A Cebu-based design firm is making a name not only in the Philippines, but also on top of the world.
ArchiGlobal Inc., an architectural firm based in Mandaue City, Cebu, is gaining stellar traction from the global industry as it boasts a handful of multimillion-peso projects across the province, the Philippines, and its neighboring countries.
Architect Michael Torres, the current president and chief executive officer, established a design firm 18 years ago–-he once dreamt of—that would have a significant impact on and from Cebu.
“His (Torres) dream evolved,” Arch. Jonas R. Suan, the chief operating officer of ArchiGlobal, recalled. “He kept repeating it, he wanted to nurture and prevent brain drain from talents here [in Cebu] and from going abroad to look for better opportunities.”
Since July 2008, the firm has continued to prove its grit and passion by delivering master planning and architectural design services aligned with its mission of “creating impactful, functional, and inspiring spaces.”
However, rough patches were still encountered since then, including starting as small as only fewer than 20 creative employees, mostly working only on residential designs as its early project, and needing expansion of its logistics and operations.
To resolve and improve their productivity, they aimed to adapt to the new ways of planning productions through transitioning from two-dimensional modelling to three; however, they lacked the needed access to upgraded hardware.
Materializing this vision, ArchiGlobal received funding assistance from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through its Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) in September 2022.
Amounting to Php 2.6-million worth of funds, multiple sets of computers and other devices were procured, enabling the improvement of design production efficiency alongside realizing the needed modelling shift.
“The challenge before was when we analyze plans—structural, mechanical, plumbing, sanitary works, electrical—ini-imagine lang namin 3D [‘yung plan], pero we're [only looking at a 2D paper],” the architect shared.
With improved efficiency, ArchiGlobal reported the DOST intervention streamlined the contract documents stage and reduced more than half of drawing production time of a standard 10,000 square-meter (sqm) project.
This enabled them to take on at least three additional 10,000 sqm projects annually that brought a total capacity to about five projects and generated an estimated Php15 million revenue, amounting to up to 30 percent annual growth.
Currently, ArchiGlobal is composed of 120 creatives which helped work on 200 designs and structures projects under their belt, covering 1,350 hectares of land and 2.9 million sqm of space.
“I asked him, ‘Mike, did you foresee that you'll grow this big?’ And he said, ‘Yes’,” Suan shared. “But not this fast.”
Among these projects were the renovation of Ayala Center Cebu in 2024, construction of Mahi Mactan in 2026, designing of Ilocos’ Caniaw Peak, projects in Mindanao and South Luzon, commercial places in Japan and Indonesia, and the reconstruction of the well-known tourist spot Tops Cebu.
“When we (ArchiGlobal) design, one of the top of our minds is the user experience. It's not just helping our clients to sell or to get revenue, but also the experience of people,” the architect said.
The company maintains good designs, which makes people feel pleasant and enables them to navigate through spaces made with holistic material design that is flexible and can evolve with the changing times and technology.
Similar to what they made for the Tops Cebu—an overlooking place in Busay, Cebu that views the wide skyline horizon of the province—which also leverages on the value of the place they had used to go, hike, and hang out when they were still students.
“We preserved that (Tops) kasi may sentimental value. People would know it before na mayroong ganoon. So that is what we preserved and then expanded it,” he continued.
The firm continues to provide more laurels than what they currently have. Out of 100 ARC Icon by Arch Circle Collectives, which spotlights 100 top iconic Filipino architectural works, ArchiGlobal holds seven spots.
Aside from this, they have been nationally recognized as one of the top 10 architectural firms in the country, as recognized by BCI Central in 2023 and 2024, alongside Ani ng Dangal in 2025, conferred by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Internationally, the firm has also been recognized by the Asia Architecture Design Awards since 2024, being hailed as Asia’s Best Firm in Architecture Design and Masterplanning.
Moreover, with the Queen City of the South having been crowned as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Creative City of Design, ArchiGlobal wanted to be persistent in riding on that wave.
“We want to ride on that (UNESCO award) to have that kind of a significant role in promoting [creativity to further enhance the image of Cebu City],” Suan said.
But encapsulating what the firm is, he said: ArchiGlobal is a design firm based in Cebu City—trailblazing.
The Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) is one of the flagship programs of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) aimed at providing science-based, innovative, and inclusive solutions across four strategic pillars: human well-being, wealth creation, wealth protection, and sustainability. These pillars embody the mantra OneDOST4U: Solutions and Opportunities for All. For more information, visit www.dost.gov.ph. (By Karl Jerome M. del Mundo, DOST-STII)
First row, (L-R): DOST Cebu Provincial Director Bryan B. Ybañez, Central Visayas Regional Director Tristan L. Abando, Chief Operating Officer Arch. Jonas R. Suan, Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr., Undersecretary Sancho A. Mabborang, and Assistant Secretary Maria Teresa Bien De Guzman posed for a photo opportunity during the project visit in ArchiGlobal, Mandaue City, Cebu. (Photo by Patrick James Lee C. Alfonso, DOST-STII)
