capitol building

MMAGAG--AARCRCHHISTORYISTORY

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 4

THE AMERICANTHE AMERICANTHE AMERICAN———CLASSIC STYLE CAPITOL CLASSIC STYLE CAPITOL CLASSIC STYLE CAPITOL

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTUREDEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTUREDEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

THE PROVINCIAL CAPITOL OF LINGAYEN ,PANGASINANTHE PROVINCIAL CAPITOL OF LINGAYEN ,PANGASINANTHE PROVINCIAL CAPITOL OF LINGAYEN ,PANGASINAN

SPECIAL FEATURES OF SPECIAL FEATURES OF SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE CAPITOL BUILDINGTHE CAPITOL BUILDINGTHE CAPITOL BUILDING

FLOOR PLANSFLOOR PLANS

THE MARKERTHE MARKER

REAR FAÇADEREAR FAÇADE

OFFICIAL SEALOFFICIAL SEAL

SESSION ROOMSESSION ROOM

INTERIOR DESIGNINTERIOR DESIGN

SECOND FLOOR LOBBYSECOND FLOOR LOBBY

CONFERENCE ROOMCONFERENCE ROOM

THE GOVERNOR AND VICE GOVERNOR THE GOVERNOR AND VICE GOVERNOR

OFFICEOFFICE

CLASSICAL IONIC VOLUTE AND POSTSCLASSICAL IONIC VOLUTE AND POSTS

A GLIMPSE OF HISTORY A GLIMPSE OF HISTORY A GLIMPSE OF HISTORY

PROVINCIAL CAPITOL IN PROVINCIAL CAPITOL IN

LINGAYEN LINGAYEN

CAPITOL DURING THE AMERICAN

PERIOD

THE PRESENT CAPITOL BUILDING

PUBLISHED BY : ARKITHIRD (2013—2014; 2ND SEMESTER)

UNIVERSITY OF PANGASINANUNIVERSITY OF PANGASINAN--PENPEN

PROVINCIAL CAPITOL

IN LINGAYEN

A GLIMPSE OF HISTORY

Provincial Capitol In Lingayen

Since the capitol was built during the

1917 it was known to be the most beautiful capitol

in the Philippines. According to the provincial

historian Rosario Mendoza Cortez, the building

was constructed on April 21,1917 was completed during De-

cember 1918. archt. William parson who was tasked with imple-

menting Daniel Burnham’s plan. He is the one who designed

and conceptualize the Lingayen Capitol Building, it was the

most impressive of all those built during the era is an excellent

example of his philosophy. It has been told that the provincial

capitol is the most beautiful Provincial Capitol constructed dur-

ing the American period described as “ a successful adaptation

of imposing classic architecture in tropical conditions”. De-

signed by parsons and constructed between 1917-1918, under

the direction of Archt. Ralph Harrington Doane. It was budgeted

at Php 300,000. Built of poured concrete it is covered with

limestone on the exterior purposely fro the warm color. ( quar-

ries had been recently located in several provinces containing a

certain type of limestone resembled “botticino”, a beautiful Ital-

ian marble used extensively abroad). The capitol was to be cen-

tral core of a group to be constructed in the future that would

include a court house, jail, garage, storeroom, hospital and resi-

dences for the governor and provincial treasures at an estimated

cost of Php 500,000.

The Lingayen Provincial Capitol building follows this

norm. It is the centerpiece of a larger town plaza for Lingayen,

located near the beach together with the provincial high school,

the provincial trade school, and the governor’s mansion; it forms

the government center of the town plan. Separate from the center

of the town and a park like environment gives the place a digni-

fied and restful ambiance. A four-lane boulevard divided by a

garden park replete with fountains connected the provincial gov-

ernment center with the main highway and the municipal center

at the old town plaza. The entire building or its main portion is

rectangular in plan, two to three stories in height, and set on a

podium consisting of several steps. The entrance is at the center

of the façade with one or several doors and sheltered by a two-

story portico. The spacious rooms had high ceilings and large

windows arranged along wide corridors. The architecture is

characterized by the use of columns, entablatures and pediments.

A track of land comprising 25 hectares by the

beach was obtained in the municipality of Lin-

gayen and the cornerstone laid on April

21,1917. Designed with a minimum of wall sur-

faces and maximum window openings to take

advantage of the cool sea breeze, it was protect-

ed from the sun and the rain by imposing colon-

nade and a projecting cornice surrounding the

entire edifice .

The interior was planned in large , open spaces

omitting interior walls as much as possible to

give the impression of an open pavilion. A mon-

umental main floor lobby and stain hall with

courtroom on the second floor, two stories high

was designed purposely for the architectural effect suit-

able to the dignity of the government and surpassing

the interior of any provincial capital previously erect-

ed.

The site extended from the municipality of

Lingayen all the way to the gulf and was approached

by a wide imposing boulevard. Careful landscaping

planning would ensure that the building itself would be

elevated on a terrace giving a broad unrivaled seascape

on one front—a panorama of sea and sunset as seen

only in the Philippines- the richly wooded high of

Zambales mountains and Cape Bolinao on the south

and rugged outline of the famous Mt. Sto. Tomas of

the Baguio on the north .

Parsons believed that the charm of the building

would be due to its good proportions: sound materials

and well-studied details. He believed that the charac-

teristics of a people were formed their surrounding and

the broad avenue would have a highly educational and

uplifting the effect on the present and future generation

in their desired social political and more attainments.

But during the world war II the capitol build-

ing is severely damage as seen in picture above. Only

the shell of the beautiful building remains after the

smoke subsided.

During the administration of Gov. Enrique Bra-

ganza (1946- 1951), the provincial capitol, together with

the schoolhouses and municipal buildings of Lingayen

were rebuilt through the Philippine Rehabilitation Act

Passed by the U.S. Congress in 1946. The provincial capi-

tol was rebuilt and restored to its prewar grandeur. It was

declared as one of the eight architectural treasures of the

Philippines by the National Commission for Culture and

Arts and the Filipino Heritage Festival Inc. in the year

2006.

The capitol building underwent a

general facelift and restoration works from

August 2007 to December 2008 under the

administration of the present governor Amado T. Espino

Jr. with the help of the Pampanga’s Architect named Chris

David who designed the interior of the capitol building.

From the outside, it is a stately American-

influenced architecture. The splash of golden yellow on a

long, straight parch of white on the marquee and columns

relishes an art, majestic yet simple and homely.

It’s a structure of elegance and authority, a display of fine art

dignifying the seat of power—“of the people, by the people

and for the people.”

Inside, the

warmth of finely

polished narra

and mahogany

wood panels cap-

tures the rich

heritage of the

colonial past, just

as the parquet of

palo tsina graces and makes aglow the entire ground floor

of the building, the radiance inexorably in the eternal color

of nature.

A brisk travel to the past, and seemingly, a solid step to a

secure future.

A house in order, the elements of managing public affairs

are reconciled in rhythmic fashion, intact under one roof,

one family, one soul.

The overall ambiance is that of a rebuilt piece of a peri-

od—a picture-book American Commonwealth setting of

bygone prettiness, but combined with the comfort and lux-

ury of modern architecture and interior design.

The result is a monument to what a provincial capitol

should look, retaining a sense of place belonging to the

region and not to the world.

“It’s the best capitol in the country,” said then-Interior

Secretary Ronaldo Puno when he visited Pangasinan.

He noted: “Everything is in the right place, no spoils, The

environment is captivating.”

Entering the building, noticeable is another work of art—

the official seal of the province—in its colorful ensemble,

superbly etched on the center of the lobby that leads to a

spiral staircase of wood parquet up the second floor where

the governor and vice governor hold office. Here, too, is

the session hall of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP).

The offices for each of the members of the Sangguniang

Panlalawigan are equally apportioned in uniform design

and interior décor. The vice governor’s office just beside

the SP session hall is a spacious rectangular workspace,

complete with an equally spacious receiving room and

All the offices are fully air-conditioned and the corri-

dors lit up with chandeliers and wall lamps.

The basement is home to the public affairs depart-

ment or the Provincial Information Office (PIO),

where press and photo releases and other documents

for public dissemination are churned out daily to

various media outlets. Working side by side with the

PIO is the Management Information Systems Office,

the data bank of the provincial bureaucracy.

On the other side of the basement is the General Ser-

vices Office where all transactions, especially mat-

ters on procurement or acquisition of equipment, are

properly documented.

The Finance Building on the right flank of the Capi-

tol houses the offices of accounting, budgeting,

treasury, assessor and audit. Alongside it is the Kal-

antiao Building where the Provincial Tourism and

Provincial Attorney’s offices are located.

All the buildings—the Capitol, Finance and Kalan-

tiao—were renovated in harmony with the design

conceptualized by Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr. to con-

form with his system of governance.

“But our pride cannot mask the urgency of sustaina-

ble solutions for our problems,” the governor said,

stressing that “in properly harnessing our resources,

honoring and loving our heritage, we will surmount

other obstacles; for now, we can more easily share

opportunities for ourselves and the future of Pan-

gasinenses.”

Completing the circumferential network of services is the

Environment and Natural Resources Office housed in a

building which was also renovated just across the Urduja

House, the official residence of the governor.

“Actually, the Capitol is now a top tourism landmark in

Pangasinan, a centerpiece come-on,” Provincial Infor-

mation Officer Orpheus Velasco said.

Since its renovation two years ago, close to 200,000

busloads of people from within and outside the province

have visited the Capitol.

During the recent summer Palarong Pambansa which the

province hosted the second time around, athletic delega-

tions from the country’s various regions toured the vast

expanse of the Capitol compound. They expressed envy on

the elegance of the structure, especially the well-polished

wood paneling.

JJK

Lets take a peek inside the capitol buildingLets take a peek inside the capitol buildingLets take a peek inside the capitol building '

TTT HE HE HE FLOOR FLOOR FLOOR PLANPLANPLAN OF THE CAPITOLOF THE CAPITOLOF THE CAPITOL

PPPROVINCIALROVINCIALROVINCIAL CAPITOLCAPITOLCAPITOL

MARKERMARKERMARKER

TT HE REAR VIEW PERSPECTIVE HE REAR VIEW PERSPECTIVE

WHICH LOOKS LIKE THE WHITE WHICH LOOKS LIKE THE WHITE

HOUSEHOUSE

OOO FFICIAL SEAL OF THE PROVINCEFFICIAL SEAL OF THE PROVINCEFFICIAL SEAL OF THE PROVINCE

TT HE SESSION ROOM WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE HE SESSION ROOM WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR AND THE VICE GOVER-OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR AND THE VICE GOVER-

NOR’S OFFICENOR’S OFFICE

III NTERIOR DESIGN NTERIOR DESIGN NTERIOR DESIGN

OF CAPITOLOF CAPITOLOF CAPITOL

BY ARCHT. CHRIS DAVIDBY ARCHT. CHRIS DAVIDBY ARCHT. CHRIS DAVID

IT IS CARVED FROM IT IS CARVED FROM IT IS CARVED FROM

KAMAGONG AND NARRAKAMAGONG AND NARRAKAMAGONG AND NARRA

INSIDE THE INSIDE THE INSIDE THE

CAPITOL CAPITOL CAPITOL

BUILDINGBUILDINGBUILDING

RECEPTION DESK IN SECOND RECEPTION DESK IN SECOND RECEPTION DESK IN SECOND

FLOORFLOORFLOOR

DISPLAYS OF AWARDS DISPLAYS OF AWARDS

RECEIVED RECEIVED

CC O N F E R E N C E R O O M O N F E R E N C E R O O M

HH A L L W A YA L L W A Y

GOVERNOR’S GOVERNOR’S

OFFICEOFFICE

VICE GOVERNOR’SVICE GOVERNOR’S

OFFICEOFFICE

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columns of the exterior of the columns of the exterior of the columns of the exterior of the

capitol building at the rear viewcapitol building at the rear viewcapitol building at the rear view