Towns and cities are not made up only of buildings. The two essentials to create a balanced urban setting are architecture, as well as the spaces between buildings. In the Philippine context, the prime open space has been the plaza. These large, paved and planted spaces were the center of life in towns and cities of yore. Sadly, we are losing these plazas today at an alarming rate. They must be conserved and reconnected into our urbanity or we risk losing that physical glue that holds our towns and cities together.
I’ve been a student of open spaces since taking up architecture at the UP in the 1970s. We had an introduction to city planning, a three-unit course taught by an enigmatic professor who studied at Cornell University. I was hooked on plazas and cityscapes from then on, also because of fond memories of the many I visited and experienced as a child in Manila and my home province of Cebu.
I did not hesitate, therefore, when the Samsung Foundation broached a project to me on the subject of landmarks and heritage. I pitched for an exhibit that focused on the heritage plazas of Manila as well as the landmark buildings that defined them, which included churches, government buildings and commercial establishments.
Samsung wanted to celebrate the richness of Filipino culture and heritage by using innovative technology to cast the spotlight on historical sites and landmarks. I worked with them and my team to provide content — short urban histories with archival and current photographs of the chosen plazas. Samsung then embedded this content in cool platforms for viewing and learning by all who would visit the exhibit, or take advantage of the apps they developed for the project.
Samsung’s partner in this endeavor is the Philippine Science High School Foundation, Inc. headed by Dr. Rey Vea, who I had gone to school with me at the UP. He was a few years my senior, but I do remember voting for him in the student council elections of 1972. He opened the exhibit last week on behalf of PSAY and the Yuchengco Museum, which he is also connected with.
The exhibit “Plazas of Manila” is hosted by the Yuchengo Museum, and will be on till Sept. 18. I will also be giving talks on Sept. 9, 12 and 16. Coinciding with the exhibit is the launch of Culture Explorer, a mobile application that uses augmented reality technology to help people, especially the youth, learn about Manila’s plazas and other cultural and heritage landmarks.
The app is virtually a tour guide in one’s pocket. You can access information on landmarks and plazas of Manila. It also allows users to navigate around key landmarks and travel back in time to see how they looked and evolved over the years. Since history is better appreciated with other people, the Culture Explorer app allows users to connect with other Culture Explorers who share their interest in the different sites. Fantastic!
Also amazing is the augmented reality exhibit featuring 3D goggles by Samsung. The exhibit demonstrates this new technology featuring the 360-degree photography of Fung Yu, the country’s leading proponent of panoramic documentation.
In attendance were other officials of the foundation. Linda Cordova, executive director of the Philippine Science High School Foundation, Inc. explained at the opening that, “Through this exhibit, we are able to cast the spotlight on one of the most important elements of Filipino culture and history, the plaza. This exhibit allows us to bridge technology and art together, giving the Filipino youth a chance to learn about their roots.”
I agreed wholeheartedly. Technology makes the arts, culture, and history more accessible and more appealing to people. It allows them to appreciate everything in a more dynamic manner, injecting a new dimension and giving it a meaning beyond what they get to read in books.
The digital exhibit and app launch is an undertaking of Samsung’s Corporate Citizenship Program, which is committed to the conservation of Filipino culture and history. Arlita Tayko-Narag, head of Samsung public affairs, expounded at the event that, “Philippine history is very rich and it has to be kept alive in the minds and hearts of people. Samsung believes that technology is the perfect medium to link the past with the present, to generate greater appreciation of our rich heritage. Culture Explorer enables users to appreciate the Philippines’ rich history in these everyday landmarks… helping to pique interest among the young generation with the use of augmented reality technology.”
Cris Concepcion, director of Content and Services at Samsung Electronics Philippines, had the final word before the exhibit ribbon was cut. “We hope that the public will find the time to visit the exhibit and download the Culture Explorer app. It is a great and fun way to learn about history and culture, and will definitely help everyone — students, teachers, and plain curious folk — to appreciate the richness of Filipino heritage.”
I do hope we can recover our heritage plazas. They are everywhere to be found in the country, but many are almost gone, or filled up with structures and follies of every kind. Many are forgotten and are deteriorating by the minute, oppressed by the blight that pervades our cities. What Samsung helps point out in this exhibit is that our heritage of plazas and landmarks is important for us to reconnect with our cities and culture. Reviving them would greatly help establishing a sense and pride of place, that connection that binds us to where we live and defines us as Filipinos.