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Leandro V. Locsin
Leandro V. Locsin
Born	August 15, 1928; Silay, Negros Occidental, Philippine Islands
Died	November 15, 1994 (aged 66); Makati, Philippines
Nationality	Filipino
Alma mater	University of Santo Tomas (BS)
Occupation	Architect
Awards	Order of National Artists of the Philippines
Practice	www.locsinarchitecture.com
Buildings	Church of the Holy Sacrifice, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Philippine International Convention Center, Istana Nurul Iman, Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish and The Philippine Plaza

Leandro Valencia Locsin, Sr. (August 15, 1928 – November 15, 1994), also known by the initials LVL and the nickname "Lindy", was a Filipino architect, artist, and interior designer known for his use of concrete, floating volume and simplistic design in his various projects. An avid collector, he was fond of modern painting and Chinese ceramics. He was proclaimed a National Artist of the Philippines for Architecture^[1] in 1990 by the late President Corazon C. Aquino.

Life and career

Locsin was born on August 15, 1928, in Silay, Negros Occidental, a grandson of the first governor of the province. He completed his elementary education at De La Salle College in Manila before returning to Negros due to the Second World War. Locsin then returned to Manila to finish his secondary education in La Salle and studied Pre-Law before shifting to pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Music at the University of Santo Tomas. Although he was a talented pianist, he later shifted to Architecture.

In 1955, Fr. John Delaney, S.J., then Catholic Chaplain at the University of the Philippines - Diliman, commissioned Locsin to design a chapel with an open plan and can easily accommodate 1,000 people. The Church of the Holy Sacrifice is the first round chapel in the Philippines to have an altar in the middle, and the first to have a thin shell concrete dome. The floor of the church was designed by Arturo Luz, the Stations of the Cross by Vicente Manansala and Ang Kiukok, and the cross by Napoleon Abueva, all of whom are now National Artists. Alfredo L. Juinio served as the building's structural engineer. Today, the church is recognized as a National Historical Landmark and a Cultural Treasure by the National Historical Institute and the National Museum, respectively.

On his visit to the United States, Locsin met some of his influences, Paul Rudolph and Eero Saarinen. It was then he realized to use concrete, which was relatively cheap in the Philippines and easy to form, for his buildings.

In 1969, he completed what was to be his most recognizable work, the Theater of Performing Arts (now the Tanghalang Pambansa) of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The marble façade of the building is cantilevered 12 metres (39 ft) from the terrace by huge arching columns at the sides of the building, giving it the impression of being afloat. A large lagoon in front of the theatre mirrors the building during daytime, while fountains are illuminated by underwater lights at nighttime. The building houses four theaters, a museum of ethnographic art and other temporary exhibits, galleries, and a library on Philippine art and culture.

In 1974, Locsin designed the Folk Arts Theater, which is one of the largest single-span buildings in the Philippines with a span of 60 metres (200 ft). It was completed in only 77 days, in time for the 1974 Miss Universe Pageant. Locsin was also commissioned to build the Philippine International Convention Center, the country's premiere international conference building.

After the Federico Ilustre-designed original terminal of Manila International Airport was destroyed by a fire in 1962, the Philippine government chose Locsin for the rehabilitation design. Serving as an international terminal for 10 years, it later became a domestic terminal upon the opening of what is now the present-day Terminal 1, which was also designed by Locsin. A second fire later damaged the rehabilitated domestic terminal in 1985 and the site is currently occupied by the present-day Terminal 2.

Locsin was also commissioned in 1974 to design the Ayala Museum to house the Ayala art collection.^[2] It was known for the juxtaposition of huge blocks to facilitate the interior of the exhibition. Locsin was a close friend of the Ayalas. Before taking the board examination, he took his apprenticeship at Ayala and Company (now the Ayala Corporation) and was asked to design the first building on Ayala Avenue, and several of the Ayalas' residences. When the collection of the Ayala Museum was moved to its current location, the original was demolished with Locsin's permission. The current building was dedicated in 2004, and designed by his firm, L.V. Locsin and Partners, led by his son Leandro Y. Locsin, Jr.

Locsin also designed some of the buildings at the UP Los Baños campus. The Dioscoro Umali Hall, the main auditorium, is clearly an example of his distinct architecture, with its large canopy that makes it resemble the main theatre of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). Most of his work is concentrated in the Freedom Park, with the Student Union Building which was once damaged by a fire, the Carillon, the Continuing Education Center and the auditorium. He also designed the SEARCA Residences, and several structures at the National Arts Center (housing the Philippine High School for the Arts) at Mt. Makiling, Los Baños, Laguna.

Most of Locsin's work has been within the country, but in 1970, he designed the Philippine Pavilion of the World Expo in Osaka, Japan. His largest single work is the Istana Nurul Iman, the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei. In 1992, he received the Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize from Fukuoka.

Locsin's last work was a church in Malaybalay, Bukidnon.

Personal life

Locsin was married to Cecilia Yulo and had two children. One of them, Leandro Yulo Locsin, Jr., nicknamed Andy, is also an architect and currently serves as the owner and head of the L.V. Locsin and Partners.

Death and legacy

He died in the early morning hours on November 15, 1994, at the Makati Medical Center in Makati after suffering a stroke 10 days earlier.^[3] The campus of De La Salle-Canlubang, built in 2003 on a land donated by his family, was named after him. A senior high shool in Novaliches, Quezon City is named in his honor.

Works

Churches

Parish of the Holy Sacrifice, University of the Philippines, Diliman, 1955^[4]
Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Ozamiz City, 1960
Manila Memorial Park Chapel, Paranaque, 1965 (renovated in 1990, 1995, 2000, 2010 & 2020)
Doña Corazon L. Montelibano Chapel, University of St. La Salle, Bacolod, 1965
Church of Saint Andrew,^[5] Bel-Air Village, Makati, 1968
Holy Cross Memorial Chapel, Novaliches, 1969
Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, UP Village, Quezon City, 1970
Chapel of St. Alphonsus Ligouri,^[6] Magallanes Village, Makati, 1970 (destroyed by fire in 2004, now replaced and rebuilt by Arch. Dominic Galicia in 2007.)
Cadiz Church, Negros Occidental, 1972
Church of the Monastery of the Transfiguration,^[7] Malaybalay, Bukidnon, 1983
St. John the Baptist Church, Kalibo, Aklan, 1993
St. Joseph the Worker Parish Church, Bacnotan, La Union, 1994

Public Buildings

Renovation of the Old Manila International Airport Terminal, Phase 1, Pasay, 1972 (site is now occupied by NAIA Terminal 2)
Design Center of the Philippines, CCP Complex, Manila, 1974
Fast Food Center, CCP Complex, 1976 (renovated in 1996, 2006, 2011 & 2016)
Cultural Center of the Philippines - Folk Arts Theater^[8]
Philippine Center for International Trade and Exhibitions, CCP Complex, Manila, 1976 (now demolished in 1995, replaced by an amusement park)
Cultural Center of the Philippines - Philippine International Convention Center^[9]
Cultural Center of the Philippines - Theatre of Performing Arts^[10]
Francisco Bangoy International Airport Terminal Building, Davao City, 1980^[11]
Rizal Park Amphitheater now renamed as "Rizal Open Air Auditorium" (1981; renovated in 1991, 2001, 2011 & 2021)
Girl Scouts of the Philippines Headquarters, Manila, 1993
Original Ayala Museum^[12] (Demolished, now replaced a new bigger museum and designed by his son, Arch. Leandro "Andy" Locsin, Jr. in 2004)
Complex of Social Welfare Agencies
- Population Center
- Nutrition Center of the Philippines
- Asian Center for Training and Research for Social Welfare
National Arts Center,^[13] Mt. Makiling, Los Baños, Laguna
Expo '70 - Philippine Pavilion (now demolished & now currently replaced as Expo '70 Memorial Commemoration Park)
Citibank Makati
Istana Nurul Iman, Brunei Darussalam
Makati Stock Exchange Building^[14]
Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1
U.P. Los Baños - Rizal Memorial Centenary Carillon
U.P. Los Baños - Obdulia F. Sison Hall (Continuing Education Center)
U.P. Los Baños - Dioscoro L. Umali Hall (formerly UPCA Auditorium)
U.P. Los Baños - Searca Residence Hotel (formerly SEARCA Dormitory Building)
U.P. Los Baños - Student Union Building
U.P. Los Baños - Men's Residence Hall

Hotels

Davao Insular Hotel, Davao City, 1960 (now renamed as Waterfront Insular Hotel)
InterContinental Manila, Ayala Avenue, Makati, 1969 (closed on December 31, 2015 [Hotel site redevelopment is being studied with Locsin's firm L. V. Locsin and Partners according to Ayala Land & now currently replaced by Ayala One Building])
Hyatt Regency Hotel (now occupied by Midas Hotel & Casino Manila in 2011)
Mandarin Oriental Manila^[15] (closed on September 9, 2014 [Hotel site redevelopment is being studied with Locsin's firm L. V. Locsin and Partners according to Ayala Land])
Manila Hotel (New Building) ^[16]
Philippine Plaza Hotel,^[17] 1976 (now Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel)

Commercial Buildings

Ayala Building 1, Ayala Ave, Makati, 1958
Filipinas Life Assurance Company Building, Ayala Avenue, Makati, 1958
Commercial Credit Corporation Building, Buendia Avenue, Makati, 1962
Integrated Realty Building, Buendia Avenue, Makati, 1962
Philamlife Company Building, Cagayan de Oro, 1963
Sarmiento Building, Ayala Avenue, Makati, 1965
American International Underwriters Building, Ayala Avenue, Makati, 1965
Sikatuna Building, Ayala Avenue, Makati, 1966
J.M. Tuason Building, Ayala Ave, Makati, 1966
Locsin Building, EDSA, Makati, 1966
Filipinas Life Assurance Co. Building, Iloilo City, 1969
Philippine Bank of Commerce, Ayala Avenue, Makati, 1969
Magnolia Dairy Products Plant, Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City, 1969
Amalgamated Building, Makati, 1969
Filipinas Life Assurance Co. Building, Mandaue, Cebu, 1969
Union Carbide Philippines, Mandaue, Cebu, 1970
Filipinas Life Assurance Co. Building, Naga, 1970
Filipinas life Assurance Co. Building, Cagayan de Oro, 1971
Filipinas Life Executive Center, Mandaue, 1971
Romago Building, Mandaluyong, 1971
Filipinas Life Assurance Co. Building, Batangas City, 1971
Filipinas Life Assurance Co. Building, Dagupan, 1971
Filipinas Life Assurance Co. Building Annex, Ayala Avenue, Makati, 1972
Filipinas Life Assurance Co. Building, Davao City, 1972

Asian Reinsurance Pool Building, Legaspi Village, Makati, 1972
Philippine Commercial & Industrial Bank Building, Greenhills, Mandaluyong, 1972
Filipinas Life Assurance Co. Building, Tacloban, 1976
Filipinas Life Assurance Co. Building, Cabanatuan, 1976
EEI building, Pasig, Metro Manila, 1978
Canlubang Golf & Country Club, Canlubang, Laguna, 1978
Valle Verde Country Club, Pasig, Metro Manila, 1978
Philippine Commercial & Industrial Bank Building, Batangas City, 1978
Canlubang Sports Complex, Canlubang, Laguna, 1979
PLDT Building (Ramon Cojuangco Building), Makati Avenue, Makati, 1982
Greenbelt Square Cinema, Paseo de Roxas, Makati, 1982 (now renovated in 2002 and now renamed s Greenbelt 1 Ayala Center)
Philippine Commercial & Industrial Bank Tower 1; Philippine Commercial International Bank (PCIBank), Makati Avenue cor H.V. Dela Costa, Makati, 1983 (now BDO Corporate Center North Tower)
Philippine Commercial & Industrial Bank Tower 2; Philippine Commercial International Bank (PCIBank), Makati Avenue cor H.V. Dela Costa, Makati, 1992 (now BDO Corporate Center South Tower)
Benguet Center,^[18] Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, 1983 (now demolished in 2011); BDO Ortigas Center
Island Development Bank, Brunei, 1983
L. V. Locsin Building, Makati Avenue, Makati, 1987
Samba-Likhaan AILM, Quezon City, 1992
Ayala-Laguna Technopark Administration Building, Sta Rosa, Laguna, 1993
Hi-Cement Administration Building, Norzagaray, Bulacan, 1994
Business World Publishing Corporation Building, 1994
Bacnotan Cement Plant Administration Building, Bacnotan, La Union, 1995
Philippine Stock Exchange Plaza, Ayala Ave, Makati, 1995
Ayala Triangle Tower one,^[19] Ayala Avenue, Makati, 1996
Ayala Avenue Pedestrianization Underpass, Ayala Avenue, Makati, 1966

Sets for Theatrical Production

Sets for Various Ballets by Ricardo Casell, 1954
Lady Be Good production by Frederico Elizarde, 1954
Noche Buena, CCP Dance Co., 1970
Jewels, CCP Dance Co., 1970
Madame Butterfly, CCP Dance Co., 1972
Lucifer, Martha Graham Dance Co., for its 50th Anniversary Celebration, New York, 1975
Adoration, Martha Graham Dance Co., New York, 1976
Point of Crossing, Martha Graham Dance Co., New York, 1976
Larawan ng Pilipino Bilang Artista, CCP, 1989
La Traviata, CCP, July 1990
Madame Butterfly, CCP 1994
Midsummer Night’s Dream, Ballet Philiipines, 1994
Suite for Lindy, from Ballet Philippines’ Ellias, CCP, 1995

Interior Design

Leandro V. Locsin Residence, Forbes Park, Makati, 1963
Locsin Architectural Offices, Edsa, Makati, 1966
Laguna Estate and Development Corp. Office, Makati, 1966
Theater for the Performing Arts, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Roxas Blvd., Manila, 1969
C.J. Yulo and Sons Executive Offices, Pasong Tamo, Makati, 1970
Philippine Bank of Commerce Executive Suites, Ayala Avenue, Makati, 1971
U.S.I. Executive Offices, Makati Stock Exchange Building, Ayala Avenue, Makati 1971
Filipinas Life Assurance Co. (Annex) Executive, Makati, 1971
Ayala Corporation Offices and Penthouse, Makati Stock Exchange Building, Ayala Avenue, Makati, 1972
Leandro V. Locsin Beach House, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, 1972
Kodak Philippines Ltd. Offices, Pasong Tamo, Makati, 1974
Ayala Museum Executive Offices, Makati Avenue, Makati, 1974 (now renovated in 2004 by his son Arch. Andy Locsin)
Population Center, Makati, 1974

Nutrition Center of the Philippines, Makati, 1975
Asian Center and Research for Social Welfare, Makati, 1976
Philippine International Convention Center, CCP Complex, Manila, 1976
Philippine Plaza Hotel, CCP Complex, Manila, 1976 (now Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel)
Manila Hotel, Luneta, Manila, 1976
Locsin Offices, Locsin Building, Ayala Avenue, Makati, 1989
Supreme Court Building, Taft Avenue, Manila, 1991
French Embassy Headquarters, Makati, 1992
Phinma Group of Companies HRD, Makati, 1994
Hi-Cement Administration Building, Norzagaray, Bulacan, 1994
Philippine Stock Exchange Plaza, Makati, 1994
Filipinas Heritage Library (formerly Nielsen Tower), Makati Avenue, Makati, 1996

References

^ "Order of National Artists: Leandro V. Locsin". National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
^ "Ayala museum - History". ayalamuseum.org. Retrieved September 26, 2013.
^ "Did you know", Philippine Daily Inquirer", August 15, 2016.
^ "Arkitektura.ph - arkitektura Resources and Information".
^ "Arkitektura.ph - arkitektura Resources and Information".
^ "Arkitektura.ph - arkitektura Resources and Information".
^ Andrade, Angelo (April 14, 2017). "Monastery of the Transfiguration: A place for reflection in Bukidnon". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
^ "Arkitektura.ph - arkitektura Resources and Information".
^ "Arkitektura.ph - arkitektura Resources and Information".
^ "Arkitektura.ph - arkitektura Resources and Information".
^ "Arkitektura.ph - arkitektura Resources and Information".
^ "Arkitektura.ph - arkitektura Resources and Information".
^ "Arkitektura.ph - arkitektura Resources and Information".
^ "Arkitektura.ph - arkitektura Resources and Information".
^ "Arkitektura.ph - arkitektura Resources and Information".
^ "Arkitektura.ph - arkitektura Resources and Information".
^ "Arkitektura.ph - arkitektura Resources and Information".
^ "Arkitektura.ph - arkitektura Resources and Information".
^ "Arkitektura.ph - arkitektura Resources and Information".

External links

Media related to Leandro Locsin at Wikimedia Commons
Arkitekturang Filipino - Leandro V. Locsin

The Architecture of Leandro V. Locsin, Nicholas Polites, Weatherhill Books.
Parish of the Holy Sacrifice declared a National Treasure, Francezca C. Kwe. Retrieved on March 31, 2007.
Leandro Locsin. Arkitekturang Filipino. Retrieved on April 18, 2011.
Leandro Valencia Locsin. Filipino architect, Jean-Claude Girard, Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel / Berlin / Boston 2022. ISBN 978-3-03562-092-4.