As we hear the word “architecture”, names of the male architects who have been undoubtedly successful in constructing different projects would usually echo in our ears. However, a lot of women who are venturing in this field are becoming as successful as those men who are into this profession. Among the women architects who have valiantly shown that men and women have equal talents and skillfulness in this area is Architect Maria Sarah Abadia.

Architect Abadia was born in Silay, Negros Occidental where she finished her primary and secondary education. She decided to enroll at the University of San Carlos when she graduated from high school. According to her, attaining her degree in architecture was an accident. Instead of taking up Civil Engineering in the said university (which was her first choice), she enrolled in architecture as suggested by the university registrar. 

Her career started to flourish the moment she passed the licensure examination in 1993 and she became the Project Architect in some huge architectural firms in Cebu.

She served as the Managing Partner for Design Works in 1997 where she worked with various famous architects in the south.

She was chosen as the President of United Architects of the Philippines-Cebu Chapter in 2005-2007 because of her excellent achievements.

In 2003, she became the Project Architect of the US-based Bigfoot Global Solutions, the very first film school and production studios in the country.
 
Because of her remarkable skills in designing and her exceptional creativity, in less than a year the owner appointed her to be the Chief Architect for the multi-million dollar projects of Bigfoot Properties, Inc. 

In her almost seven years of stay with Bigfoot, she was able to design 10 infrastructures; six of these projects were fully built. These six structures were six sound stages, a 200-room hotel, a 68-room dormitory, a 12-storey condominium, corporate office tower, and the post production facility housing. 

Bigfoot Executive Office (image courtesy of Arch. Abadia)

Her 15 years of experience clearly equipped her in establishing her own architectural firm in Mabolo, Cebu City which she manages up to the present. She is, at the same time, the Senior Development Manager of Langdon and Seah, one of the biggest construction consultancies in Asia.

With the desire of widening her expertise in architecture, she is also taking up her Masters Degree in Architecture major in Landscaping at the University of San Carlos. 

Architect Abadia revealed that it was not that easy to practice her profession and continue her Masters Degree at the same time. Her intense passion to improve her knowledge in architecture and the burning desire to enhance her works motivate her to persist. 

 

Like Architect Partosa and Architect Anino, Architect Maria Sarah Abadia is also an advocate of “green architecture”. In fact, she described herself as a nature lover who would appreciate the view in the mountainside and would love to watch the waves and to feel the breeze.

For her, taking up Landscape Architecture would surely improve her knowledge in maximizing nature’s gift to people.