When Saying No Opened The Right Doors
by Cherry Usita

Elite Culture No. 4 It's OK To Say No

When Saying No Opened The Right Doors

By Arch. Cherry Usita

When we were just starting out, most of the inquiries we received were purely transactional—clients looking for sign-and-seal services or building permit documents for projects that were never really meant to be built the way they were drawn. It was easy money: minimal time, quick output.

As tempting as it was to accept, I knew this wasn’t the kind of architecture we were meant to practice. We knew that every “yes” to that kind of work was a “no” to our purpose. At CDB, our core is to design meaningfully—using building science to develop spaces that make sense, uplift well-being, and endure. So, I started saying no.

I turned down those projects as respectfully as I could, using each “no” as an opportunity to educate—to share what real architecture could offer. I explained how our process goes beyond signatures and permits: we dive into lighting design, acoustics, materials, and scientific site analysis. We design not just for compliance, but for comfort, clarity, and wellness.

At that time, building science wasn’t something people associated with homes—especially in the Philippines. But slowly, the shift began. I’d hear prospective clients talk about how excited they were to understand the sun path on their site, or how they had started noticing how certain materials affected heat and sleep, or how thoughtful space planning improved their daily routines.

Eventually, those small conversations turned into real collaborations. From modest beach houses to full-scale residential subdivisions, clients began giving our process a chance—and, more importantly, began valuing what architecture can truly do.

Saying no didn’t close doors. It opened the right ones: projects we believed in, clients who respected the process, and spaces that genuinely improve people’s lives.

It taught us that boundaries aren’t limitations—they’re invitations. Invitations to align with our purpose, honor the value of our profession, and do work that’s not just profitable, but profoundly fulfilling.