A showcase of art and architecture in Gerard Lico’s ‘Krokis’
Each chapter has a QR code that leads to YouTube videos discussing that section
Gerard Lico’s book, “Krokis: A Primer on Philippine Architecture,” is a product of the COVID-19 pandemic and the author’s love and expertise on the subject matter.
A prolific writer, Lico has written more than a dozen books on Philippine architecture, notably “Arkitekturang Filipino: A History of Architecture and Urbanism in the Philippines” and “Edifice Complex: Power, Myth, and Marcos State Architecture,” published by the University of the Philippines Press and the Ateneo de Manila University Press, respectively.
In 2019, he restored Rizal Memorial Coliseum in time for the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
Copublished by Arc Lico International Services Corp. and Center for Filipino Architecture (CFA) of United Architects of the Philippines (UAP), Lico’s latest book is divided into four chapters discussing the development of Philippine architecture from the precolonial period to the present.
History and design
Colorful illustrations of buildings, executed by Lico himself, accompany the text containing the history and architectural design of each structure that define the aforementioned developments.
The book provides examples of buildings in each development including those that are not normally mainstream in terms of scholarship but are equally important as their popular counterparts.
These include Old Nueva Ecija Capitol Building in Cabanatuan City, discovered by Lico to have been designed by the famed William Parsons in the early 20th century; the American-era Leyte Provincial Capitol by Antonio Toledo; Mutya ng Pasig Tower built in 1974; and the Felipe Mendoza-designed late 1970s Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture Building in the University of the Philippines Los Baños.
The first chapter, “Between Earth and Sky” discusses precolonial and indigenous Filipino architecture, such as the Ifugao
fale, Sama Dilaut houseboat
lepa and the Maranao house of nobility called torogan.
The second chapter, “Days of Cross and Sword” delves into structures built during the Spanish era which include church complexes, fortifications, bahay na bato and government buildings.
In the next chapter, “Building the Imperial Imagination,” civic and commercial buildings, such as hospitals, schools, capitols and theaters, which include Bellevue and Cine Palace theaters in Manila and Iloilo, respectively, El Hogar Building in Binondo, Manila Metropolitan Theater and the local version of the house type called tsalet.
The last chapter, “Out of the Ashes” discusses contemporary developments in Philippine architecture, such as the local adaptation of the International Style and the buildings constructed during the reign of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
Cited buildings in this chapter include the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex by Leandro Locsin, Templo Central of the Iglesia ni Kristo in Quezon City designed by Carlos Santos-Viola, Coconut Palace by Francisco Mañosa, the undulating SM Aura Premier at Bonifacio Global City and GT International Tower skyscraper in Makati City.
QR code
Each chapter has a QR code that, when scanned, leads to a Docu Lico documentary on YouTube discussing the featured section.
UAP national president Renato Heray hailed the book as a celebration of Filipino architecture and lauded the author for the concise and what he described as a “fundamental learning tool.”
He said, “Lico has put his soul in weaving all these into one simple, direct and concise resource material, not to mention his equally talented hand in drawing effective illustrations that complete its overall look, making it even more enticing to read.”
Lorelei de Viana, CFA executive director, likewise lauded Lico’s work, saying, this “compendium bore into the soul and spirit of the Filipino people, and sketches into the collective urban memory the nation’s history, architecture and heritage.”
The book is a good resource material for Philippine architecture and a revelation of Lico’s artistic skill, plus it indeed promotes “CFA’s mandate to create greater awareness, appreciation and understanding of Filipino architectural legacies.”
It is not only an appetizer but a complete meal in introducing the history and heritage of Filipino architecture to all. Definitely, a commendable work.