interior Design, said the South Korea tour allows students to experience architecture as a living discipline shaped by innovation, heritage and human need.
“Our students are given the opportunity to see how design works in real settings — in universities, public spaces, historic sites and contemporary landmarks,” Alovera said. “This kind of exposure helps them connect what they learn in the studio with the realities of cities, communities and culture.”
Alovera said the visit to Dongdaemun Design Plaza, designed by Zaha Hadid, will expose students to contemporary architectural form and spatial innovation, while heritage sites such as Bukchon Hanok Village, Gyeongbok Palace and Suwon Hwaseong Fortress will help them understand preservation, identity and the role of architecture in keeping history alive.
The tour also includes cultural learning activities such as a gimbap-making experience, visits to public spaces and exposure to Korean food and community life. School officials said these activities are intended to help students understand how architecture is connected to everyday human experience.
For LCC Bacolod, the tour reflects a continuing effort to provide students with learning opportunities that extend beyond the classroom and the design studio. By seeing how another country approaches architecture, planning, heritage and public space, students are expected to develop a more global perspective that they can apply to local design challenges.
Catungal said the college hopes the experience will inspire students to become architects who are competent, compassionate and responsive to the needs of society.
“We want our students to see the world, but we also want them to come home with a renewed desire to serve,” Catungal said. “Global exposure becomes meaningful when it helps them build better communities.”
The LCC Bacolod delegation is expected to return to Bacolod on June 20.