Destroy or save?
WHERE do you stand on the Rizal Monument-Torre de Manila controversy – in front, at the back, or better to just sit on a fence? How to save park AND tower?
When a building costing hundreds of millions faces, oh no, possible demolition and even the Supreme Court asks for help from friends of the court to reach a Solomonic solution, then it’s time to hear the architects, those not involved in the project and whose opinions are valuable for representing two generations of professional designers and builders.
From Hungary, the world-renowned urban planner Jun Palafox texts his reply: “Laws -- building codes, zoning, etc. – are never retroactive, not in any city in the world. Until 10 years ago, tall buildings were not allowed in London. Now they’re allowed, provided visual corridors are respected – Big Ben, dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower of London. Compensation must be paid for property rights taken. Think heritage conservation -- we can bring heritage structures into the 21st century. We can do it, we’ve done it, it’s the art of placemaking. Heritage buildings that cannot be demolished may still sell their air rights so they have funds to preserve such structures.”
Jason Buensalido, chief design ambassador of Buensalido Architects, is younger than Mr. Palafox by one generation. He has a habit of winning competitions left and right, but in this instance, he does not see an architectural solution. “If what it takes is to have nothing to obscure the statue in the background . . .the situation cannot be saved architecturally. What we are trying to preserve and fight for is not just a statue per se but what our national hero stands for in relation to our identity, history, and culture. It’s not the size of the physical form but the size of his meaning to us as Filipinos.”
My “solution” is simple and I hope not moronic, though it will be expensive, educational and yet entertaining. This idea is possible only because I’m not constrained by the laws of architecture. Why not let the developers keep the building on condition that they convert the entire facade of the 46-story Torre into a video wall showing moving images in LED of Dr. Jose Rizal, his exploits and heroism as interpreted in artworks, movies, and TV docus?