Arete: Borrow a Mat Project

Ateneo de Manila University is located in one of the busiest cities in the country. The university buildings sit on a lush green carpet surrounded with massive trees and flora. Roads and structures are laid out with careful planning to work around the existing gifts of nature.

The University’s green spaces are open to all students, faculty, guests and administration. It encourages individuals to spend time communing with nature with its different programs.

Arete, the heart of creativity and innovation hub of Ateneo, provides space and freedom to inspire creativity. It is a central space aiming to stimulate creative, adaptive and multi-dimensional thinking in order to generate new ideas, products and services.

The Arete’s “Borrow A Mat” project allows individuals to borrow a mat, free of charge, and to lounge about on the open spaces for a maximum of three hours. It permits people who have a common vision and passion to work together to ignite creative energies and produce ideas for the betterment of the community.

An additional perk of this project is that eating and picnicking on the greenery is allowed. Nutrition breaks provide for sustenance for the body and mind which makes individuals more productive. Eating, snacking and picnicking is permitted provided that the people clean up after themselves.