HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 4 - AMERICAN AND JAPANESE ERA

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 4

   - Presented by: Asst. Prof. Elmer M. Soliman Jr.

COURSE OUTLINE

   1. Pre-Hispanic Era
   2. Spanish Colonial Era
   3. American and Japanese Era
   4. Post World-War II Era
   5. Late Twentieth Century
   6. The New Millennium

AMERICAN AND JAPANESE ERA

FRAMING THE IMPERIAL IMAGINATION

  • The American and Japanese era can be understood through significant events and transformations following the Guerra Hispano-Estadounidense (Spanish-American War).
  • Spanish-American War (1898)
       - Fought between the United States and Spain
       - Marked the end and fall of the Spanish Empire

TREATY OF PARIS

  • The Treaty of Paris, signed on December 10, 1898, resulted in:     - Spain relinquishing Cuba
        - Ceding Puerto Rico and one of the Mariana Islands to the United States
        - The United States assuming control of Manila until the future of the Philippines was determined
  • Demographic Shift: The demise of the Spanish Empire allowed the US to acquire the Philippines and other territories, fundamentally changing the colonial landscape.

INDEPENDENCE

  • Independence Day (June 12, 1898)
       - Emilio Aguinaldo declared independence from Spain in Kawit, Cavite and established the First Philippine Republic under Asia’s first democratic constitution.
  • The First Philippine Republic
      - Also known as the Malolos Republic, inaugurated by the proclamation of the Malolos Constitution on January 21, 1899, in Malolos, Bulacan.

PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN WAR

  • Timeframe: February 1899 - April 1902
        - Filipino revolutionaries, under Aguinaldo, fought against the United States to secure control of Luzon and uphold the independent Philippine Republic.
  • Aftermath: After defeating guerrilla warfare, the American regime began massive rebuilding throughout the Philippines.

AMERICAN OCCUPATION INITIATIVES

  • Rebuilding Plan: The American regime undertook extensive infrastructure planning in the Philippines, focusing on:     1. Military Controls
        2. Public Health
        3. Education
        4. Commerce
  • Notable establishment: First public works office was established under military corps engineers on August 15, 1898, led by General Arthur MacArthur and Judge Howard Taft, overseeing development planning.

THEORIES OF STYLE

  • Official Styles Promoted: Revival and monumental American Neoclassicism established as the official architectural style in the Philippines during the early 20th century.
  • Mission Revival Style:
       - Initially exemplified by insular architect Edgar K. Bourne, drawing upon Hispanic heritage from Southwestern America.    - Further articulated by William E. Parsons, fostering a hybrid aesthetic, combining US and local architectural elements.

FIRST IMPERIAL DEVELOPMENTS

  1. Construction of Forts and Camps
       - Focused on establishing military bases outside urban centers due to substandard ancient Spanish barracks, which were described as "Crumbling stone hovels, dank, hot, airless, comfortless and unsanitary."
       - Examples include:
         - Fort Stotsenburg: Barrio Sapang Bato, Angeles City (1902)
         - Fort William McKinley: Rizal Province, East of Manila (1902)
         - Camp Wallace: Poro Point, La Union (1903)
         - Camp John Hay: Baguio (1905)

  2. Urban Cleansing and New Tropical Hygiene
       - American policies emphasized urban planning.
       - September 12, 1900, the first act by the Philippine Commission allocated $1 million for roads and bridges construction.
       - Stagnant moats within cities, breeding malaria, were filled.    - Introduction of urban sanitation practices, including public baths constructed in Sampaloc and specific designs for housing.

TSALLET: THE HEALTHY HOUSING ALTERNATIVE

  • An alternative to traditional housing, designed for hygiene and health:    - Developed plans in 1912 for "tsalet" using new materials to replace flammable nipa.    - Integration of toilet and bathing facilities, improvements in hygiene, and rethinking traditional housing layouts.

URBAN FACILITIES

  • Improvements in public infrastructures such as:    - Public markets: Anda Market, Aranque Market, Herran Market, etc.    - Urban beautification with parks, promenades, and new streetlights, including systems for water and waste disposal.

MASTER BUILDERS DURING THE PERIOD

  1. Montgomery Schuyler
       - First American architectural historian in the Philippines who identified great qualities of tropical architecture.
  2. Edgar Ketchum Bourne:
       - Known for his pioneering designs like the Bureau of Science Building (1901) and Insular Ice Plant and Cold Storage (1902).
  3. Daniel Hudson Burnham:
       - Advocate of the City Beautiful Movement, developed urban planning ideas influencing Manila’s civic core.
  4. William Edward Parsons:
       - Known for public buildings and accommodating nuevo-classical principles entwined with local aesthetics.
  5. Tomas B. Mapua:
       - The first registered architect in the Philippines, associated with educational institutions and public buildings.
  6. Juan Felipe de Jesus Nakpil:
       - Renowned architect, first National Artist for Architecture in the Philippines, encapsulating Art Deco and modernism.

PENSIONADOS PROGRAM

  • Launched in 1903 to send Filipino scholars abroad for education, becoming instrumental in developing Filipino architecture, credited with shaping Filipino professional identity and fostering modern architectural practices in the Philippines.

CONCLUSION

  • The American administration left an undeniable impact on Philippine architecture and the identity of the Filipino people, fostering changes that intertwined with a sense of loss and hope for rebuilding a new nation as war-torn structures were replaced by modern imprints.