FILIPINO ARCHITECTS

Andres Luna de San Pedro

Pablo Antonio
Fernando Ocampo
Juan Nakpil
Built the first air-conditioned
building in the Philippines
 • Sariaya’s Art Deco ancestral houses is
the eye-catching and brick-roofed
Sariaya landmark near the church,
known as the Governor Natalio Enriquez
Ancestral House designed by European
schooled architect Andres Luna de San
Pedro, the son of the artist Juan Luna. It
was built in 1931 for then Tayabas
Provincial Governor Natalio Enriquez
(1941 – 1945) and his wife Susana Gala.
The house was a venue for fabulous
high society gatherings in pre-war
Sariaya, and was listed by the National
Historical Institute as a Heritage House
on May 2008.
Gov. Natalio Enriquez Ancestral House
 • The Legarda Elementary School is a
public elementary school located in
Sampaloc in the City of Manila. Built in
1922, the school is notable for its main
school building that has managed to
retain its pre-war architecture, making
its building the oldest surviving campus
in Manila.
• Andres Luna de San Pedro, the architect
son of painter Juan Luna, designed the
school's main building. It became a
prominent landmark in the area with its
unique Victorian style of architecture
which evokes a sense of grandeur.

Legarda Elementary School

 • The First United Building, formerly
known and still commonly referred to as
Perez-Samanillo Building, is an Art Deco
building on Escolta Street in Binondo,
Manila, Philippines and was the tallest
building in Manila when it was
completed in 1928.

First United Building

 • The Crystal Arcade was one of the most
modern buildings located along the
Escolta, the country's then premier
business district. Built on the land
owned by the Pardo de Tavera family, an
illustrious Filipino family of Spanish and
Poruguese lineage, the modern building
was designed by the great Andrés Luna
de San Pedro, a scion of the latter. The
Crystal Arcade was designed in the art
deco style, a style prevalent in the 1920s
to the 1940s. It was to be one of Luna's
masterpieces, with the building finish
resembled that of a gleaming crystal.

Crystal Arcade Building

 • The conception of a construction of the Crystal Arcade
started in the 1920s as a pet project of Luna. Luna wanted to
have the same prestige in the arts and architecture like that
of his father, the great revolutionary-painter Juan Luna
Novicio. To make such thing possible, he infused the sleek
and streamline art deco design with crytal-like glass in his
design for the building.
• The Crystal Arcade was inaugurated in June of 1932, and was
the first shopping establishment, or the first commercial
establishment that was fully air-conditioned. Its interiors
reminded the Philippine elite of the arcades that of Paris,
with covered walkways, glass covered display windows and
cafés and other specialty shops.

Façade of the Crystal Arcade.

Crystal Arcade interior, adorned
with a pair of grand staircases

A heavily damaged Crystal Arcade taken Shelled-out interiors of the

immediately after the liberation for Crystal Arcade
Manila

A typical trading day at the Manila Stock

Exchange inside the Crystal Arcade
 • The house, located along the scenic Dewey
Boulevard ( now Roxas Boulevard ) corner Padre
Faura street in residential Ermita, was designed
and a masterpiece of the Paris-trained architect
Andrés Luna de San Pedro, son of the great
painter and national hero Juan Luna. The house
had been designed in the French Renaissance
style, which was the prevalent design of the
houses of Manila's elite at that time.
• Unlike the fate of Manila's other precious
buildings, the house had survived the devastating
Battle of Manila in 1945. After the war, Don
Alfonso sold the house to compensate what they
had lost during the war years. Their house
became the offices of the French Embassy in
Manila when the Zóbels moved to their new
home in suburban Makati.
• The mansion was finally destroyed by the
wrecking ball in the 1990’s, giving way to the 1322
Alfonso Zobel Mansion Golden Empire Tower which now stands on the
property
 • In 1935, Commonwealth President Manuel Quezon,
having just negotiated with General Douglas Macarthur
to organize the Philippine military, consulted with one of
the most prominent architects of the day, like Parsons a
graduate of Ecole des Beaux-Arts. As historian Teodoro
Agoncillo wrote in his 1984 book Burden of Proof,
“Quezon took immediate steps to provide MacArthur
with quarters fit for a king. He chose Andres Luna de San
Pedro, Juan Luna’s son, to take charge of the plans for
the quarters that could rival the elegance and facilities of
Malakanyang. Luna looked about him and found that
Manila Hotel’s top floor, if remodeled properly, would do
justice to any extravagant king. He reported his findings
to Quezon, who approved his plan to remodel the top
floor of the Manila Hotel in such a way as to make it a
sort of Malakanyang-by-the-Bay. Luna then proceeded
to convert it into an elegant and beautiful penthouse. It
took him one year to perform the miracle.”
Old Manila Hotel
A pioneer of modern Philippine architecture
 • The Ideal Theater was an art-deco masterpiece
designed by the National Artist for Architecture Pablo
Antonio in 1933. The theater, owned by the Roces
family, in partnership with Teotico, Basa, Tuason, and
Guidote families, has been operating since 1912, with
the first theater made out of wood.
• As mentioned, the Ideal Theater was commissioned by
the Roces family to Pablo Antonio, one of the second-
generation Filipino architects who came back after
studying or training overseas. Antonio's commission on
the Ideal made an impact to his career. Later on, he
would design other Manila landmarks, such as the Far
Eastern University, White Cross Orphanage, and the
post-war Manila Polo Club in Forbes Park.
• The Ideal projected an art-deco style of architecture.
This type of architectural style was prevalent in the
1930s, wherein cinemas and theaters were designed
using this style. One of its interesting features is that it
boasted a streamline design -- that is, it was adorned
Ideal Theater with smooth curves and finishes.
The Ideal (center), and the Roces Building (left), Ideal Theater's proscenium. Take note of the
taken sometime in the late 1930s streamline design of the arches
Filipinos welcoming the Japanese as they paraded Avenida de Rizal after the liberation in 1945. The
triumphantly in the newly-captured city of Manila. Ideal (left) and State (right) theaters can be
The Ideal Theater can be seen on the left seen.
Ideal Theater in the early 1960s
The Ideal Theater taken sometime in the 1970s.
 • Five buildings in the Sampaloc Campus
was designed by Pablo Antonio—the
Nicanor I. Reyes Hall, the FEU East Asia
College of Engineering and Computer
Studies, the Law and Nursing Building, the
Auditorium and Administration Building
and the Science Building.

• In 2005, it was cited with an Honorable

Mention by the UNESCO Asia-Pacific
Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage
Conservation for “returning buildings and
landscape to their original appearance,
maintaining the architectural integrity of
the Art Deco structures.”

Far Eastern University

 • Opened in 1937, White Cross Children’s
Home was originally meant to take care
of the children of Tuberculosis patients.
Now, it has become a safe haven for
children of poor unwed mothers, of
physically incapacitated parents, of
prisoners, and of victims of rape or incest.

• The building—with its clean lines—is

designed literally like a cross. It is
punctuated by a bas-relief designed by
Italian sculptor Francesco Monti featuring
children at play.

White Cross Orphanage

 • Built on top of a small hill, the
original Manila Polo Club building
was a 1950s Art Deco two-storey
structure of wood and adobe
topped with a pitch roof. At
present, the main lounge has been
one of the top choices as venue for
weddings and other important
gatherings. It's well-known for its
impressive interiors and high
ceiling.

Manila Polo Club

 Ramon Roces Capitan Luis Gonzaga Building​
Publication Building
Galaxy Theater​ Lyric Theater​
FATHER OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE
 • The Manila Cathedral is the most recent
version of the long-standing Church of
Manila. Built from 1954 to 1958 under the
supervision of Filipino architect Fernando H.
Ocampo, after the previous structure was
flattened in the Second World War, it’s a
masterpiece of architecture. Every detailed
wall carving, door, panel, portal and even its
attractive stained glass has its own story.

• The cathedral serves both as the Prime

Manila Cathedral (Reconstructed)
Basilica of the Philippines and the highest
seat of the archbishop in the country. It’s the
final resting place for former prelates who
have served the Archdiocese of Manila and
was also used as a venue for requiem mass
for former President of the Philippines
Corazon Aquino.
 • currently houses the Santísimo Rosario Parish, the Central
Seminary, and the Faculties of Ecclesiastical Studies of the
Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas in Manila. The
Parish was canonically inaugurated on April 26, 1942 by
Michael J. O'Doherty, the Archbishop of Manila.
• On January 25, 2010, the National Museum of the Philippines
formally declared the Central Seminary Building as a National
Cultural Treasure.
• The Central Seminary of the University of Santo Tomas was
designed by Ar. Fernando Hizon Ocampo Sr. It was built in the
1930s. The plan of the seminary was configured in the form of
the letter E, with courtyards bisecting the wings. The boxy
building had an elongated frontage assembling a continuous
band of balconies and windows on the second and third level.
The structure's horizontally-oriented massing was broken by an
engaged central section at the main entrance and two other
similar treatments at the end portions. An art deco relief, bud-
like finials, and a tableau embellished the stepped pylon at the
UST Central Seminary entrance.
View from Gonzales Drive Entrance and central facade
 • EATI University (Far East Air Transport Incorporated
University) is a private non-sectarian co-
educational higher education institution with a
Catholic orientation established in 1946 in Santa
Cruz, Manila, Philippines. FEATI was formerly
known as the Far Eastern Aeronautics School.
• Fernando Ocampo Sr.’s Paterno Building built in
1929 at the foot of MacArthur Bridge in Santa Cruz
and was inspired from Art Deco and Missino
Revival architectures . It had a symmetrical
rectangular plan with a clean and simple character
in design, having blocks of windows organized in a
series of regular bays. Two passageways were
emphasized by canopies and plain art deco
treatment over the second-level windows and on
the raised pediments.

FEATI University
 • The Iloilo Boathouse is a four-story white
mansion owned by Eugenio H. Lopez Sr. The
name "Boathouse" was given by his children. The
mansion is a "modern affair, sleekly done in an
art deco style" designed by Architect Fernando
Ocampo Sr. located in Iloilo.
• The "Boathouse" is composed of basic forms-- a
play of massing and appropriate proportions.
The quality of the architecture of the house can
be compared with the architecture of Modern
Movement in Europe and the United States. Its
structure is modern even with the present
standards. In the late 1930s, it was refurbished
under the supervision of Pando Ocampo, the son
of the original architect.

Boat House of Eugenio H. Lopez Sr.

 • The Calvo Building is a historic building along no.
266 Escolta corner Soda Streets, Binondo,
Manila, Philippines. Built in 1938, it is an
outstanding example of beaux-arts architecture.
It served as the home of the radio station DZBB-
AM before moving to its present location in
Diliman, Quezon City. It now houses the Escolta
Museum which contains memorabilia from the
past. The building is designed by Ar. Fernando H.
Ocampo, Sr.

Calvo Building
 • Regina Building, previously known as Roxas Building, is a historic
building located along Escolta Street in Binondo, Manila, Philippines.
It was designed sequentially by Andrés Luna de San Pedro and
Fernando H. Ocampo. The neoclassical beaux-arts commercial
structure was built in 1915.
• Regina Building, originally known as Roxas Building was designed by
Andres Luna de San Pedro, son of Juan Luna and was built in 1915 at
the corner of Escolta Street and Calle David in Binondo, Manila. The
design combined the styles of neoclassicism and beaux-arts. It was a
three-storey structure during the time it was built but was later
expanded into a fourth floor by Fernando Ocampo when the De
Leon family bought if from the Roxases. The building was renamed
Regina Building in 1926.
• This building is surrounded on its two sides by two bodies of water,
Estero de la Reina and the Pasig River.

Regina Building
 • The School of Library and Information Studies of
the University of the Philippines or UP SLIS is the
oldest library school in the Philippines. Formally
established in March 1961 as the Institute of
Library Science, it can trace it roots to 1914,
making it one of the first library schools in Asia.
• Funded through the Rehabilitation Project aided
by the United States of America through the
United States-Philippine War Damage Commission
as a UP Construction Project. The Development
and Construction was under the UP Executive
Committee on Development and Construction.
The Building Designer is National Artist for
Architecture Ar. JUAN F. NAKPIL and the
Supervision of the Construction by the OFFICE OF
THE UNIVERSITY ARCHITECT. The General
Contractor was the PEDRO A. SIOCHI AND CO.
INC.
UP Administration and Library
 • During the 1940’s, UP President Bienvenido M.
Gonzales, Architect Juan Nakipil, and
Conservatory Director Ramon Tapales talked
about building a Carillon Tower in the campus.
Unfortunately, World War II occurred, making the
project impossible to execute. However on
September 18, 1948, the plan was re-envisioned
during a meeting of the board of directors of the
UP Alumni Association, after the school was
moved to Diliman.
• he tower which houses at its highest level the
bells of the University of the Philippines Memorial
Campanile is a 130-feet-tall structure. It was built
under the supervision of architect Juan Nakpil,
who was hailed as National Artist for Architecture
in 1973. The funds for its construction were
provided by the UP Alumni Association and
certain donors.

UP Theatre and Carillon Tower

 • The Manila Jockey Club, Inc. (MJC) is a horse racing
institution in the Philippines. One of the oldest race
clubs in the Asia-Pacific region, the club was
established in 1867 in Manila and is based in Carmona,
Cavite. It is also a member of the Asian Racing
Federation.
• The club had to close down again when the Japanese
soldiers used the club's buildings as their barracks in
1943 during the Japanese occupation of the
Philippines of World War II. After the Battle of Manila
of 1945, American soldiers took over the club's
facilities and used them as their garrison. The
Americans later use the facilities as a hospital.
Members of the club regained control over their
facility in March 1946 and within two months after
reconstruction efforts, the San Lazaro Hippodrome
resumed operations.
• MCJ was incorporated decades later after its
establishment in 1937 under the name, "Manila Jockey
Club, Inc."It transferred out of the San Lazaro
Manila Jockery Club Hippodrome to its current site in Carmona, Cavite.
Since then it holds races at the San Lazaro Leisure Park.
 • The Capitol Theater was an Art deco theater in
Manila, Philippines. It was built during the
1930s along Escolta Street, part of the city's
primary commercial district, together with the
Lyric Theater. It was designed with a double-
balcony by National Artist Juan Nakpil and that
was considered a rare feat during that era

Capitol Theater
 • RIZAL THEATER, MAKATI 1960s
• The Rizal Theater was one of the most elegant
stand alone cinema of the 1960s and the
1970s. The theater was a lovely example of
stylish art deco building designed by National
Artist for Architecture Juan Nakpil. It was
intended to become a part of the Rizal
Memorial Cultural Complex originally intended
for completion by 19th of June 1961, in time
for Jose Rizal’s birth centennial. But due to lack
of funds, the memorial complex was not built
and the building that was constructed initially
was redesigned by Nakpil, which what was to
become the Rizal Theater.
• During the 1980s, with the advent of the malls
and fierce business competition, stand-alone
movie theaters weren’t all that commercially
viable. So the stylish Rizal Theater met the
wrecking ball and was sadly demolished in the
late 1980s. The Makati Shangri-la Hotel now
Rizal Theater stands in its place since 1993.
 • The Gaiety Theater was a stand-alone art
deco cinema house located at M.H. del
Pilar Street in the Ermita district of the
city of Manila. It was designed by Juan
Nakpil, National Artist of the Philippines
for Architecture, in 1935. The construction
of these early theaters in the City of
Manila provided the venue for early forms
of entertainment like bodily , a local
adaptation of vaudeville, with most
eventually converting to movie theaters
with the growth and popularity of
Philippine cinema in the metropolis.

Gaiety Theater