Joshua Li & Pamana Collection: Ancestral Futurism | Mix of Everything

Industrial designer Joshua "Joshi" Li bridges Filipino heritage and digital fabrication with the Pamana Collection Tanglaw in partnership with Ayala Museum.

Contemporary Filipino design often finds itself pulled between two directions: preserving traditional craft forms in their original contexts, or embracing forward-looking modern design language. Filipino industrial designer Joshua “Joshi” Liexplores the space between those two extremes through a philosophy described as Ancestral Futurism—studying cultural heritage deeply enough to help shape its future.

A Summa Cum Laude graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Joshi was part of the team behind Aether 912, an award-winning concept vehicle recognized by the Red Dot Design Award. His portfolio includes international recognitions from The Rookies and the International Design Awards (IDA), alongside product collaborations with global brands like The Coca-Cola Company and Kohler Co. Through his design studio, Moodi Design, Joshi combines technological fluency with contemporary manufacturing techniques to translate Filipino cultural narratives into physical objects.

The Pamana Collection Tanglaw at Ayala Museum

Joshi’s design approach comes to life through his collaboration with Ayala Museum, featuring the launch of the Pamana Collection Tanglaw:

• Design Inspiration: Drawing from the role of light in the Filipino home, the collection comprises five digitally fabricated, 3D-printed lamps.
• Cultural Narrative: Each lamp is crowned with a woven salakot and features intricate design details inspired by traditional Filipino attire, including the Barong and Filipiniana.
• Digital Fabrication: Uses modern 3D printing and digital fabrication techniques to interpret the systems, logic, and cultural thinking behind traditional Filipino craft practices.

Rather than treating heritage strictly as something to preserve in a static form, Joshi’s work demonstrates how cultural inheritance can evolve through present-day tools and technologies to reach new generations.

To explore more works by Joshua Li, visit Moodi Design or check out the Pamana Collection at the Ayala Museum.