The Lighthouse
A cultural and recreational telecommunications tower
UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS | UNDERGRADUATE ARCHITECTURE THESIS | OUTSTANDING THESIS AWARD 2013
Filipino architecture is a style and philosophy that is misrepresented and challenged on a daily basis. The birth of architecture in the Philippines is said to be a direct product of the influence of foreign colonizers. That being the case, the concern and desire to develop cultural identity has always been a persistent problem nationwide. The Lighthouse, an undergraduate thesis project that I proposed, aims to develop cultural identity in the form of “mixed typology” development as a beacon of progress and future design that skillfully represents Filipino architecture and Manila as a world class city.
Conceptualized by drawing inspiration from the tetrahedron and the equilateral triangle, The Lighthouse makes use of two geometric figures that represent a multitude of ratios, patterns, forms, and functions. This balance in geometry and rational proportion are related to Filipino ideologies and characteristics; from the three different typologies amalgamated into the project - the cultural, recreational and commercial sectors - to the development’s orientation as a direct interpretation of the national flag. These nationalistic concepts fused together with structural expressionism and parametric design, showcase a vivid representation of Filipino architecture of the 21st century. 02