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UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTUREHistorical Research: El Hogar Filipino BuildingSubmitted to: Arch. Norma Alarcon, fuap ProfessorSubmitted by: Duroyan, Marybeth G. Francisco, Dionella Marie T. Nery, Jullee Anne C. Serrano, Vinson P. Tana, April Dawn B. AR 5-5October 9, 2009Table of ContentsTitle PageEl Hogar Filipino Building: Philippines’ World Trade Center1Special Features2Physical Description4State of Preservation8Grading9Pictures11Biblio
Citation preview
UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE
Historical Research:
El Hogar Filipino Building
Submitted to:
Arch. Norma Alarcon, fuap Professor
Submitted by:
Duroyan, Marybeth G.
Francisco, Dionella Marie T.
Nery, Jullee Anne C.
Serrano, Vinson P.
Tana, April Dawn B. AR 5-5
October 9, 2009
Table of Contents
Title Page
El Hogar Filipino Building: Philippines’ World Trade Center 1
Special Features 2
Physical Description 4
State of Preservation 8
Grading 9
Pictures 11
Bibliography 13
El Hogar Filipino Building: Philippines’ World Trade Center
In the heart of busy streets of Manila lies an almost century-old building
located in front of the Pasig River along the streets of Juan Luna and Muelle Dela
Industria. The El Hogar Filipino, a Spanish phrase meaning “The Philippine Home1”
is one of the most prominent structures on the business district of Binondo.
History
Built in the year 1911 by an American civil engineer named Ramon Irureta-
Goyena and Francisco Perez Muñoz2, this building was considered as the Mutual
Company Building and Loan which serves as a mortgage company, a financial
institution related to lending activities. It was during the 1900s when the Americans
came and civil engineers went to the country. Don Ramon Irureta- Goyena was then
the first dean of the College of Civil Engineering3 of the Oldest Engineering School in
the Philippines- the University of Santo Tomas. Don Ramon Irureta- Goyena is the
brother of Antonio Irureta- Goyena, and his half-brother4, Tirso Irureta- Goyena was a
prolific writer during that time. This building served as a wedding gift for the
marriage of Margarita Zobel to Antonio Melian, a Peruvian Count in 1914.
El Hogar Filipino building, containing the firm’s Manila offices, was erected a
few years ago on the site where they were previously located for a great many years in
an old stone and wooden two-storey structure that was eminently typical of the
business establishments of the city in former times.5
Ownership
1 “English Translation of El Hogar Filipino”.
http://translate.google.com/translate_t?prev=hp&hl=en&js=y&text=sociedad+mutua+de+construccion
+y+prestamos&file=&sl=es&tl=en&history_state0=#es|en|el%20hogar%20filipino%0A. 10/08/09. 2 “Statutes of The Filipino Home: Mutual Company Building and Loan”. El Hogar Filipino:
Escolta, Manila. 1912. 3 “University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Engineering”.
http://wapedia.mobi/en/University_of_Santo_Tomas_Faculty_of_Engineering. 10/08/09. 4 “Antonio & Ramón de Irureta Goyena”.
http://www.alexwaterhousehayward.com/blog/archives/2007_05_01_archive.html. 10/08/09. 5 Macmillan, A. Seaports of the Far East. London, UK: W.H. & L. Collingridge. 1925.
Owned by the El Hogar Filipino Company, the company has its own set of
Board of Directors. Antonio Roxas served as President, Francisco Irtgas served as
Vice-President, Enrique Zobel served as the Treasurer, while several directors such as
Mariano Limjap, Fred C. Fisher, Juan T. Figueras, Ramon Fernandez, Antonio Brias,
Fernando Zobel, Eduardo Soriano, Miguel Ossorio. Antonio Melian, worked as its
first manager while Lutgardo Lopez worked as the secretary. Company lawyers were
Haussermann Cohn and Fisher and Orense Y Gonzalez Diaz. The company auditors
were Fleming, Percy Smith & Seth.
As the Philippine Insurance Company was formed, the finances were released
that resulted to the construction of famous and iconic landmarks in Manila like the El
Hogar Filipino building itself, staggering with its four-floor edifice and was then
considered as a high-end building during that period. Juan Arellano’s Metropolitan
Theater and Andres Luna San Pedro’s Crystal Arcade would not have been built
without the presence of El Hogar Filipino building.6
Special Features
Historical Significance
El Hogar Filipino building was then the primary headquarters of the most
respected firms in the business district of Binondo. Binondo was then called as “the
Wall Street of Manila”7. Some of these firms are the following: Warner, Barnes and
Co., Ltd., Importers and Exporters, Shipping and Insurance Agents; W.F. Stevenson
and Co., Ltd., Exporters, Importers, Shipping and Insurance Agents; Lizarraga
Hermanos, General Merchants, Sugar Manufacturers and Exporters; M.J. Ossorio,
General Merchant and Broker; M. Verlinden, Agent for Manufacturers8. The primary
location of El Hogar Filipino building, knowing that sits beside the Pasig River made
it as an arterial network of the metropolis as main trading point of banking and
6 Harper, B.L. “Embodying Grace and Elegance”. Philippine Daily Inquirer. 06/12/98.
7 De los Reyes, M.M. “Manila’s Building Boom”. The Tribune Magazine. London,UK: Tribune.
08/31/30. 8 Macmillan, A. Seaports of the Far East. London, UK: W.H. & L. Collingridge. 1925.
commerce. This was also the original headquarters of the Ayala Life Insurance
Company.
If not the best of its field, firms that were located inside the El Hogar Filipino
building were one of its kinds. Among firms, exporting and importing activities
dominated the trade and commerce thus continuously gaining profit for the socio-
economic value of Binondo as a central business district. It is no wonder why up until
now, Binondo is a top spot for commercial establishments and has the highest market
value of land appraisal within the boundaries of Metropolitan Manila.
W.F. Stevenson and Co., Ltd., J. Ossorio, General Merchant and Broker, and
Lizarraga Hermanos, General Merchants, Sugar Manufacturers and Exporters were
the extensive exporters of Philippine products especially sugar. Lizarraga Hermanos,
General Merchants, Sugar Manufacturers and Exporters are the largest stakeholders of
the Kabankalan Sugar Co. Warner, Barnes and Co., Ltd., Importers and Exporters,
Shipping and Insurance Agents is the oldest firm in the vicinity. This firm is one of
the largest and most influential of the local firms. While lastly, M. Verlinden, Agent
for Manufacturers is known for its long and extensive commercial experiences
together with his partner, Mr. Lucien Delmotte.9
On the famous work of Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, our National Hero had
mentioned through the character of Kapitan Tiago, a rich, famous, and well-known
merchant in the novel, once lived on the same site where the El Hogar Filipino
building is located. Within Rizal’s lifetime, his experiences and knowledge was
enough to gauge to his capacity that Binondo, in particular, can be a very truthful
manifestation of rich and prosperous living in Manila, and that trading is one of the
highest earning businesses that existed in Philippine history. As quoted from the
novel:
9 Ibid.
“Isang marangyang salu-salo ang ipinag-anyaya ni Don Santiago de los Santos na
higit na popular sa taguring kapitan Tiago. Ang handaan ay gagawin sa kanyang bahay na
nasa daang Anluwage na karating ng Ilog-Binundok.”- J.P. Rizal10
Anluwage is the old name of Juan Luna Street on the district of Binondo. (See
appendices for details) A nearby plaza can be located few meters away which is
called Plaza Cervantes. Plaza Cervantes has always been a busy intersection – since it
was coined as the Plaza’s banking section and now flanked with tall concrete
establishments where continuous commerce takes place.11
At present, El Hogar Filipino was used for some of the movies which shots
were taken are Princess Sarah, Lovers in Paris, Mangarap Ka, Scorpio Nights and
Milan. Music videos were taken here as well such as Hallelujah and Much Has Been
Said by Bamboo, I Wanna Know What Love Is by Sarah Geronimo among others.
Commercial and Photo shoot sets has an endless list of clientele and magazine
exposures.
Physical Description
Embellished with a Beaux- Arts style of architecture that is prominent on the
ornamentation and details of the building, this 98-year old building housed several
financial and institutional firms that were considered as best of the best during the
90s. Dated on its history, the Beaux- Art style of architecture heavily dominated the
United States during the period 1880- 192012
. Due to this evolutionary trend, same
style was applied by its architects, evidently shown and proved by the neoclassical
type of architecture. Various columns and capitals used were of conformity with the
dominating styles that of Doric, and Corinthian orders.
10
Rizal, J.P. Noli Me Tangere, Kabanata I: Isang Handaan.
http://gusot.wordpress.com/2007/09/04/noli-me-tangere-kabanata-1-isang-handaan/. 10/08/09. 11
V.R. de la Torre. Landmarks of Manila 1571- 1930. Manila: Paragon Printing Corporation. 1981. 12
“Beaux-Arts Architecture”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaux-Arts_architecture. 10/08/09.
The five to six storey office building remained as a high end structure during
that time. The use of materials dedicated to its intricate design are of high quality, and
its sophistication not only impresses every person who was able to visit the place but
also makes every visitor fall in love with its features. Such beauty was appreciated by
most of intellectual artists such as directors, set designers for film and television. The
building has a different kind of atmosphere- depicting like an ambience of a different
country such as Rome, France or Spain. The interior spaces are flexible enough to be
used in various types of setting, whether it may be local or foreign, may it be for film,
television series, or commercials. The building have greatly influenced itself into the
field of arts, created a general impact proving that architecture has become part of the
setting or what we call the ‘sense of place’. In fact, El Hogar Filipino is picturesque in
quality where in any and every angle, beauty can be seen through the naked eye and
possesses a different kind of drama and emotion incomparable to any other buildings
built in Manila. Through this, the building formulated a new name- ‘Studio Three’,
referred as a studio outside the real television and film studio.
Interiors, Materials, Decorative Features
During the 90s, El Hogar Filipino building was used to house Manila’s top
commercial firms which are locally and internationally contributor to the prosperous
trading of goods in the country. For an office type of building, spaces were designed
in such a way that elegance, professionalism and sophistication can be interpreted
through its details. The type of architecture and ornamentation used like the various
neoclassical orders such as Doric and Corinthian illustrates the institutional ambience
of the building’s function. The ornamentation is well defined through its balusters,
newel post, windows, railings and the like. Tiles used and other materials used in the
building were defined to be commonly used in Binondo. Hard wood were employed
as stair and window materials, and metal framings and railings were ornate enough to
put detail on the solid concrete facade of the building. The building already used an
elevator, and acquiring such can be very expensive during that time. Since budget
posed no problem on its construction, El Hogar Filipino ended up built as beautiful
comparable to that of the New York Wall Street13
Fleur de Lis patterns were used in almost all parts of the building, and such
pattern is greatly influenced by its Beaux- Arts style. As one approaches the building,
the stunning beauty that the staircase possesses is already enough to believe that El
Hogar Filipino was once the seat of high-end commercial firms in the country. The
atrium allowing cool air and indirect light enter the premises, which are considered as
tropical design innovation during the time since air-condition units were not yet being
used during that time. A pent house located on the topmost part of the building allows
the occupant to have a clear view of the busy Pasig River from Manila Post Office
building stretching up to the entire area of Pasig Harbor. Glass is also another material
believed to be introduced during these times.
Interior corridors are surrounded with interior windows, allowing every space
to breathe not only from the exterior facade of the building, but also penetrate the
circulation of air and light inside and out through the atrium. As of its microclimate
condition, through researchers’ observation, El Hogar Filipino’s temperature is
workable for office functions, and seemed to be abundant with natural light, which
conserves the building energy consumption. The introductory provisions of ventanilla
system in window treatments served the offspring of Spanish Bahay na Bato
architecture that dominated the country during that period. Roofing materials used
Galvanized Iron sheets, proved that layers of change from Spanish to American
architecture took place during that time. A chaflan on the building’s corner were
intently design due to an ordinance14
issued by the gobernadorcillo that creating such
will lessen accidents in the area. (See appendices for details)
13
De los Reyes, M.M. “Manila’s Building Boom”. The Tribune Magazine. London,UK: Tribune.
08/31/30.
14 De Viana, L.D.C. Three Centuries of Binondo Architecture, 1594-1898 :A Socio-Historical
Perspective. Manila, PH: UST Publishing House. 2001.
Calle Escolta was distinguished among the other streets of Binondo because it
was well-paved with cobblestones and piedra china blocks brought from Hong Kong.
Escolta towards the Jones bridge lined with shops of French millinery, Swiss jewelry,
and Berlin fancy goods, English emporiums, shops of German chemists, and the
offices of Spanish physicians, Spanish tobacco dealers and Belgian sugar factors,
photograph-salons and modest depots of stationery, or even periodicals and books,
tailoring shirt and hat making establishments, furniture salesrooms and picture and
music stores, cafes and confectioneries and liquor rooms, and the clubhouses of
rendezvous and gossip for the European residents, where the sale of aerated waters is
something marvellous. On the Escolta mingle wealth, fashion purchases for the
maintenance of style or the gratification of taste.15
15
De Viana, L.D.C. UNITAS, Binondo: The Commercial Capital of 19th Century Philippines.
Manila, PH: UST Publishing House. 2000.
State of Preservation
Structural Stability, Threats, and Condition Description
The building’s structural stability posed as the biggest threat and danger to the
existing lifespan of the building. Due to improper maintenance, dilapidated facilities
like leaks and fouling odor coming from the comfort rooms are only some of the
buildings deterioration agents. A consideration for repainting job might prevent the
facade from urban decay. Visually chaotic ambience due to traversing utility lines in
front of the well-ornate facade degrades the building’s sophisticated quality and
elegance. Improper use can put to blame since tenants should highly prioritize
maintenance as basis of its current condition. Some of the rooms are no longer
functional due to age and condition, and health threats posing a great danger due to
mould and bacterial inhabitation on the area. Aside from the structural stability, the
usage of the building facilities might be determined as the source of its major
deterioration.
Since aging is consequently related to structural consolidation according to
charters and principles of conservation, the greatest threat that posed during the
researchers’ observation were improper usage of the building, added with managerial
inoperable solutions. Finances may not be considered as major problem since frequent
movie shootings are done within the area. Resources for funds and adequate
management are imperative since adaptive reuse is being implemented on the
building.
Grading
El Hogar Filipino building: Historic, Aesthetic, and Cultural Significance
Historic Significance
If there are two words that are immediately being associated with El Hogar
Filipino, it must be ‘trade’ and ‘commerce’. El Hogar Filipino has witnessed the
Golden Age of Pasig River as main artery of trade and commerce in the Metropolitan
Manila. Financial and commercial institutions were housed on this building, giving
way to the success and development of every company’s history to the nation and to
the world. Such feat cannot be measured since Binondo, would not have been
developed due to Pasig River’s busy industry, and this consequently resulted to the
socio-economic contributions primarily of the building in the society and to the
development of the country’s considered to be the first financial central business
district. Immeasurable attainments are evident enough to prove El Hogar Filipino’s
great and rich history. From the noble businessmen that created the famous family
names in the country like the Zobel, Ayala, and Limjap. Imports and Exports were
done on the site giving way to the development and promotion of the country in other
parts of the world makes it more significant. History takes part of its process as the
process takes part of its history as well. Endless connections can be made and
therefore be associated to this structure, and for that reason why we declare this
structure with high significance in terms of its historical value.
Aesthetic Significance
In terms of architectural quality and treasure, El Hogar Filipino is one of the
business buildings in the Philippines that pose Beaux-Arts style that dominated during
the 1900s. This architectural style brought by the Americans in the country are part of
the architectural evolution as it lies the layers of time and development that has
undergone Binondo and other parts of Manila. Ornamentation can be graded as
authentic, and several introductions of modern materials during that time is highly
significant and can be considered as an innovative move and benchmarking of
architectural style within the era. The use of the building for production design set for
various films, television, and commercial shootings are proofs of its timeless beauty
and elegance. For such reason, the aesthetic quality and value of the building must be
raised into a higher level, thus consequently resulting to an increase of market value.
Therefore, El Hogar Filipino is also of high significance in terms of aesthetic value.
Cultural Significance
El Hogar Filipino housed several business activities that are of great
implication to the Philippines’ rich history in terms of trade and commerce. Since El
Hogar Filipino provided funds for the construction of some of the iconic landmarks in
Manila namely the Jones Bridge, Metropolitan Theater and Crystal Arcade, this
contribution can also be considered as highly significant due to the lineage of
civilization functions and infrastructure to the continuing legacy of history to the
Philippines. Such architectural legacy can be considered as a cultural contribution,
and hosting as a venue for business activities and the like. Therefore, El Hogar
Filipino is also of high significance in terms of cultural value.
Scientific Significance
As of the thoroughness of the researcher’s study to investigate if there were
things that may be associated to El Hogar Filipino building in terms of scientific
significance, there are no adequate proofs and evidences that can be declared for
stating the scientific significance of the building. Having this study as basis for citing
its scientific significance, as far as this research and this study is concerned; El Hogar
Filipino is not stated of any significance in terms of scientific value.
Pictures
Interior, Exterior, Details Photographs
Counterclockwise: 1Exterior Perspective 2 Art Noveau
Staircase design 3Atrium 4 Penthouse staircase 5
Exterior perspective along Pasig River 6 Photo of El
Hogar Building during the 1900s
Counterclockwise: 1 Newel post
detail 2 Door detail 3Stair railing
detail 4 Penthouse railing detail 5
Ceiling detail
Pictures
Interior, Exterior, Details Photographs
Bibliography
“English Translation of El Hogar Filipino”.
http://translate.google.com/translate_t?prev=hp&hl=en&js=y&text=sociedad+mutua+
de+construccion+y+prestamos&file=&sl=es&tl=en&history_state0=#es|en|el%20hog
ar%20filipino%0A. 10/08/09.
“Statutes of The Filipino Home: Mutual Company Building and Loan”. El
Hogar Filipino: Escolta, Manila. 1912.
“University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Engineering”.
http://wapedia.mobi/en/University_of_Santo_Tomas_Faculty_of_Engineering.
10/08/09.
“Antonio & Ramón de Irureta Goyena”.
http://www.alexwaterhousehayward.com/blog/archives/2007_05_01_archive.html.
10/08/09.
Macmillan, A. Seaports of the Far East. London, UK: W.H. & L. Collingridge.
1925.
Harper, B.L. “Embodying Grace and Elegance”. Philippine Daily Inquirer.
06/12/98.
De los Reyes, M.M. “Manila’s Building Boom”. The Tribune Magazine.
London,UK: Tribune. 08/31/30.
Rizal, J.P. Noli Me Tangere, Kabanata I: Isang Handaan.
http://gusot.wordpress.com/2007/09/04/noli-me-tangere-kabanata-1-isang-handaan/.
10/08/09.
V.R. de la Torre. Landmarks of Manila 1571- 1930. Manila: Paragon Printing
Corporation. 1981.
“Beaux-Arts Architecture”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaux-Arts_architecture.
10/08/09.
De Viana, L.D.C. Three Centuries of Binondo Architecture, 1594-1898 : A Socio-
Historical Perspective. Manila, PH: UST Publishing House. 2001.
De Viana, L.D.C. UNITAS, Binondo: The Commercial Capital of 19th
Century
Philippines. Manila, PH: UST Publishing House. 2000.