The Heritage Conservation Society

ty SensBy Paulo Alcazaren
The Philippine STAR 10/29/2005                   

From
Aparri to Jolo, we never really fully appreciate our beautiful
Philippines. Despite the damage we know is happening to our once
pristine environment, there is still much left, in terms of natural
wonders and man-made heritage, that pleases the eye, satisfies our
historical and cultural curiosity and fills our appetite for travel.

I’ve not done Jolo, but recently I did reach as far north as
I’d ever been. I hopped on a PAL flight a few weeks ago to visit the
surprising province of Ilocos Norte. I’m from Cebu, so my sojourns have
been centered on the Visayan Islands. This is that part of our
archipelago most local and foreign tourists associate with sun, surf
and sinugba. There is, however, more of that everywhere in the
country. Ilocos Norte proves that attractiveness is not limited to
Boracay and bordering islands – there’s as much and more in bagnet country.

First off, there are almost no phone banners and the ugly
billboards that blight almost every other destination nationwide. That
alone is worth any trip for me. After landing, I took the road from
Laoag to almost all the towns in the province – Batac, Paoay, Sarrat,
all the way up to Pagudpud. Wonderful scenery was all around, blessed
with a dis-abundance of roadside billboards. I could actually see trees
and the green countryside, not pictures of half-naked models or
hamburgers.

Next, there are numerous and wonderful examples of heritage
architecture from the Spanish and American colonial periods. Many are
well preserved (save for the awful new roof of the Laoag Cathedral, the
beautiful timber trusses were replaced with banal steel which destroys
the ambiance not to mention compromises the structure itself). The
Paoay Church is a must-see with its massive earthquake buttresses and
generous setting, which is now enhanced by a cafe and souvenir complex.
The Sarrat Church and its dungeons, the Laoag Provincial Capitol, the
leaning bell tower, the Bojeador farola (lighthouse) should be part of
any itinerary.

The Laoag Museum is also a delight (curated by architect Rene
Luis Mata among others). Visitors will be amazed at the richness of
Ilocos culture and the various diverse influences from China, Spain and
even the Americas. A visit to any of the town markets yields much in
terms of souvenirs and arts and crafts – blankets, longaniza, empanada, tobacco products.

Even more contemporary settings are of touristic interest. I
stayed at Fort Ilocandia, which is going through a renaissance of sorts
because of the influx of Chinese tourists. They come mostly for the
gambling, of course, but nevertheless they also tour the countryside
and imbibe more than the drinks at the gambling table. The "Fort"
itself has matured nicely. Originally it looked (at least from what I
recall of tourist brochures then) chunky and unfriendly. The trees and
shrubs have now matured and cover the original structures with a green
flower-embellished patina that is quite appealing. Amenities are quite
generous, including a 50-meter pool, driving range, dunebuggy rides,
shooting range and ski-doos make the Fort a stand alone destination.

Two places of note at the province’s northern border need to
be brought to everyone’s attention – the windmills and the beaches of
Pagudpud. I requested a special trip up to see the giant windmills.
This Danish/Filipino joint venture is amazing. Seventeen wind
generators, each 23-storey high, create enough energy to power close to
half of the province’s needs. Each three-pronged blade is equivalent to
the wingspan of a Boeing 747. Amazing! What’s more amazing is the fact
that, of course, it uses up no fossil fuels, is self-regulating and
needs only a compliment of five engineers to monitor it. Sensors in the
windmills send data digitally to Denmark and Manila. The mills make
little sound except for low whooshing sounds only when you get close
enough, otherwise they are silent power generators. We should turn to
this type of alternative energy source for the rest of the Philippines
(along with alcogas, cocodiesel, natural gas and plain old pedal and
foot power).

Finally, let’s talk about Pagudpud. Boracay, move over! White
sands, coconuts, friendly coves, Hawaiian-quality surf, blight-free
surroundings, and ready access from the international airport in Laoag
make the place a serious alternative to congested Boracay. There is
tremendous potential in developing the whole stretch of coast in Ilocos
Norte to cater to the local and foreign tourist market. The port at
Currimao also holds great potential and planned inter-provincial
highways lead to greater connectivity to attractions nearby like Vigan
and the world-famous Banawe rice terraces.

I believe all the north needs is more exposure. Marketing is a
key approach and the next strategy is actually to not do too much,
especially with heritage and nature. I hope the north keeps as much of
its heritage as possible and shores tourism up with more
accommodations, an improved transport infrastructure and conservation
of intangible cultural heritage. All this will lead to tangible
benefits in the local economy while contributing to the national good.
See you up north.

Feedback is welcome. Please e-mail the writer at paulo.alcazaren@gmail.com.

By Paulo Alcazaren
The Philippine STAR 10/15/2005

One
of the most fascinating places in this diversely insane metropolis of
ours is Forbes Park. "Millionaires Row" it has been called, and for
good reason – the cream of the cream of Philippine business live there.
Actually, that moniker is decades old, considering that the peso has
depreciated to Mickey Mouse value and making the 58-year-old enclave
more appropriately "Multi-billionaires Row."

This original template for all of our country’s subdivisions
was named after a millionaire himself – William Cameron Forbes,
one-time governor general of the Philippines. Forbes was a busy-body, a
Yale graduate who wanted to prove his worth to his peers in the high
echelons of American business and society. His family was wealthy and
he used his connections to find a post as assistant to William Howard
Taft, the first governor general in 1905. He went on to take over the
post and champion road-building projects and the physical development
of Manila and Baguio (he was instrumental in bringing Daniel Burnham
over to master plan the two cities).

The residential development was the creation of Don Alfonso
Zobel and J R MacMicking. The Ayalas wanted to make use of their huge
property at the fringe of pre-war Manila. They sensed a need for
housing the rich displaced from war-torn central Manila and for
providing an alternative business center for expanding businesses.

The two took lessons from American suburban subdivisions in
Greater New York and Chicago and adapted these to Philippine conditions
and the real-estate market. It was reported to be an "experiment to
prove the point that people wanted the best that they could afford."
The year was 1947 and people, even the rich, could really not afford
much. So the Ayalas gave incentives and almost rock bottom prices. They
convinced a few of the elite to move there, but only after they built
houses for themselves.

To entice more residents from the established residential
districts like Pasay, Malate, New Manila, and San Juan, the Ayalas also
convinced the Manila Polo Club to relocate here. They also donated land
to the Franciscans to rebuild their Santuario de San Antonio (complete
with Amorsolo paintings inside). These proved successful in drawing
residents in and became the formula for many more Ayala developments in
the decades to follow. No modern upmarket subdivisions nowadays are
developed without the country club, church, and convent school
combination of amenities.

The Forbes Park developers also pioneered the building of
supermarkets, drugstores, and related amenities within their enclaves.
They also started the trend of forming homeowners’ associations to see
to the needs of the "villages." The experiment was also to prove that
"some regimentation was needed to preserve a high standard of living."

Residents must abide by certain restrictions set by the
developers and the association. Fencing and gates had maximum heights
and the house could not cover the entire lot to allow for generous
landscaping. The designs for their homes must be screened by a building
committee and the houses must have a minimum cost, again to ensure the
quality of the architecture. These "restrictions" are all now basic for
most high-class developments.

The original 93-hectare "park" was carved out of the extensive
Ayala estate which was formerly Jesuit land. The original subdivision
had 347 houses with each lot occupying from an eighth to a fourth of a
hectare each – huge compared to even high-end developments now
(upmarket lots are now down to between 400 and 600 square meters in
area while mid-market home lots go down to an astonishingly small 80
square meters!)

The streets were named after the several species of trees
planted in the new "park." Those magnificent acacias on McKinley Road
(named after the American president who gave the orders – supposedly
heaven-sent – to conquer the Philippines) are over half a century old
now.

One of the things prohibited by the association was (and still
is) the keeping of livestock and poultry. Although adopted by numerous
subdivisions thereafter, many middle-class enclaves, like the one I
grew up in, did not enforce this, making the cock’s early morning crow
the curse of the not-so-rich suburbanite.

The first houses in Forbes were built mainly in revivalist
styles that were an offshoot of pre-war trends. In the Fifties,
however, the California split-level or ranch types came into vogue.
There were also a number of Asian-themed demesnes, like the Pablo
Antonio-designed house of Hans and Chona Kasten. Other houses of the
rich and famous were designed by the top architects of the day – Carlos
Arguelles, Juan Nakpil, Gabriel Formoso, Jose Zaragosa, Pablo Antonio
Sr. (who also designed the Polo Club with landscape architecture by
Louis P. Croft). These were followed a little later by the work of
Leandro Locsin, Willy Coscolluela, Roger Villarosa, and many more of
the third generation of Filipino architects (more features on Forbes
houses in future articles).

Forbes, therefore, is a rich repository of Filipino post-war
architectural heritage. Many of these houses are now half-a-century old
and should be conserved. The enclave is also a legacy of suburban
development and should be studied for its great influence on succeeding
residential subdivisions of the ’60s till the present day. All bear
semblance or adapt patterns and elements of this "experiment." In fact,
there should be a study made on just how Forbes and the subdivisions of
the ’50s, like the Philamlife Homes in Quezon City, set patterns for
urban, suburban, and exurban sprawl.

There are lessons to be learned, for sure, in establishing
communities, containing growth, connecting infrastructure and
maintaining quality of life. Not all lessons are positive and, in the
context of today’s super-dense cities, the role of low-density suburbs
is to be questioned. Some say these are still necessary to mitigate
crowding itself. Others champion a more rational approach to urban
development that allows high density near the core and lesser density
at the fringes (as Forbes Park was at the start).

Whatever it is, Forbes remains a fascinating place – providing
the best contrasting images of the rational and unplanned in town
planning, the elegant richness versus eclectic kitschness of Filipino
residential architecture, and ultimately the disparity between the
sheltered rich and the shantied poor in society.

Finally, the most desireable results in all of our housing
experiments from now on would be to ensure that everyone finds a roof
over their heads, good neighbors near by, and communities that engender
civic life and continued prosperity for all.

Feedback is welcome. Please e-mail the writer at paulo.alcazaren@gmail.com.

http://news.inq7.net/lifestyle/index.php?index=2&story_id=52827

   
Oct 10, 2005

By Augusto Villalon
Inquirer News Service

HOLCIM,
THE MULTINAtional behind the local brands Union, Excel, Premium and
Wall Right Cement, is a new name in Philippine industry but not around
the world. Established in 1912 in Switzerland, the multinational
company is the globe’s largest cement producer, manufacturing cement in
more than 70 countries.

The Holcim Foundation runs parallel with
the company’s global operations. Its purpose is to inspire and
encourage sustainability in architecture and environment.

Sustainability
is a fluid concept. Some find social aspects pressing, while to others
it is the environment that takes priority. Is it sustainable to build
replaceable buildings that are designed to be demolished to make room
for the new? Or should we design buildings to serve their purpose for
as long as possible, and then reuse them for new purposes?

Innovation

Entries
focused on innovation to achieve sustainability, with community
participation, natural-resource management, and cost-effectiveness.
Above all, each project improved the conditions of the locality where
it was constructed.

Of about 1,500 entries submitted from all
over Asia-Pacific region, China won the gold and $100,000. The
Philippines garnered the silver and $50,000. The bronze and $25,000
went to Japan.

The gold, silver and bronze winners from the
Asia-Pacific region earn a chance to compete against the top three
winners in the Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle
East-Africa regional competitions. The grand prize will be awarded in
April 2006 in Bangkok; it is worth $900,000.

Of three Acknowledgement Awards given, two went to China and one to India.

Two Encouragement Awards were given to China, and another to the Philippines.

The
Asia-Pacific Gold was awarded to the design for a "Clan Settlement’s
Regeneration in Hangzhou, China," an innovative urban regeneration
project responding to the need to rejuvenate aging Chinese cities. The
scheme integrates new housing and other community urban spaces within
existing neighborhoods without the need of wholesale demolition or
replacement of heritage structures.

By revitalizing old
structures, using local materials, and returning to simple construction
methods, the cost-effective project respects the living traditions of
the city, proving that heritage is an asset in upgrading decayed urban
environments.

Coral regeneration

An
outstanding Philippine project by Diamond Marketing, a Cagayan de Oro
team composed of Ernesto Pelaez, Roland Rodriguez, Oscar Cinco and
Lemuel Alfeche, "Concrete Substrates for Accelerated Coral Restoration"
won the Silver Award.

"No coral, no fish," stated Alfeche, a
marine biologist, when asked to summarize the pressing need for coral
regeneration in the Philippines which reverses massive damage to coral
and assures future livelihood to many small coastal fishing communities.

The
team developed a simple, affordable and easy-to-construct system for
regenerating coral. L-shaped concrete posts are cast on shore and then
attached around a submerged central pylon. Live coral is attached to
the spider-like structure called an acanthasia by its designers. As
quickly as two years later, the regeneration of coral and marine life
is dramatic.

The modest concrete structure, biologically
compatible with coral because of calcium carbonate present in cement,
offers a low-cost solution to the imperative need for coral
regeneration.

The bronze winner from Japan, "Air Suit: Housing
Renovation in Hiroshima," improves outdated living conditions in the
inner city by renovating existing buildings rather than insisting on
new construction, taking the enlightened view that urban recycling is
beneficial on both ecological and economic levels.

The solution
retrofits outdated building interiors, adds balconies along front and
rear facades and wraps them in woven material, providing insulation and
an air lock that controls summer and winter temperatures.

Light
material used for the building envelope increases energy efficiency
while reducing operating and maintenance cost, so housing becomes more
affordable to a wider range of society. More than merely a cosmetic
alteration, this aesthetically stimulating renovation technique
enhances living quality in the inner city while increasing the life
expectancy of its buildings.

The Holcim Awards charts an emerging
direction in global sustainability. At first it was simply an
architectural-awards program, but the range of submissions went beyond
the limits of the profession.

The range of entries, some complex
and others utterly simple, are all products of collaboration including
teams of architects, engineers, industrial designers,
environmentalists, historians, researchers, urban planners, and
educators, stressing that sustainability is a multidisciplinary effort
requiring the input of individuals with different specialties and
capabilities.

Heritage was a recurring theme. Although a majority
of schemes submitted for either housing or urban regeneration were
premised on the preservation of architectural and cultural heritage,
none viewed heritage as nostalgia but instead took heritage forward as
the basis for the future of cities and for improving local quality of
life.

The Holcim Awards sends the very strong signal that global
citizens should be conscious of preserving their individual, national
heritage while keeping their local environment intact, because each of
us is an essential component that must join the global effort to
sustain our endangered world.

Feedback is welcome at afvillalon@hotmail.com