The architecture of socialist realism
Each civilization expresses itself through language, ideas, and cultural individuality, and architecture is one among the many expressions of diverse cultural realities.
Each civilization expresses itself through language, ideas, and cultural individuality, and architecture is one among the many expressions of diverse cultural realities.
Reconstruction of ancient churches and other heritage structures in Bohol destroyed or damaged by the earthquake last year can start only by yearend.
The landmark El Hogar Filipino building on the Binondo bank of the Pasig is reported to have been sold.
At the end of their useful lives as family residences, many old houses are either simply abandoned or demolished. The more fortunate houses are given the chance to repurpose themselves by adapting to accommodate new uses.
Important details of the St. James the Apostle Parish, one of the oldest Hispanic churches in Plaridel, Bulacan, can now be seen again after the church administration and a group of heritage conservators and artists successfully restored parts of the centuries-old structure last November.
The copper plaque with the engraved name of El Hogar Filipino and the building’s time capsule have been removed, raising fears that the new owner might tear down this century-old heritage structure.
The recent earthquake brought many Bohol houses down. Other structures simply collapsed. With an earthquake that strong, whose impact was compounded by many major aftershocks, only the most structurally sound of houses managed to remain standing.
The battle over the construction of a one-story events venue beside the historic Taal Basilica in Batangas took a new twist after sculptor Ramon Orlina hurled a contempt charge against the parish priest for defying a local judge’s order to stop the project.
With heartbreak of the Jai Alai building’s demolition a decade ago still fresh in their minds, heritage conservationists are hoping that the Philippines would finally take on the global wave of adaptive reuse of old buildings and houses, instead of leaving them to the mercy of the wrecking ball.
On observing earthquake damage to buildings in Bohol, and seeing the devastation from Supertyphoon “Yolanda,” the conclusion is that many of the houses and buildings of recent construction are death traps.
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