Leandro V.

LOCSIN

Name
CountryRegion
Category
Title

Leandro V. LOCSIN
Philippines
Arts and Culture
Architect

Area of Expertise

Art

Award Category

Arts and Culture Prize

Award Year

1992

Mr. Leandro V. Locsin is a celebrated architect of the

Philippines. He designed numerous modern building, which
adopt climatic features of Southeast Asia and the traditional
style of the Philippines. His accomplishment contributed
remarkable to the development of architectural culture in
Asia.

Mr. Leandro V. Locsin is a distinguished architect in the

Philippines who has blended modern architecture
harmoniously into the climate of Southeast Asia.
The Philippines has high temperature and high humidity; it is
located in a volcanic zone and is thus vulnerable to
earthquakes. As a result, durability and ventilation are
necessities in Filipino architecture. Large roofs, long eaves
and high ceilings are typical characteristics of traditional
Filipino architecture.
Mr. Locsin's works beautifully incorporate such traditional
qualities with the openness and vastness of modern
architecture. His unique interpretation of architectural
features such as lattice and curved lines are eloquently
expressed in his modern, Western form of art. What lies
behind this originality is his principle: to synthesize or to
blend Western and Eastern culture. Without this theme, the
modern architecture of the West could not have taken root
within the existing Filipino architecture.
His private life is characterized by continued commitment to
other arts and culture. He is a fine pianist, a deeply
committed admirer of oriental art and the visual and
performing arts. When his multi-faceted artistic talent is fully
exhibited in architecture, its details display a well-calculated
beauty of form, and its appearance reshapes the urban
landscape.
His architecture enjoys broad recognition and he has
garnered many honors and awards. The Filipino architects of
the early 20th century were trained in Europe and the United
States, and since then almost every Filipino architect of note
has taken undergraduate or graduate studies abroad. Mr.
Locsin, however, has pursued his studies within the

Philippines, and has acquired his formal education from the

University of Santo Tomas. His phenomenal career is not only
evidence of a natural wealth of talent, but also a tribute to
his Filipino mentors and to Filipino culture which in its colorful
variety has been a cradle of genius.
As such, Mr. Locsin's achievements have contributed
immensely to the advancement and recognition of Asian
architectural culture. Therefore, he is surely worthy of the
Arts and Culture Prize of the Fukuoka Asian Cultural Prizes.
http://www.city.fukuoka.lg.jp/fu-a/en/culture_prizes/detail/19.html

LOCSIN: THE MODERN FORM IN

THE PHILIPPINES

Cultural Center of the

Philippines, with its Christmas decorations

ESPAOL

Leandro V. Locsin (1928-1994) was the most important modern

architect of the Philippines, the equivalent in that country of
whatKenzo Tange was in Japan. Aside of being an architect,
Locsin was an interior designer, artist and musician, and in 1990
was entitled as National Artist of the Philippines by the recently
defunct President Corazon Aquino, in addition to receiving the
Asian Culture Award in Fukuoka.
I could only visit little of his extensive work, but I was impressed
by his skill in the use of concrete and the cleanliness and strength
of the volumes, which appear to be levitating while, at the same
time, providing a sense of massiveness and lightness to his
buildings. Many more advanced studies, however, have analyzed
the important link between the work of Locsin and the traditional
Filipino architecture.

Benedictine Monastery of the

Transfiguration. Malaybalay, Bukidnon, posthumous building, 1996.

In this entry will present two of his most representative works.

CHURCH OF THE HOLY SACRIFICE

Locsin's first work in 1955, was a church (ironically, his last work
was also a chapel, located in Malaybalay shown above), the
church of the Holy Sacrifice, at the University of the Philippines,
Manila (although originally designed for the Victorias Milling Co. in
Negros Occidental, Locsin's home town).

Church of the Holy Sacrifice. See location in Google Maps.

It is a circular church, the first of its kind in the Philippines. The
altar is in the middle of the floor, an idea which Locsin corrected in
later churches, since it was not very appropriate to the rite of the
Catholic mass.

Graphics courtesy of Caryn

Paredes-Santillan

The main feature in the church is a large concrete dome, located

on transparent walls and supported on pillars on the sides of the

church, that people have dubbed the "flying saucer", somehow

emphasizing the lightness of the form.

Some researchers have emphasized the parallel between this

conception and the pre Hispanic architecture in the Philippines,
especially in the bahay kubo, houses with sloping thatched roofs
and light walls erected on wooden poles.

The dome is slightly separated from the inclined columns,

emphasizing the sensation of floating and allowing more light to
interior, which is complemented by a circular skylight at the top of
the dome.

The architect Caryn Paredes-Santillan, presented at the II

International Conference on Architecture and Phenomenology, a
study of the manifestations of liminality in the churches of Locsin.
Liminality is a concept used in semiotics to define an intermediate
state between two areas, often characterized by its ambiguity and
its complementarity with two spaces.

Paredes-Santillan distinguishes in her analysis of several

churches by Locsin, three types of space: the primary spaces
(main functions of the building, like the altar), secondary spaces
(auxiliary areas, such as the baptistery, choir, confessional) and

liminal spaces, connecting these two kinds, which are

"psychological barriers that delineate the different degrees of
integration within a space and serve as a rite of passage between
the exterior and interior."

To this end Locsin uses some techniques as surrounding a space

by another space, the separation of the roofs and the use of light.

Paving designed by Arturo Luz

Aside of Locsin, the design of the church had the assistance of

other leading professionals, the floor was designed by Arturo Luz,
the Stations of the Cross by Vicente Manansala and Ang Kiukok,
and the double crucifix and the base of the altar by Napoleon
Abueva, all now recognized as National Artists.

Altar and double

crucufix (showing Jesus died and rose) designed by Napoleon Abueva

CULTURAL CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES

The CCP or Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas is the most

recognized work by Locsin, completed in 1969 during the
government of Ferdinand Marcos. In fact, his work focused mainly
on the Performing Arts Theatre.

Old view of Manila Bay, with

the CCP at the background.

The CCP is located on the waterfront, in an area of 77

hectares reclaimed to Manila Bay. During my visit a project to
recover the riverfront was undertaken, which had been
abandoned for decades and was being converted into an

interesting center of social exchange. The CCP is the starting

point of this long boulevard.

The idea was to make this complex the artistic Mecca of Asia, and
for that purpose it houses four theaters, a museum of
ethnography, galleries and a library of art and culture.

The main theater is comprised of a huge concrete block covered

in marble that forms the facade of the building and protrudes 12
meters thanks to the powerful arched columns that give the
impression that this block is floating.

The building is accessed from two ramps which converge at the

center of the facade, an idea that has been used by Locsin in
some of his works.

Fountains were placed in front of the block, which allows an

interesting perception of the building at night.

Gerard Lico, in his book "Power, Myth and Marcos State

Architecture" has criticized the monumentality of this complex as
a waste, whose primary purpose was to serve as propaganda and
demonstrate the power of the dictator. Similarly, many Latin
American dictatorships at that time, also chose grandiose works
to signify their power and the vision of the nation, so that Marcos
probably used this monument as a mask to hide the corruption
problems that afflicted its mandate.

While many people worship him in Ilocos Norte (I had the

opportunity to see his embalmed body, but he looked to me like a
wax statue), but there are many others who blame the huge
external debt that his government left, as well as his
many eccentricities that Filipinos still have to pay. After all, after
the war, the U.S. plan was to turn the Philippines into Asia's new
leader, instead of Japan. What happened?

Interior of the building. Detail

of the ceiling, courtesy of elzhear

http://architecturalmoleskine.blogspot.com/2012/01/locsin-modern-form-inphilippines.html
]

LEANDRO V. LOCSIN PARTNERS is the current

incarnation of an unbroken and continuing
architectural practice founded in 1955 by Leandro
V. Locsin (+), Philippine National Artist for
Architecture. The fi rm is credited with having
helped shape Manilas skyline and architectural
landscapes. One of its earliest commissions, a
high rise apartment building on Ayala Avenue, set
the architectural idiom for subsequent buildings
on what was then the frontier of urban
development and what has become Manilas
premiere business district.
The fi rms infl uence goes well beyond Ayala
Avenue. From its drawing boards have sprung
notable work such as the Chapel of the Holy
Sacrifi ce at the University of the Philippines, the
Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex, the
1970 Philippine Pavilion in Osaka, the Philippine
International Convention Center, the Manila Hotel
Redevelopment, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, the
Manila International Airport, The fi rst Citibank
Building, the Makati and Philippine Stock
Exchanges, the Anvaya Cove Resort Community,
and the Ayala Museum (old and new).

Since 1955 the fi rm has designed over 33 public

buildings, 75 commercial buildings, 6 hotels, 13
churches, several country clubs and museums,
and more than 100 residences in the country's
most exclusive communities.
The fi rm's most comprehensive project to date is
the New Istana Nurul Iman State Palace and Seat
of Government for the Sultan of Brunei in Bandar
Seri Begawan. Encompassing a total fl oor area of
approximately 200,000 square meters, the palace
has the distinction of being the world's largest
presidential residence.
With a staff that includes 40 dedicated architects
and designers, the fi rm continues to immerse
itself in the design traditions of the Philippines
and Asia along with key developments in design
theory, sustainability, and contemporary
technology. The reconciliation of these aspects vernacular contexts and western processes - is
strongly refl ected in the fi rms work.
http://www.locsinarchitecture.com/history/

Leandro Locsin: Philippine National Artist for Architecture

by Ida Beltran-Lucila
One of Manilas notable landmark is the CCP Complex. Built on reclaimed land, it
holds the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Folk Arts Theater, Philippine
International Convention Center (PICC), Philippine Center for International
Trade and Exhibition (PHILCITE), and the Sofitel Philippine Plaza all
designed by Leandro Locsin, making it a virtual Locsin complex.
Leandro V. Locsin (1928-1994) is the 3rd Philippine National Artist for Architecture
(1990), after Juan Nakpil (1973) and Pablo Antonio (1976). Most Filipino architects
of his time were trained in Europe and the United States, or have taken undergraduate
or graduate studies abroad. He, on the other hand, pursued his studies solely within
the Philippines. A talented pianist, Locsin enrolled at the University of Santo Tomas
Conservatory of Music to pursue a career in music. A year before graduating, he
shifted to the School of Architecture in the same university. While pursuing his
architectural studies, he worked as an artist-draftsman at the Ayala Corporation. He
graduated in 1953 but before establishing his practice, he designed stage sets for
ballets. Later on, he would design for the esteemed dance pioneer, Martha Graham.
In 1955, Locsin was commissioned by the Catholic Chaplain of the University of the
Philippines, Diliman, to design a chapel that is open and with a capacity of 1,000
people. The Church of the Holy Sacrifice, the first round chapel in the Phils. with the
altar in the centre, and the first to have a thin shell concrete dome, is now a
landmark not only in the university, but is a declared National Cultural Treasure
by the National Museum and a National Historical Landmark by the National
Historical Institute.
A visit to the United States marked encounters with architects Paul Rudolph, known
for his use of concrete and highly complex floor plans, and Eero Saarinen, famous
for simple, sweeping, arching structural curves or machine-like rationalism style.
These two would have the greatest influence on Locsin, as evidenced by his
succeeding works.
Locsins designs are marked by his distinct use of concrete, themes of floating
volume, the use of native materials, the roof emphasized as the dominant form, wide
overhanging eaves, massive supports, interior lattices and trellises, ornamental detail

contasted with simple forms, and spacious interiors. His peers have described him as
the Poet of Space for the way he articulated space using straightforward geometry.
Up to the time of his death, his body of works include 75 residences and 88 buildings,
including 11 churches/chapels, 23 public buildings, 48 commercial buildings,
six major hotels, and an airport terminal building. Aside from the five
structures at the CCP complex, other notable works are: the Philippine pavilion at the
World Expo in Osaka, Japan (1970); the original Ayala Museum (1974); some
buildings at the University of the Phils., Los Banos; Ninoy Aquino International
Airport; and the Church of the Monastery of the Transfiguration in Malaybalay,
Bukidnon.
Locsin placed the Philippines on the world map in 1969 with his most
recognizable work, the Cultural Center of the Philippines with its gentle sloping
curves giving way to an enormous box and a large lagoon in front, thus creating
the impression of suspension. But his largest and most spectacular work is the
Istana Nurul Iman (Palace of Religious Light), the palace of the Sultan of
Brunei. The palace has a total floor area of 200,000 sqm, a grand reception hall
accommodating 5,000, a throne room with a capacity of 2,000, and two mosques
crowned by a dome plated with 22-carat gold. Malayan and Islamic motifs, modern
lines, and the latest building technology blend in what has been hailed as the new
Versailles.
In 1959, Leandro Locsin was one of the recipients of the Ten Outstanding Young Men
(TOYM) Awardees for Architecture and in 1992, the Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize.
His citation for the Fukuoka Asian Cultural Prize states: Mr. Locsins works
beautifully incorporate such traditional qualities with the openness and vastness of
modern architecture. His unique interpretation of architectural features such as
lattice and curved lines are eloquently expressed in his modern, Western form of art.
What lies behind this originality is his principle: to synthesize or to blend Western
and Eastern culture. Without this theme, the modern architecture of the West could not
have taken root within the existing Filipino architecture His private life
is characterized by continued commitment to other arts and culture. He is a fine
pianist, a deeply committed admirer of oriental art and the visual and performing
arts. When his multi-faceted artistic talent is fully exhibited in architecture, its details
display a well-calculated beauty of form, and its appearance reshapes the urban
landscape His phenomenal career is not only evidence of a natural wealth of

talent, but also a tribute to his Filipino mentors and to Filipino culture which
in its colorful variety has been a cradle of genius.
Indeed, significant and symbolic words for a Philippine National Artist hailed both
for advancing our culture and for leaving an astute and creative legacy.
http://pinoytimes.ca/2012/02/health-and-lifestyle/leandro-locsin-philippine-nationalartist-for-architecture/

He, more than any of his contemporaries, put the

Philippines on the world stage, especially when
his CCP Main Building opened in 1969.
His peers have described him as the Poet of
Space for the way he articulated space using
straightforward geometry.
I think that, next to Frank Lloyd Wright, he is the
master of the cantilever. When I first saw his CCP
Performing Arts Theater, I was astonished by how
the mass of the building seemed to float above its
podium.
I also like how he combined the male and female
principles in his architecture. The CCP Main
Buildings podiums gentle sloping curves give way
to an enormous box, and the interior is an amazing
interplay between the sexes; soft versus hard:
In many ways, I consider Locsin to be a kindred
spirit of Oscar Niemeyer, who put Brazil on the
world map with his organic, sensuous forms.
From 1955 to 1994, Locsin designed seventy-five
residences and eighty-eight public buildings, plus a
palace for the Sultan of Brunei. Yet, he remains an
unknown, especially in the country of his birth.

My Cultural Center of the Philippines Suite is a

tribute to his legacy. I just wish I could find out
more about his relationship with the First Lady,
Imelda Marcos. What I would have given to be a fly
on the wall back in 1960s Manila.
https://designkultur.wordpress.com/2010/01/08/cultural-center-of-the-philippinesarchitect-leandro-v-locsin-%E2%80%9Cthe-poet-of-space%E2%80%9D/