36 FEATURE
Francisco Manosa: For the love of the
Bahay Kubo Words by Bernadette Reyes
Amidst the modern backdrop of houses in Ayala Alabang where crystallized glass panels, corrugated steel roofs and wrought iron gates are considered uber stylish, Arch. Francisco ‘Bobby’ T. Mañosa’s proudly Filipino nipa hut-inspired mansion sits in the village unabashed despite the fact that it might be deemed as too rustic and lacklustre. “Filipinos marvel at the sight of almost any house that looks as if it’s from another country except a bahay-kubo. Yet I’m proud I design Filipino. Architecture must be true to itself, to its land and to its people,” says Mañosa. An architect with over 50 years of experience building one iconic structure after another, Mañosa is undoubtedly one of the best and most sought-after architects in the country today. A quick scan around his office, reveals the man’s exceptional talent with certificates and awards hung on walls and trophies displayed on shelves with pride. For instance, his design of the world-renowned Amanpulo Resort in Palawan has consistently garnered the ‘Best Beach Resort Worldwide’ title from the Gallivanters Guide of London from 1994 to 1998, and was awarded as the Best Resort in Asia Pacific in 2003. Then there are citations from various organizations - Architect of the Year Award from the Manila Commission on Culture and Arts in 1982; several awards from the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) including the First Recipient of the Golden Award in the field of Filipino Architecture and the 2009 Outstanding Artist for Golden Years of Service in the field of Architecture by the National Commission on Culture and Arts, to name but a few. This year, Mañosa also earned the distinction of National Artist for Architecture. Born as the seventh child in a brood of eight, Bobby Mañosa has demonstrated a knack for drawing even as a child. His father Don Manuel discovered his aptitude for freehand sketching and coloring and encouraged him to take up architecture in college. The making of an architect almost didn’t come to fruition when he tried to go against his father’s will. “My father asked what I would like to take up in college and I said I wanted to play the piano or violin and become a concertist,” he recalls. But Don Manuel insisted he pursue a degree in architecture and soon he was attending university at the College of Architecture in the University of Sto. Tomas in Manila.
As a student, Mañosa recalls listening attentively to his teacher Arch. Carlos Arguelles whose works including the Philamlife Building and the Manila Hilton International Hotel fascinated him until now. He saw Arguelles’ dedication to the development of Philippine Architecture, a characteristic he rarely identified with other architects at that time. Inspired by the person he considers as his mentor, Mañosa began his practice by incorporating a touch of Pinoy in his works. After Mañosa finished school in 1953, he and his brother Manuel put up the architectural firm Mañosa & Mañosa and soon their younger brother Jose, also an architect, joined the team. Determined to incorporate Filipino sensibilities in their work, the trio designed the now-defunct Sulo Restaurant in Makati with a local flair. He described it as a Mindanao-inspired longhouse with steep wedge-like roof that resembled the abaniko, a traditional Philippine fan. The projects they designed following the Sulo Restaurant were all in sync with their vision of promoting Filipino design values. In 1976, Mañosa joined Henry Barloa and Ludwig Alvarez to put up Mañosa & Partners. They were joined by Chelo Hofilena, Stanley Fernandez and Dan Lichauco a few years after its inception. This may be a new alliance yet the old mantra of “designing structures that are identifiably Filipino in character” lives on. At present, Mañosa is the Chief Creative Officer and Chairman of the Board of Mañosa & Company Inc. One of Mañosa’s proudest moment as a private practitioner was the bequeathal of the Coconut Palace otherwise known as the Tahanang Pilipino to then first lady Imelda Marcos who commissioned him to design a guesthouse for visiting performers at the Cultural Center of