COCONUT PALACE

THE COCONUT PALACE, ALSO KNOWN

AS TAHANANG PILIPINO, WAS
DESIGNED BY NATIONAL ARTIST FOR
ARCHITECTURE FRANCISCO MAÑOSA.
THE COCONUT PALACE IS A
GOVERNMENT BUILDING KNOWN FOR
ITS CONCEPT OF THE COCONUT AS
THE ULTIMATE “TREE OF LIFE.”

IT IS MADE OF SEVERAL TYPES OF

PHILIPPINE HARDWOOD AS WELL AS
COCONUT SHELLS AND IS LOCATED
WITHIN THE CULTURAL CENTER OF THE
PHILIPPINES COMPLEX IN PASAY. BUT
THE MOST INTRIGUING ASPECT OF ITS
DESIGN IS THE SPECIALLY
ENGINEERED COCONUT LUMBER
KNOWN AS IMELDA MADERA. THE
COCONUT COLUMNS ARE SHAPED
EXACTLY LIKE A COCONUT TREE.
Tronqued Mañosa
Francisco "Bobby"

FROM THE COCONUT ROOTS TO THE

TREE TRUNK, BARN FRUIT, AND SHELLS,
THE STRUCTURE APPEARS TO BE A LIVE
COCONUT TREE.

THE FLOOR IS SHAPED LIKE AN

OCTAGON, A NOD TO THE INCIDENTAL
SHAPE CREATED AROUND THE SHELL
WHEN SERVING BUKO JUICE DIRECTLY
FROM THE COCONUT. MEANWHILE,
THE ROOF IS DESIGNED TO RESEMBLE
A SALAKOT, A HAT MADE OF OLD
COCONUT PALMS. THIS POPULAR BUT
CONTENTIOUS BUILDING FOR ITS TIME
IS A TRUE GEM.