Gino Christian Baldo

October 20, 2020

Spanish Colonial Architecture

INSIGHTS ON SPANISH COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE

IN GANITO KAMI NOON, PAANO KAYO NGAYON?

Paying attention to the setting and the background, the one thing that stood out for me
was that the architectural quality and the general feel of the surroundings looked very, very old
and decrepit. Disregarding the obviously 70s film quality, it’s not simply because things in the
movie aesthetically look old, but the quality and ‘texture’ of the setting FEEL very old. House
interiors were exactly what I expected it to look like, full of lavish furniture and items that look
too extravagant for our minimalist contemporary style. It looks very beautiful, and yet the houses
don’t look very ‘homey’ to me. Picturing myself living in that setting, I’d say it even the
‘texture’ of the architecture makes me feel uncomfortable. This reminds me of a conversation I
had with my mom. She grew up in our family’s early American-Era ancestral house in the
province. Growing up in the suburbs in 21st-century Manila, I always thought living in that old,
historic house would feel very cool and ‘aesthetic’. She, on the other hand, absolutely does not
like the idea of living there because the place simply ‘felt so old’. I’d say I may have had the
same sentiments watching the film. There’s something off-putting in experiencing old
architecture during its time, and I’d say that that era of architecture seen in the film is in the
uncanny valley of old architecture. The architecture isn’t old enough to be seen as exotic, but it is
also old enough that it feels like it could be your great-grandparents’ house that is haunted.

Regarding architectural and urban design elements, Spanish colonial architecture also
emphasizes the social stratification of people, giving a visual reminder of power and influence.
Outside of Manila, the seat of Spanish colonial control, we are presented with Kulas’s burning
hut made of dry leaves. As he gets closer to Manila, houses progressively appear more stable and
durable. The house in Barrio Sta Rosa is an elevated Bahay Kubo with bamboo frames and
foundations, then Kawit is presented with bahay na bato houses. We are then presented with
Manila, where most buildings are made of stone and plaster. The ultimate sources of influence,
the church and the colonial government, make heavy use of stone to visually project their power
over their subjects, and this is also shown through the cinematography. Arriving in Manila, the
first thing they see are the stone ramparts of Intramuros, signifying the exclusivity of the capital.
When Kulas is under the custody of the Church or the military, we are presented with imposing
Church facades or with dark dungeons and prison cells. All of this works together to solidify and
internalize the colonial structure for the colonized people.