june-july 2013
U.P. News 7
CAL theater building to rise soon
Mindanao Auditorium to be built at UPD A Muslim-inspired architectural building will rise soon at UP Diliman. Groundbreaking ceremonies for the projected UP College of Architecture’s (CA) Mindanao Auditorium (MA) were held last June 26 at the Architecture Complex (AC). The ceremony came six months after the college received a donation of some P40-million from Rep. Fatima Aliah Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte’s 2nd district. Dimaporo said the groundbreaking marked the first phase of the construction of the new auditorium, which she regarded as “a symbol of modern architecture of the modernized culture of the modern Filipino.” Among the guests at the groundbreaking rites were Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and officerin-charge District Engineer Ramon P. Devanadera of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Quezon City District II Engineering Office. To be built behind the CA Architecture Building I, the proposed structure includes a 413-seat main theater which will be used for the College’s various events. It is expected to be finished by the second quarter of 2014. CA dean Mar y Ann Espina explained that the MA was inspired by Islamic Architecture. Among its features are wind catchers which will serve as ventilation systems, patterns on the acoustical wall which will echo Vinta colors and the word ARKI spelled out in alibata using mounted steel letters at the building façade. Present during the ceremony were UP officials Assistant Vice President for Development Cristopher Stonewall P. Espina, UPD Chancellor Caesar A. Saloma, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Ronald S. Banzon, UPD Campus Architect Gerard Rey A. Lico, the CA faculty, staff and students. --H.C.P., UPDIO
Prof. Regina Banaag-Gochuico
A new theater building will soon dot the campus skyline courtesy of the Euro Towers International Inc. (ETII). The ETII is spearheading the project for use by the College of Arts and Letters (CAL). A simple groundbreaking ceremony was held last June 13 at the site, a 3000-square meters lot fronting Vidal A. Tan Hall. Designed by architect Jayson Buensalida, the projected three-storey CAL Theater will have a 500 tiered-seating capacity and a proscenium-thrust stage. The building will also house two rehearsal halls and seminar rooms. The facility will employ academic architectural character consistent with the design styles on campus. Present during the groundbreaking rite were UP President Alfredo E. Pascual, UPD Chancellor Caesar A. Saloma, CAL dean Elena Mirano, ETII officials led by its board chairman and UPD alumnus Ignacio Gimenez, Hotel Sogo chief executive officer Edmundo Las, and Eurotel managing director William Go. — ACG, UPDIO
Architect Jayson Buensalida, Hotel Sogo Chief Executive Officer Edmundo Las, ETII Chairman of the Board Ignacio Gimenez, UP President Alfredo Pascual, UPD Chancellor Caesar Saloma, Eurotel Managing Director William Go, and CAL Dean Elena Mirano, during the ground-breaking ceremony.
New UP sports gym is finally completed An additional sports facility for UP Diliman has been finally completed, ending 10 years in the making. To be managed by the College of
Human Kinetics (CHK) as part of its academic, training and laboratory facilities, the building was designed as a smaller counterpart of the University Gymnasium
The exterior and interior of the new sports facility
(Ylanan Hall). It has a curvilinear roof rising two stories high, utilizes a trussless structural system, a wooden floor, and with a separate one-story locker wing with shower rooms. The new structure is visible from Commonwealth Avenue. Construction of the gymnasium started almost 10 years ago with seed funding from the office of former senator John Osmeña. Subsequent financial support came from the office of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, the Senior Citizens Party-List, and the private donors including Smart Communications, Inc., Robinsons Supermarket, FilOil, the MVP Sports Foundation, Inc., and the Alpha Sigma Fraternity. As approved by CHK executive body, the new facility will be used by the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams, as well as by CHK major and PE classes. It was formally opened last June 15, attended by UP President Alfredo Pascual, Alumni Regent Ponciano Rivera, UPD Chancellor Caesar Saloma, CHK Dean Ronualdo Dizer, officers of the UP Alumni Association, CHK faculty and staff as well as UP alumni and friends of the UP Fighting Maroons and the Sports Development Program of UPD. The inauguration opened with a friendly basketball game between the current and the 2003 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Junior Champions of the UP Integrated School (UPIS) Basketball Team coached by Allan Gregorio. It was followed by a game between the UP Fighting Maroons basketball squad headed by Ricky Dandan, and the GlobalPort Batang Pier of the Philippine Basketball Association. Meanwhile,the UP Varsity Teams were geared for the 76th UAAP Season which kicked off on June 29. (Article from: http://upd.edu.ph/ ~updinfo/jun13/index24.html)