Building Dreams and Beyond: The Evolution of G Cube Design + Build and Its Innovative Solutions
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    • Aug 1, 2023
    • 4 min read

Building Dreams and Beyond: The Evolution of G Cube Design + Build and Its Innovative Solutions



Operating in Lipa City, Batangas, G Cube Atelier + Build Inc, with the trade name G Cube Design + Build, was established in September 2013. Founded by Ar. Mariethel, her background of working in Singapore for four and a half years made her open to the recognition of setting up her own design and construction business in the Philippines. Finally, with some encouragement from Ar. Mariethel’s father and older brother, who holds decades of experience in the construction industry as a civil engineer, G Cube Design + Build was born.


Ar. Mariethel Garing-Matabang’s family has always been involved in the construction and design industry. In a family of engineers, her father and older sibling became an inspiration to find her true calling. Besides the men of the family, it’s her mother who became one of her greatest supporters “I frequently hear a lot of compliments whenever people know what I do. They say it is rare to see a female architect, more so a female contractor.”


Ar. Mariethel adds that “When I was starting out, I felt people are more than willing for me to design but are a tad reluctant if I can really build structures. Maybe they were thinking a woman cannot handle the pressure of this industry. Well, now, I have proven to them that I’m worthy of my profession and of this industry.”


The result does speak for itself as she has successfully stood her ground and built her own roots.


G Cube Design + Build has handled diverse building projects from commercial buildings, residential buildings to interior designs in and out of the Batangas province. In 2016, the firm grew with the trade name G Cube Atelier + Build in partnership with Engr. Policarpio Garing. In 2018, Ar. Mariethel Garing-Matabang was joined by Engr. John Paulo Matabang in operating the company.


This extended the staff’s professional portfolio to include both architects and engineers that work toward collectively designing and building better spaces through robust end-to-end solutions. G Cube’s brand of innovative architectural solutions is reflected in how they handled the DC Residence and R Residence projects.



R Residence

As an example of G Cube Design + Build’s take on Asian modern motifs, the R Residence is a 2-storey residence that stands at an approximately 250 sq. m lot in Occidental Mindoro. A challenging feat of a project, plenty of its logistical troubles occurred due to the pandemic.


Following the nation’s frequent lockdowns in 2020, Ar. Mariethel had to go over the challenges of keeping her team effective and safe in the midst of a health crisis. Since the project was done a bit farther from their local clients, traveling to and from the site proved difficult. Nevertheless, the G Cube Design + Build team braved the travel of taking over 10 hours of travel time to get to work while also enjoying the breathtaking vistas they saw in transit to Mindoro.


Ar. Mariethel equips her buildings with canopies and louvers to account for the local climate conditions. Especially in tropical countries, this feature is great to have for residences to maximize good ventilation. “It is one of my design signatures to have canopies and louvers to prevent extreme light into the building. Having extended canopies is non-negotiable for me because we are in a tropical country, it protects us from harsh sunlight and from the rainy days.”


Ar. Mariethel adds that “Louvers also serve the same purpose. It can be very humid in Mindoro while we were there. It has been tagged as one of the hottest places in the Philippines at 38 degrees Celsius sometimes it feels more than that, so it did help that we have high ceilings for this project for better air circulation.”




DC Residence

The DC Residence is a 3-storey residence with a 260 sq. m floor area siting on a 180, sq.m lot in Tagaytay. For G Cube Design + Build to answer their client’s needs, the residence highlights a culmination of earth-toned colors with a grey stucco finish or faux concrete finish. Ar. Mariethel’s take on the Modern Asian motif becomes more noticeable through the balance of space, lighting, and ventilation.


Its complementary use of wooden materials makes the building stand out, whether you’re looking at it from the outside or looking over its interior finish. The home’s operable louvers frame its multi-purpose room on the second floor, providing better control of the natural lighting the area receives. It’s a great place for the client to host guests or just to relax and enjoy the mountain air.


“I think gender does not matter or should not affect the architecture and design industry. So long as you love the profession and what you do, any challenges or problems you face are just bumps on the road to success and happiness in doing what you are passionate about.



"Through the years, I can see the growing number of female students taking architecture.

I know a few who are quite successful in the industry. I think what we can do to improve the number of female architects or even male architects is to show them that architecture is a fine profession by educating people on what we really do, how we can help and serve the community, what we should expect being a professional architect, and what are the benefits in this profession and industry.”


- Ar. Mariethel Garing-Matabang







Find G Cube Atelier + Build Inc here:


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