Art Deco, FEU to the Manila Metropolitan Theater

As we move along the streets from the Far Easter University to the magnificent Manila Metropilitan theater, we manage to see some great art deco style design. These also includes them, The Feu and the theater.

Far Eastern University

 

The Metropolitan Theater

 

But first lets identify what art deco is. What are its features and ideas.

Art deco is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s and into the World War II era. During these days modern skyscrapers adapted  art deco style design.

As much as Art Deco is seen as the seeming ‘infiltration’ of a foreign agent in another culture, the style can also be interpreted as the means an ‘infiltrated’ culture adapts and responds to an outside power. Philippine Art Deco then can be understood as the dynamics of the imposition of power by the colonizer and the demonstration of resistance and empowerment of the colonized.

These were the buildings of the future: sleek, geometric, dramatic. With their cubic forms and zigzag designs, art deco buildings embraced the machine age.

During the roaring twenties and the early thirties, jazzy Art Deco architecture was the rage. Like any style, it evolved from many sources. The austere shapes of the Bauhaus School and streamlined styling of modern technology combined with patterns and icons taken from the Far East, ancient Greece and Rome, Africa, India, and Mayan and Aztec cultures. But most of all, Art Deco expressed excitement over a stunning archeological find in Egypt.

 

Art deco buildings have many of these feature : Cubic forms, Ziggurat shapes: Terraced pyramid with each story smaller than the one below it, Complex groupings of rectangles or trapezoids, Bands of color, Zigzag designs, Strong sense of line, Illusion of pillars. One magnificent example of Art deco is the Chrysler Building in NY. Empire state building is also widely famous for being an Art Deco styled building.

And so we went to the Far Eastern University and there started trip. FEU is a nonsectarian, private university in the Philippines. Created by the merger of Far Eastern College and the Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance.  The University’s building was known for its Art Deco design. 

The symmetrical organization of its building greatly describes art deco style. They also show sleek lines that would catch anyone’s attention.

Geometrical figures stand out in the area and even their fences shows strong sense of line. Most of the buildings are differently designed yet shows same style design.

 

 

Moving on to the Metropolitan Theater.

MET is an art deco building designed by the Filipino architect Juan M. Arellano, and inaugurated on December 10, 1931, with a capacity of 1670 (846 orchestra, 116 in loge, and 708 in balcony).During the liberation of Manila by the United States and Filipino forces in 1945, the theatre was severely damaged, losing some of its roofing and walls battered. After reconstruction by the Americans it gradually fell into disuse in the 1960s. In the following decade it was meticulously restored in 1978 but again fell into decay.

The sculptures in the façade of the Theater are from the Italian sculptor Francesco Riccardo Monti, who lived in Manila from 1930 until his death in 1958, and worked closely together with Juan M. Arellano.

Highly stylized relief carving of Philippine plants executed by the artist Isabelo Tampingco decorate the lobby walls and interior surfaces of the building.  Bronze statues of female figures are placed along the top of the facade which depict the ancient female Philippine performers. It also has stained class mural mounted on the theater above its main audience entrance.

These buildings were made in historically thus shows Filipinos creative and innovative idea to incorporate Foreign style design as or own and made it even better and something to be proud of.

 

 

 

Quezon Hall, the Pride of UP

My friends and I were assigned to go out and see some wonderful sites and buildings given to us by our professor, he pointed out the great Quezon hall. There we were at the most honorable building in the University of the Philippines Campus, the Quezon hall which is known by their students the Admin building. Quezon hall was a pride not only by those who study in UP but also by those here in the Philippines especially those who love each and every work of Arch. Juan Nakpil. These is one of his great works but it is being criticized by many. For it is much likely to be the as  the building in Cranbrook Academy museum.   and   Before we Criticize Mr. Nakpil’s work we must first describe its features. Quezon Hall has a combined styles of neoclassicism  art deco and art nouveau. Its greats post shows historical design neoclassicism. The balcony gives an elegant art nouveau style that highlights the balcony inside the hall. Art deco style is being portrayed as a whole building for it shows symmetry of lines , geometric figures and eclectic artistic design.

So this is Mr. Juan Nakpil, the Great Architect that somehow started Modern Philippine Architecture.  He is criticized that he forged his design of the Quezon Hall. In my own insight i think he never stole anyone’s idea I think he was just inspired of another great work of Eliel Saarinen, who is a Finnish architect famous for his art nouveau works.

Cranbrook academy of art museum was definitely a site to see. The academy’s great landscape fits for UP campus’ lot. Maybe he was also inspired by some other things beside that. we will never know. Architects just have this talent to innovate things and when they do, it is one hell of a master piece!

 

 

Culture and Arts, The Foundation of Architecture. (CCP and PICC)

Our travels discovering the most amazing sites and building in our district, the Metro Manila, was far from over. Now we went to  a great building complex where they promote the wellness of our country’s culture and arts. Since they represent artistic works they should not fail to be aesthetically beautiful, and they didn’t. These amazing buildings are The Cultural Center of the Philippines and The Philippine International Convention Center.

I first saw the CCP during the Pasig Fun run. We went pass through the great building and I was amazed that i even followed it with my eyes while i was running. And we went back to see it again and it still never failed to amaze me.

     The Cultural Center of the Philippines, located at Pasay city, Metro Manila, is a corporation managed by the government. It is established to promote, develop and preserve culture and arts in the Philippines. It is Complex site where the Philippine International Convention Center is found.

The National Theater was design by the National Artist for Architecture, Leandro Locsin. He soon designed the other buildings of the CCP complex.

The facade of the CCP building is 12 meters high and suspended by concave cantilevers on three sides. The rest of the structure was clad in concrete textured by crushed shell. The building was built in a podium with vehicular ramp raised to the lobby passing through. As we can see there are no seen parking areas and it is because the audience are chauffeur-driven. The Podium was made due to the high sea level for it was near to manila bay and never for the elitist view of art and culture. Another thing that is amazing about the National Theater was the reflecting pool below the massive podium that is equipped with fountains and underwater lights.

Inside the lobby was 3 massive capiz-shell chandelier awaits the us. Each of these chandelier are representing the three geographical divisions of the Philippines, the Luzon , Visayas, and Mindanao.

Another feature at the tanghalang nicanor abelado was the brass sculpure of Vicente Manansala called the seven art  that welcomes the audience of the theater.

The Philippine International Convention Center is a convention center located in the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines. This state-of-the-art facility has been the host of numerous local and foreign conventions, meetings, fairs, and social events. We didn’t had the chance to go inside the perimeter of the PICC for we forgot our permit but by the glances we made we appreciated the great building.

Since PICC held some of the greatest conventions in Asia, it must display a beauty that is world class for it is first in convention center in Asia. It is also strategically designed to be near the airport, few minutes away from the heart of manila and some shopping malls to be one heck of a tourist spot.

These buildings represent our country in many different ways. Mr. Locsin did a very great job creating such wonderful building worthy to be proud of.