IDEAS : SDA Building ; Transformer or Printer?

Manila is one of the busiest cities in the world. The jungle that Manila is, Filipinos nowadays tend to neglect its worth and heritage. Manila stood tall in par with well known countries in the past. It was considered to Paris of Asia during the American Colonial Period. It is amazing to see how it was in its heyday. Its momentum is enhanced by the surroundings. Beautiful buildings, nowadays, we just tend to look down on it. With the vast population increasing and increasing, people can no longer support themselves and their families. All kinds of problems affected how we lived and treat the environment. People are too busy worrying about everything except Manila itself. Many just think of it as a grim city or just a city, for it’s not.

Inside the busy streets of Pablo Ocampo is a Mammoth structure. Completely out of place inside Manila’s residential district & Redefining Manila’s modern Skyline. Approaching the building, you would see how the pavement is shaped into something very unusual for a place like this. Back then, it was the Classical Roman federalist buildings that stood out. The Manila City Hall, Post-Office Building as well as Universities like Mapua and Lyceum. Don’t get me wrong, I love those buildings. They have created Manila’s identity from the ground up. But these buildings are merely ignored by people nowadays. Their worth is not appreciated anymore and that is quite disappointing. Soaring high among the grounds is the SDA Building, The newest addition to Ed Calama’s outstanding line of work. This building is a new extension of the De La Salle Philippines long line of campuses in Manila. Peeping through the busy Manila streets, this Modern Mid-rise building is yet to be discovered by passersby since it is situated deep into the narrow streets.

It was around Many 2010 when I first got to see the building in person. Back then, I wasn’t really appreciative of anything yet because, I knew nothing about it or Architecture. There was surely something about it at first sight that anyone who might lay eyes on it can feel. The subtlety it brings to the eyes with such complicated forms gathers attention everywhere you go around the complex. One of the most memorable experiences a structure could give is the approach itself, and this building does that perfectly. Some people may hate it as much as they can, but of course not everyone is an Architect, so not everyone can appreciate it.

One of the most noticeable part of the building is the massive cantilevered structure rising above ground with such elegance. The folding language of the steel structural elements adds such character to it that it continues almost at every part of the building. The Concrete slabs greet you on your way to the Lobby as it peels away from the pavement and creates these elegant forms on the ground. Curtain walls surround the building like garment that adds drama and sets it apart from any structures in the area. Entering the building, the Cathedral height ceiling is majestic and gives you that relaxing feeling. The Spacious lobby is unlike any other. Other schools merely include a lobby. I’ve been to many universities in Manila, and their “Lobby” was just kind of a waiting area whereas SDA’s Lobby is much more than that. Walls are Snow White and Striking red details and signs pierce through ones view. You can notice the plain concrete slab floors that are perfectly raw and refined. The Lobby is meant to be a place only for Entering, Exiting and waiting, but for CSB Students, it’s more than just that. Sometime in my freshmen year, I was in the 2^nd floor when I saw someone dancing on the Lobby. Dance Majors performed a beautiful ballet number that was sort of a flash mob that everyone enjoyed. The Plainness of the place allows students to create the experience inside it. It can be a gallery if they want it to or an open stage or even a venue for concerts. It is really not enough that you go only into the Lobby; there are 14 floors of the SDA Building which the students use full time. Degree programs allow for a stunning, state of the art school with everything they need and will need inside. It is not like any other school in the Metro. Its futuristic appearance also translates into the Courses offered as well as the Students, Faculty and Facilities offered. There are a number of reasons why this school is said to be innovative and different in a good way.

The school’s Vision is about Dynamic and innovative learning. Some Courses offered can only be found in SDA like Animation, Game Design and Prototypes of much typical courses like Music Production, Technical Theater and Production Design. Somewhat the school acts as an art lovers haven for creativity and everything in the building’s interiors can be associated with the students. The SDA Building is my home from Monday to Friday for at least 5 hours a day. Staying inside is no Stressful or Tense matter. There is a certain environment that the building has that sort of gears you up for the day ahead. Each floor are an embodiment of the individual courses offered by the school. Floors are absolutely different from each other both physically and emotionally. The first 4 floors are more of the Administrative and Office spaces. Going to the 5^th floor is a completely different story. It houses the Theater, Prop house and Classrooms for the Industrial Design students. The Large and open curtain walls allow light and natural air to come in. The Classrooms/Studios are well equipped with tools and Machines that students use for their Studio work. Not Only that, The SDA’s wide corridors allows students to use them as exhibition spaces if needed. The SDA Building is indeed not a typical school. There are many different things that set it apart from others. Aside from Architecture, The school also houses the most prominent Professors and teaching modules that allow for a more effective learning strategy. It is nice to encounter new teaching strategies so that students could learn and have fun at the same time.

The 6^th floor is the territory of the Music Production, Dance, and Photography students. The spacious interiors allow everyone to play music wherever they want. Indeed it is multi-purpose. The Corridor may transform into a Walkway, Dance floor, Music room, Art Studio or a Photo booth whenever or wherever in the SDA Building. It’s like the room of requirement, in Harry Potter. It’s almost magic how it can actually transform into so many forms without actually transforming.

Now, we all know that Libraries are just plain boring and irrelevant nowadays. SDA’s spacious Library is not boring at all. This is where technology and bookworms meet. The huge collection of books provides students with ample sources of information with just one click form the computer. Students can also access books form their household by the use of internet. I’ve never seen such Library with up to date book titles for the student to enjoy. Design students frequently visit the library to draw and make “Plates” because of the Quiet environment. Aside from the Library, The Architecture program owns the 7^th floor that has the Drafting tables for Drafting and Modelling. It’s amazing how student population have grown in the past few years. CSB Design Students are now getting attention on the local university scene. The Library Commons over students a place to study, rest and mingle. The 8^th floor is also home for the Fashion Design students. One of the most talked about Courses in SDA that is unlike any other. The Fashion industry have been progressing along with the SDA’s top Fashion Icons. I even know quite a few who aren’t FD students. Indeed, Art is a huge part of an SDA students life no matter what course you are enrolled in.

Multi Media Arts has been gaining attention in the field of Arts. SDA has one of the best in the country from what I’ve seen so far. Not only MMA Students, but every student in SDA embody the creative and innovative perspective of the school. Animation & Gaming Design has territory over the 10^th floor. Equipped with the most Hi-tech Mac computers and Software, The SDA 10^th floor will surely be a computer junky’s heaven. The Cafeteria is housed on the 12^th floor. The “Promise Land” as my Classmates would call it. There you could see a jungle of students with their own worlds. It is a place that turn dining into a creative experience as well.

So you see, Manila isn’t that bad of a jungle anyway. In the heart of it lies this Crystal. I believe this is only the start. The SDA Building as well as everything that represents it would create a ripple effect that will revolutionize Manila in a way. Who Knows? Maybe Optimus would come and transform Manila.

IDEAS : Structural + Organic

Architects have their own design processes and styles by which they find forms, meaning, and context. We have our own different perspective on Architecture and it is not always inherent with what everyone believes in. That being said, what we believe in gives our building or structures individuality and Character.

I believe that everything comes from something. Everything is made of something. All the things we see, touch, hear, smell and taste all comprise of a building body that enables it to fulfill its purpose. That explains how I work, how my buildings look, the feeling or experience it conveys and how I work with an Element and treat it as a tool.

Inspiration can come from everything and anything. It can be an idea or an object. Most of the time, my concepts come from nature or in other words, it is organic. At first, I never thought that a Structuralist can blend with Organic concepts, but I discovered it can. Structuralists are concerned with the relationships of elements, processes and how it can work as a whole. As of now, my works and designs look very Structural and complex but at the same time it is also organic. Curvilinear forms are dominant in creating spaces. Though the Structure is very structural, the lines are clean and curved.

Back in High school, I really liked Chemistry and Physics, I guess that somehow influences on how I design and how my designs look. I’m a really a nature lover. I don’t like rigid objects. Growing up, I was surrounded by people who are very traditional, even my house. The furniture, how it is planned, everything is traditional. I kind of want to break away from that traditional background and create something new and unexpected in everything I do. I try to be unique and unhabitual. I have always been a music lover. I play a lot of instruments. I love to dance regardless of what type it is. That explains how I like movement and dynamism. It comes out naturally, and unintentionally. I love how a Structuralist can apply movement in structures. I’m amazed at how much I can do with a single form. How much your body moves with the structure. Your eyes follow the movement of the elements and your feet allow you to interact with the structure.

Masters of Architecture : DANIEL LIBESKIND and his 17 words of Architectural Inspiration

There is no hesitation that Architecture is indeed very powerful. It’s one of the things that coincides with everything. Emotional aspects, Physical, Sustainability, Economical, Structural and many more. Being an Architect is not just about buildings, it’s about building in consideration of all the intangible things as well. In Daniel Libeskind’s talk, he tackled all the things that he believed in. He took all the thoughts that buildings or structures instill in people and deconstructed it to come up with these ideas that are real and are true in reality. We can never escape from the fact that we as Architects should consider more than being able to build a certain building. We should think about other ideas or notions that can affect the people and the environment we are building for.

The moment a person walks inside a Structure, there is always a feeling associated in them that gives them an impression of the building. Libeskind talked about Expressive vs. Neutral which for me brings out your visions, ideas and feelings. It comes out of an experience, a story or a realization. It is necessary for us to be able to express our ideas into something that other people can relate to or can communicate with.

People are always looking forward for new things, always comparing, always weighing things. Nowadays, technology has been a part of our daily lives. Since the modern age, technological products have been used by people to socialize and interact. Since the Apple empire begun we have always been updated of the latest Ipad, Ipod or Iphone. This hunger of people for new things are also seen in Architecture just like what Libeskind said, Optimism vs. Pessimism and Unexpected vs. Habitual. He said we should always see things Beyond the normal and Beyond itself to reach a human soul. I strongly agree with this just because personally, part of our profession includes influencing people and introducing new ways breaking away from the usual. We are creative people and by that we should always look forward, be an Optimist, create new things, new experiences that will enhance people’s lives. Buildings should speak for itself. It does not have to have a sign for you to know just what it is. It should be able to communicate rather than being mute. It’s almost the same as being Expressive. When you are able to express, your work will be able to convey your expressions onto other people.

Libeskind’s buildings have been famous for the fact that it is built around history, experiences and expressive ideas and not just by Cake decorating.

IDEAS : Pre - Colonial + Spanish

It is in our nature as humans to find shelter, food and find ways to survive. Back in the Pre-colonial era, some of the most basic necessities that has shaped our modern way of living has been a testament to the Filipinos, in both our culture and tradition. From being hospitable, to the Filipino Lifestyle, Structures and the way certain buildings are planned and built all of these reflect how us Filipinos evolved from the many years that we have been colonized by other countries.

I find that most of the technologies that other countries have at that point in time were also present in our Country and has been interpreted in other ways. That is why I find it really peculiar to have known that we had the knowledge and the technology early on, it's just that it has been modified to fit the Filipino Lifestyle. But before we go through all of that, before the technology had arrived, Early settlers has been influenced with a lot of things like Religion, Government, Weather, Language, Cultures and Beliefs that then developed and flourished the country. We all know that the early Tabon Man had nothing permanent, whether it was religion, language, shelter, nor sense of government. But they had one thing in mind which was survival. The need to survive contributed so much in terms of Architecture, leading to the Bahay Kubo and eventually the Bahay na Bato.

Both the Bahay na Bato and Bahay Kubo resulted from Man’s needs and all of these needs has been translated in many different ways. The Spanish Colonial era was not only known for the Bahay na Bato but also for the advancements in many other fields. Religion played a huge part in this era’s development. The Spanish rule gave way to numerous religious dioceses that provided Filipinos Government, Education, and influenced us largely in terms of Culture and Tradition.

I find that the Spanish had influenced us a lot, but I think these influences are only seen in a more Physical way, the intangible aspects are Filipino in nature, another Peculiar thing. I guess many Filipinos do not think of it that way. If you think of it as a whole thing, The Bahay na Bato may look very Spanish, but the plan and the way a person moves around the areas are very Filipino. Like having places for Family to bond, having a place to store wet and dry goods, a large table for the family to eat in and many more are based on Filipino Beliefs and Culture. It just shows how Filipinos are Practical and adaptive to everyday life.

It’s also Peculiar for me when some Filipinos say that there is no Filipino Architecture, which I completely disagree in. I think all these colonizations have made people believe that this particular building is Spanish, or this house is Japanese but Architecture isn’t just about that, it’s bout experience and emotion as well. Architecture is so wide that it connects to almost everything, that’s why we shouldn’t limit ourselves from seeing only the Physical side of it.

Our modern day Architecture has gone so far from the simple house. Nowadays, everything’s possible. From the materials to the manner of construction, An architect’s vision can always come to reality with the use of today’s technological advancements but little did I know that some of these technologies have emulated from have dated back from these eras, mainly the Spanish and Pre-Colonial eras. Modern day construction has started since the early settlers built their simple “lean-to” houses as their shelter. When the Spanish era came, more complex houses required complex construction procedures and materials. As early as the Pre-colonial period, we have seen Walls, post, Flooring, Joists, Trusses and even ventilation. When the Spanish era came, all these developed into larger scales. Intensive planning is seen on the Bahay na Bato using Practicality and Common sense as their tools. Spatial planning is much more defined and has spaces for certain functions. Family, Religion and others are seen influencing how the Bahay na Bato is built like having a Sala, having Ventanillas for processions, and Placing Family emblems in Bedrooms and Newel posts. As early as this era, They already have gutters, in consideration with the weather. They also have stairs, service passageways, Bathrooms, and Kitchens that are all considerate of Hygiene and Cleanliness. They also have Joists, Beams, that produced a more defined and solid structure.

We can all see how the Pre-Colonial and Spanish era contributed so much on many aspects. Whether its about Culture, or Construction, we should keep in mind that all these influences are just instruments to develop our own Architecture.