(Re)Building A Nation

I know many of you are sleepless from monitoring the progress of the war in Iraq. Like me, many of you feel "embedded" to your television screens or radios. But life goes on and the humanitarian effort of building our own nation continues. In relation to this, I was invited last month to attend the annual convention of the Philippine Institute of Architects. It was a well attended affair with many attendees from the profession and the construction industry. Next week, I will be attending the annual convention of the United Architects of the Philippines, which is also expected to be jam-packed with architects gearing up for the eventual resurgence of the construction industry.

What role do architects and related professions have in building a city and a nation, especially one that is recovering from political, economic and social trauma? A good answer to this question comes from a wise voice from over 60 years ago. Don Sergio Osmeña, vice president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, was invited to give the keynote address at the inaugural convention in 1941 of the Philippine Architects Society (the precursor of both the PIA and the UAP). His speech was a prescient outline of strategies in architecture, landscape architecture, urban design and proper planning; strategies which he believed were necessary to prepare the country for full independence. It was decades ahead of its time and even more relevant today than back then.

The Art And Science Of Architecture

The Vice President started by putting his speech in a personal, social and civic context:

"When I speak to you today I do so as an individual, a layman without the specialized knowledge of the science and art of architecture that you possess. Yet, in a sense, I believe all of us are architects for we all have a keen interest in the common task of building the Filipino nation. This nation, which we love and which we are constructing with all the enthusiasm and earnestness of which we are capable, must exist not only in the intangible sphere of our affections or in the illimitable field of our social and political aspirations but, also, in the material world, finding tangible expression in our provinces and municipal cities, in our civic centers and our parks, and in public buildings and private homes.

"People everywhere have three essential needs – food, clothing and shelter…The permanent character of our houses, which are designed to meet our need for shelter, enhances the importance of architecture as a science. The architect is a specialist (and)…covers such problems as space arrangements, suitable materials, and methods of construction, appropriate equipment and the planning of buildings so that utility and beauty may be attained to the highest degree. Employing the services of an architect assures the client of the greatest value for the money expended and the satisfaction of obtaining a finished product designed for the specific purpose intended."

Osmeña also defined good architecture and its broad scope. "The word ‘functionalism’ is today widely heard in architectural circles. Good architecture has always been functional as well as aesthetic. …A great contemporary French architect (Le Corbusier) once said: The ‘house, the simplest form of architecture, is a machine for living in.’ With these words he was emphasizing the utilitarian functions of the house. As a smart looking automobile with a poor engine is an absurdity, so is a beautiful house which is not adequate for comfortable and healthful living…Our desire for beauty must be included among our needs, and architecture, while meeting our physical requirements, must at the same time satisfy that sense of beauty. Convenience in living, economy of time and energy, healthful and pleasant surroundings, the amenities of life – these are the things that we should keep in mind when we are planning to build a house…The work of the architect extends beyond the construction of residential houses. It includes within its scope hospitals, schools, churches, monuments, office buildings, theaters and industrial establishments, and such consulting work as that related to city planning, civic centers, beaches, hot and mineral springs, health resorts and recreational centers, subdivision planning, building codes and zoning."

Frontline Role Of Architects

Vice President Osmeña painted the role of architects as multi-faceted, one that looks at architectural function, aesthetics as well as environmental concerns. He was also concerned with the local construction materials industry, stating, "One of the questions that the architect has to consider in relation to public or private buildings is the kind of materials to be used. The use of local materials may hasten the evolution of a national architectural style, suited in every respect to local conditions a most desirable aim in any country. In the Ilocos provinces, formerly, extensive use was made of bricks for the foundations and walls of public or private buildings and even for bridges. If we go to the Visayan provinces, we shall see that the imposing churches and their towers, the spacious convents, the municipal buildings, and many of the old houses are made of coral stone which is a superior material to the adobe stone and which is found in abundance in the seas of the region… In the report of the famous Chicago architect, Mr. Burnham, the man who prepared the plans for the City of Manila and of Baguio, attention is called to the beauty of the parks in New York, the numerous bridges that cross the parkway to eliminate crossings on the same level are all faced with stone… In Washington, DC, no important, permanent building is made of concrete but limestone, marble, granite or other stone or brick is used."

At the last two construction trade fairs I attended, I was aghast to find out that majority of construction materials being sold was imported. Even so-called local products contain great quantities of imported raw materials. Why is this so? Osmeña’s speech was over half a century ago. Is it the sad reality today that we still have not progressed in terms of production of local building materials? Isn’t it bad enough that many of our buildings are already designed by foreigners, that we have to add to the injury by using mostly imported materials?

Osmeña also emphasized the role of the architect in creating cities and communities, stating, "The architect, in cooperation with the city planner, plays a very important role in community planning. His work in this respect includes not only the planning of new centers but also the re-planning (of those damaged by disasters)…A substantial contribution is expected from the architect in the development of our new model community – Quezon City. With wide boulevards, beautiful parks, and imposing government buildings, we are erecting in this new city a monument to the Philippines. In the residential section, healthful living conditions will be assured to all the residents, including the laborers and low-salaried employees."

The great man from Cebu already pointed to problems that faced the planners and implementers of the then new Quezon City – land speculation. He advised, "Oftentimes splendid plans are made, but they cannot be carried out because of the great cost involved in the expropriation of existing properties. But, expropriation is not the only method of executing such plans. It is possible to avoid much of the cost and to make better progress by voluntary agreement among those affected. When the commercial zone of the City of Cebu was destroyed by fire during the early years of this century, this method of voluntary agreement to rearrange the system of streets in the affected area was tried and was found highly successful. The improvement of this section of the city including the relocation and widening of the streets was done at practically no expense to the government, thanks to the civic spirit of the people who unanimously gave a part of their lots without compensation." If only QC and Metro Manila followed the strategy of Cebuanos, it may not have turned out as sprawled and blighted as it is today.

Parks, Heritage And Open Space

Osmeña also advocated the need for parks, open space, heritage conservation and waterfront planning, saying, "In the preparation of plans for the waterfront districts in our important seaports, it would be desirable to have the views of the architects…As an example of planning of this kind, may I cite the case of Vancouver, Canada, and, in our country, of Zamboanga, Cebu, and Dumaguete where there are parks and plazas for the use of the public near the piers and the places for the anchorage of ships…In speaking of parks and plazas, may I (say that)…certain areas in the country have been set aside as national parks, and in some of them development has been started. It must be confessed, however, that we are still far from the point where we can say that a comprehensive program has been formulated. The problems of scenery, historic sites and natural wonders, together with their use and enjoyment by the people, which are involved in park development, require special treatment. We have brought from the United States an adviser on parks (a landscape architect and planner by the name of Louis P. Croft), who is making a survey of park possibilities in the country…There is no doubt that we have many scenic and interesting spots which, if conserved, will be of great benefit not only to us but also to future generations. There are national historical sites that are almost totally neglected. We must endeavor to provide for our people a vivid picture of our history by preserving these sites."

I’m sure that Don Sergio would have joined the HCS if he were still alive today. It was to take 20 more years after Croft’s work for landscape architects like Dolly Perez and IP Santos to make an impact on the city’s parks.

The architect does make an impact, as this great Filipino leader continued:

"The work of the architects affects directly the welfare of all the citizens. When we face a lawsuit we place our interests in the hands of an attorney-at-law; when we are sick, we engage the services of a doctor…Why then should we not look for the appropriate specialist when we develop a park, plan a city, or construct a building? The public edifices we construct are used not only by the government officials and employees, but by the people who go there to transact their business. And, when we come to residential houses, the places where we will live for years, if not for life, where our children will be born and will grow, where…we will spend one-half, perhaps three-fourths of our time, we should be most unjust to ourselves if we did not endeavor to build the most adequate, comfortable and livable houses. If we give to this important problem the thought and attention it deserves, we will secure better shelter, our wives and our children will live more comfortably, and our homes will have a more pleasant atmosphere. If the individuals that compose our citizenry have good homes and are contented, we shall come closer to achieving our objective of promoting the general welfare and doing the best we can to place happiness within the reach of every one."

Planning Our Future

Finally, Osmeña tackled the need for planning, arguing that, "This is an age of p1anning. Planning, as an orderly process for growth, involves thinking in terms of the group instead of the individual, of teamwork instead of the lone player, of the community instead of the single house, of future generations as well as this one. Years of non-planning have resulted everywhere in city slums, blighted and congested areas, poor street lay-outs, and unstable property values. Poverty and miserable housing conditions have contributed their share to crime wave and the rise of class hatred. The Philippines is now in the throes of planning and building its political, social, and economic structure. As we shape and erect this new structure, we must not lose sight of the vital problem of assuring the welfare and happiness not merely of a privileged few but of the entire Filipino people. As a master builder, the architect has a definite contribution to make in attaining this goal."

I do not think that anyone, past or present, could have made as good a case for good planning, architecture and landscape architecture as Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. has. He went on to serve the country well, even abandoning his own political ambitions right after liberation, in order to help revive a country ravaged by war.

The goal of building a robust political, social, economic and physical nation is still to be achieved. The contributions of Filipino architects, landscape architects, and planners are needed now more than ever. Providing shelter and healthy surroundings for a fast (some say too fast – population wise) growing nation requires weapons of mass construction; ones that ensure adequate standards of quality of life and a sustainability that carries any program beyond the usual time frames of limited political terms of office.

It is a daily struggle, this war against state and business apathy to the real needs of a downtrodden but proud people. Foreigners are often shocked and awed by the blighted existence we call life in our cities and countryside. But no outside coalition can provide liberation from the shackles of blight and the blunders of short-sighted planning. The only hope is that we finally heed the advice that nationalists, like Osmeña, have given and that is to take action ourselves and set our own course to real economic progress and true social emancipation.

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