A Qatar-based Thomasian architect crafted a modernized version of the indigenous Filipino board game sungka.
As a Filipino living in the Middle East, Stephen Amoyo created “SUNGKA! Architecture and Play” to represent the similarities between Filipino and Middle Eastern cultures.
Amoyo, who graduated from the University in 2020, said he was prompted to explore sungka after he and his mother reminisced about life back in the Philippines and wanted to create his own version of it at home in Qatar.
The game is said to have been brought to the Philippines in the pre-colonial era, with roots in the ancient game of mancala, played for centuries across Africa and Asia.
Instead of carved wood, “SUNGKA!” is made of laser-cut acrylic with curved arches beneath, providing a more elevated playing surface.
The structure features a stilt-like aesthetic that pays homage to the bahay kubo’s architectural style. Some perspectives reveal pointed arches that resemble traditional Middle Eastern mosque entrances.
Amoyo said the slight opacity of the acrylic material was derived from the translucence of a barong tagalog.
For Amoyo, it was important to incorporate other Filipino elements to instill a sense of “familiarity,” especially for those living outside the country.
“I think in design it’s important to have a sense of identity, na kapag nakita mo siya, you will somehow feel a sense of ownership,” Amoyo said in an interview with the Varsitarian.
As he conducted research for the game’s design, he discovered different versions and interpretations of the game from other parts of South and Southeast Asia, providing avenues for other cultures beyond the Philippines and the Middle East to interact with the design.
“I’d say ‘yong sungka, it’s still an ongoing process, and I’m still trying to explore different forms of how I can [further] collaborate with different people from different cultures,” Amoyo said.
The modernized sungka design can be taken apart and easily moved or transported, a nod to the “nomadic” nature of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
“It was brought to us by traders that had to travel from across the world, and then, I, as an OFW, am reimagining it here, where at some point I have to go back home or travel to a different place, so it will have to be taken apart again,” Amoyo said. “It’s like the transience of the nomadic OFW life or the Filipino diaspora.”
Just as the original is used as decor when not in play, the minimalist design of “SUNGKA!” can serve as a multipurpose decor.
“It’s meant to be used. Meant to be experimented with,” he said.
The piece won the Community Choice Award at the 2025 Isola Design Award.
“SUNGKA!” was also featured at the “Default is Not Universal” exhibition at Milan Design Week, which took place from April 20 to 26.
