The College of Communication, Art, and Design (CCAD), in collaboration with the University of the Philippines Open University and UP Cebu Department of Computer Science, successfully hosted Immersive Making: Art, Design, and Communication in Virtual and Extended Realities, a Metaverse Academic Nexus for Global Opportunities (MANGO) Workshop held at Lawak Sinehan and Jose T. Joya Gallery.
The workshop brought together faculty, students, and international collaborators from Chulalongkorn University, Chuo University, Kyoto University, and the University of the Philippines Open University for a full day of learning, experimentation, and collaborative exploration of immersive technologies.
Participants began by exploring the MANGOS platform, gaining an overview of how metaverse environments support creative collaboration and digital cultural spaces. The session then transitioned into a hands-on introduction to Blender, where participants experienced their first exploration of the software, learning the basics of spatial dimensions, importing materials, and working with meshes to construct 3D objects and environments.
Building on these foundational skills, participants took part in a collaborative workshop to begin developing a 3D virtual model of the UP Cebu Jose T. Joya Gallery. Using references from the gallery itself, participants were given the opportunity to digitally replicate selected paintings and exhibits, translating physical artworks and exhibition spaces into immersive digital forms. During the session, participants from Chulalongkorn University led the development of the base model of the Jose T. Joya Gallery in Unity, under the guidance of Mr. Suebphong Noisri, demonstrating how immersive platforms can bring cultural spaces into virtual environments accessible to wider audiences.
The workshop also featured a presentation on Metaverse Initiatives and Tools in Chuo University by Dr. Mitsunori Makino, offering insights into ongoing metaverse research and applications in Japan.
The event concluded with a Knowledge Exchange session among collaborating partners, where participants reflected on their workshop experience and discussed opportunities for future interdisciplinary and international collaborations in immersive media, digital heritage, and creative technologies.
Through hands-on experimentation and cross-cultural collaboration, the MANGOS Workshop opened new possibilities for integrating immersive technologies into art, design, and communication education—reimagining cultural spaces like the Jose T. Joya Gallery as part of an evolving digital and global creative landscape.