The Spanish Colonial Tradition

When the Spaniards occupied and established the city of Cebu and later occupied the fort of soliman in manila, the wooden palisades and pre-colonial constructions were replaced and shaped into Spanish cities and fortifications. Fine example of this one is fort san Pedro in Cebu and Intamuros in manila. The early years of occupation, however was characterized by wooden settlements and churches to promote the indoctrination of the natives to their new master and religion but these easily gave in to fire set by the uprising and rebellion of the natives, the Chinese cooleys and the marauding moros.

The Spaniards looked for more fireproof materials to replace wood and discovered “adobe” or volcanic stuff that was quarried in San Pedro, Makati. Thus in 1580’s most of the constructions were made from adobe including dwellings, churches, and fortifications. Fr. Antonio Sedeño, SJ is a priest and engineer. He trained the natives in the art of building and stones before the Spaniards commisioned chinese architects and laborers to do the job.

• The churches’ whole architectural design and construction is based on the principle of formulation of reducciones, where scattered population of the natives were brought together in compact communities in the most favorable areas in an encomienda

1. The church became the center of town as well as the adjoining plaza which were usually made of adobe or bricks and sometimes a combination of both. Later, the churches succumbed to nature disasters like earthquakes and thus, the stone churches were provided with buttresses that came in different forms. Most famous of this Paoay church in ilocos

Paoay Church in Vigan/ Ilocos with grand bell tower

• Bahay na bato is perhaps aside from the baroque churches and structures the most significant imprint of spanish colonial architecture is the “bahay na bato”. It is the product of the economic and social development in the colony due to expansion of commerce and galleon trade which give rise to a new breed of ilustrados and principales. The new upper class’s life style and aspirations demanded a new type of dwelling that suits their status and position, which was more noble and elegant and at the same time spacious, comfortable and in style. The bahay na bato is characterized by the ff:

2. Bell towers vary in design as well as in location. In plan, the bell tower may be square, octagonal, hexagonal or, in rare instances, circular. In height, it may rise from 3 or 5 stories. It may be at some distance from the church, adjacent to it, or integrated in the façade. Some churches have 2 towers a few have 3. when the bell tower is attached to the church, its ground floor houses the baptistery

1. A house with wooden legs anda stone skirt;2. The multi-roomed living quarters are on the 2nd flr

and reached through and interior stairways;3. The “zaguan”, with its naked stone work, is a grim

entrance hall but, with its abundant space

A typical “Bahay na bato”

Architects• Luciano Oliver - A Spaniards designed taal

church, the malabon church, and the most significant work in the manila cathedral in1872

• Felix Rojas Sr. – is considered as the 1st Filipino architect who is popular for his revitalist style. His works included the neo-gothic Santo Domingo church and the neo-classic San Ignacio Church which are both located in intramuros. He also designed numerous elegant “bahay na bato” houses for the upper class of maynila

Architects• Juan Hervas- designed the tutuban railroad

station, the monte de piedad building, the old assumption covenant on herran St and also a number of “bahay na bato”

• Arciado Arellano- is a amaster builder gained the confidence of Gov. William Howard Taft and became general’s architectural adviser in 1901. He also worked on the houses of Hidalgo family and the Bautista-Nakpil in quiapo

• Genardo Pelacios- designed the Gothic and prefabricated all-steel San Sebastian Church in the 1880s.

The American Colonial and Contemporary Traditions

After the fall of the short-lived First Philippine Republic, it was when Emilio Aguinaldo was captured in Palanan, Isabela, a new architectural history begun. It was under the direction and tutelage of American occupation. There are 2 prominent American municipal planner and architects who redesigned the modernizing and urbanizing colony, Daniel Burnham and William E. Parsons

• Daniel Burnham- introduced neo-classical style in Philippine architecture which left an imprint on how we see new Manila outside in the Baguio City

• William E Parson- was commissioned to implement the “Burnham Plan” of modernizing Manila and his major works includes the Philippine Normal University, the Philippine General Hospital, The Manila Hotel, and Army-Navy Club

William E Parson Major works

Philippine Normal

University

PhilippineGeneralHospital

TheManilaHotel

William E Parson Major works

Army-NavyClub

• After Parson came a new breed of filipino architects who were trained and loyal to the neo-classical style like Carlo Barreto, Antonio Toledo, Juan Arellano, and Tomas Mapua.

• Juan Arellano - designed the Manila post office building, Legislative Building, which is now the National Art Gallery following the neo-classical Graeco-Roman approach while he employed are deco motifs when he worked on the metropolitan theater in 1931

• Chalet is a typical middle class house during the early years of American occupation. Away from the elegance and grandiouse of “bahay na bato” chalet is more functional. The Most prominent feature of the house is the front porch or a surrounding porch

A Chalet

• Steel architecture- Some architects ventured in the gothic technique of construction with steel like the early San Sebastian church in 1981 and the UST Main building which was built in 1927

SanSebastian

Church

• Structures for the developing of economy- Commercial office buildings, hotels, apartment, movie houses, and homes for the upper class became popular and in-demand for the developing economy demanded these new types of buildings. Young architects like Andres Luna de San Pedro, Fernando Ocampo, Pablo Antonio, Juan Nakpil, made a significant and name in the new field

• Some of the development includes:1. 2-storey houses where in living quarters are

located both on the 1st flr and 2nd flr2. California bungalow style became popular with

picture windows lanai and 2 to 3 car garage3. Accessoria or wooden row houses which is both

for commercial and residential purposes

• Martial Law Years- Construction and innovation in municipal planning was witnessed during the golden years of modern architecture in the Philippines during the Marcos regime. The innovations set by regime includes:

1. Multi-storey tenements that became popular during the martial law years like Bagong Lipunan Sites and Services (BLISS);

2. Remodelling the Philamlife Homes in QC;3. The skyscrapers of Makati City;4. The North Diversion Road;5. The South Super High-way;6. The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)

main building;7. The Manila Film Center, the Folk Arts Theater;8. The Philippine International Conventional

Center (PICC)

9. The 5 star hotels;10. The Batasang Pambansa;11. The Philippines Heart Center;12. The lung Center;13. The Central Bank Buildings;14. The Philippine National Bank; and15. Government Service Insurance System Buildings.

Contemporary Philippine architecture is still being shaped by the modernizing and globalizing character of Phillipine economy and society which had been thru up and down, slowed and hasten by the decline or progress of both the domestic and international market