Time Capsule
Camille Lhuillier-albani takes us through the labyrinth of restoring a pre-war mansion, Palacio de Memoria “We are quite lucky to have been able to preserve the house and land of what was once a seaside manor”
Please tell us about the location of Palacio de Memoria.
It is located in Roxas Boulevard, formerly known as Dewey Boulevard in Manila’s Commonwealth period. What used to surround us were old stately homes but because of the war, modernisation and the reclamation of Manila Bay, [this house] and the Lopez house were the only ones left standing. We are now surrounded by miles of casinos and buildings. We are quite lucky to have been able to preserve the house and land of what was once a seaside manor.
When was the Palacio originally built?
It was built in the latter end of the 1930s, but because of the age and change of ownership of the house, we do not know the exact year for sure. Its style and architecture date back to that period, as well as existing photographs and oral history.
What’s the condition of the house prior to restoration?
The house was in very bad shape. It has been deteriorating for a very long time as it was unlived in since the Eighties after the previous owners passed away. Their children abandoned it as well. As such, we had to not only do a ground-up restoration but treated it as a new build. It took five years for us to restore it.
Can you walk us through the restoration process?
We had to not only restore the interiors but also the lighting, bathrooms, pipes. With an old pre-war building, it was a very complicated process to bring it into
the present. The house originally had two storeys, then a second family purchased the home and land after the Second World War, added five more floors and changed the interiors. The house was a mixmatch of materials from different time periods and styles. With the help of Miguel Rosales [director of Caramel, an art advisory and creative consultancy], we used the ideas of the original two-storey house and retained all the good things the second owners added. Hopefully, we have brought light into what used to be a very dark house, literally and figuratively. Because it was a complicated restoration, we relied on timeperiod photos and descriptions of the architecture so as to emulate it as best we could. We also relied on Rosales’ expertise to guide us. He also did the interiors for the rooms.
What are the things to consider when restoring an old home?
Time is a huge factor as well as patience and research. We had very limited research due to the Second World War. So much history was lost including papers and history of the house. We also had to be careful as we could not touch the front of the house since it is a heritage building. We [also] needed to make the house adapt to our business model, which kept growing and changing as well. Since we use the property as a wedding/events venue, a home for our auction house, an office, a bridal suite and a retail store, we needed to make design decisions based on the different aspects of our business. For us it was
very important to retain as much of the original look of the house.
What parts were retained?
We kept most of everything that made the house a grand old Manila home such as the beautiful terrazzo flooring and the columns in the main ballroom, as well as the vintage windows that were in fashion in the Forties, which can be seen in other ancestral homes. The curved driveway of the house is the same one that has existed there even before there were other houses on Dewey Boulevard. The original 1930s carriage house is being used as our museum today. We also retained the beautiful narra flooring [or what could be salvaged] and brought back to life some [parts] of the garden that used to be there, like an old grotto fountain.
What parts were removed or changed?
Each of the five floors added to the original house by the second owners were used for each of the families that used to live there. It became like a building compound for the growing family, with a kitchen on every floor. These old rooms were removed as the kitchens came with linoleum, Fifties tiling—and [were generally] falling apart. The family had also added floorto-ceiling wood panelling to the original first and second floors, which made the house look very dark; so, we removed those. We also added a second grand staircase
to the second floor. At one time the house had a morgue, a clinic, a dark room, a music room, which were made by wood panelling, many of which were deteriorating so we combined all the rooms into one large open space. We had a bit more freedom with the five floors that were added post-war as these were not heritage like the original first and second floor. We took out everything that had rotted away and now we use these rooms as grand open spaces, for our shop, bridal suite, gallery and more.
Did you get the help of specialised artisans or craftsmen?
For some of the work on the terrazzo flooring, we found a specialist in Pampanga as many of the craftsmen who knew about this old technique had passed away and the art was not passed down. We also had to have a craftsman come in for the windows that are also of a very old technique and style.
Any tips on maintaining art and vintage pieces?
My family collects art and it’s also what we do at Casa de Memoria auction house. I would suggest having people who know what they are doing look at them. Checking and maintenance can save you (and your budget) from major problems later. These pieces are made to withstand time, they are made to be passed down through families; treat them well.
Any tips on incorporating vintage pieces into the home and still make it look current?
My own style is a mix and match of modern and traditional. I love putting together pieces because they make your house look beautiful and they are conversation starters as well. Many young people think they cannot afford older, more traditional pieces; but that is untrue as you can find things not only in auction houses, or antique stores, but online as well or at flea markets. Use gold mirrors beside your favourite modern painting to create a gallery wall. Start collecting silverware and objets d’art to add statement pieces to your home. Many stores today often emulate traditional “vintage pieces” but if you get these yourself you will find that they are more durable and will also add something to your life.
How do you maintain the restored Palacio now? Any tips?
We make sure that the public gets the chance to appreciate this part of our history. We always offer something to look forward to, like our auctions, and recently, we just opened our restaurant, The Loggia at Palacio De Memoria, in collaboration with one of the best female chefs in Asia, Margarita Forés. A house as old as this takes a lot of money and work to maintain. But with a lot of love for history, grease and rolling up our sleeves, we get it done.
“A house as old as this takes a lot of money and work to maintain … but with a lot of love for history, grease and rolling up our sleeves, we get it done”