http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/Introduction.jpg
Attribution required for distribution of the postcard type photos


General Information:
Name: School of Design and Arts
Owner: De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde
Floors: 14
Architect: Lor Calma Design Associates Inc.
Project Contractor:
SKI Construction Inc. (Building construction)
D.M Consunji, Inc. (Theater works)
Construction duration: 2004-2007
U/C Thread: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=401556

The De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) School of Design and Arts Building (SDA Building) was envisioned as a home for a new generation of Filipino artists and designers who are equipped with technical expertise and global competencies. It is, by far, one of the most ambitious projects of De La Salle Philippines.

The SDA Building is located on 950 Pablo Ocampo Street in Malate, Manila—just 500 meters away from DLS-CSB's Taft Campus. It is a 14-storey academic complex designed by Lor Calma Design and Associates, with Eduardo Calma as the Design Principal. It is the largest and most advanced DLS-CSB campus and will house the fast-growing School of Design and Arts.

The vision of crafting a structure that would inspire students resulted in an architectural design that has never been used before. The SDA Building establishes visual interest with a sophisticated facade done in aluminum cladding, a full glass curtain wall and intricate multifaceted details. The SDA Building is poised to become one of the most dazzling landmarks in Manila's cityscape.

The building will have four floors of above-ground level parking space and ten floors of usable workspace served by two service elevators, five passenger elevators, and five sets of stairs. Among the facilities include the SDA Theater, which is a three-floor 558-seater theater that is cantilevered four storeys above the ground. On the ground floor is the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (mcad), conceptualized to be the first of its kind in the Philippines. The building will also have a cafeteria with a sweeping view of Metro Manila and a chapel that is a modern interpretation of the early day catacombs.

The SDA Building also boasts of wide irregularly-shaped folded lecture, computer and seminar rooms—cutting edge settings that would encourage students to literally think out of the box. Aside from a textile lab, a two-floor library and a 105-seater cinema, the building also has several video, animation, and sound production laboratories, as well as a photography studio and a Greenscreen TV and film production studio with motion capture equipment. The walls of each room at the SDA Building are angled to have better response to sound and its open-air corridors are built wide enough to double as exhibition spaces.

Fast Facts:

• Total floor area: 55,121.95 square meters
• Four floors of above-ground level parking space, 10 floors of usable workspace
• 558-seat theater, cantilevered about four storeys above the ground
• Fully-equipped, air-conditioned classrooms with folded walls
• Spacious, open-air corridors that double as exhibition spaces
• Houses the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design or mcad
• Wi-Fi enabled
• First Philippine building using 10-G technology
• Has its own sewage treatment plant
• 105-seater cinema
• Has a Building Management System with intelligent controls for air conditioning; smoke detection and fire alarm; and CCTV surveillance security systems

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/Ultra-modern.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/Spaciousopen-aircorridors.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/SDA-Lecture1.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/InspiringViews.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/State-of-the-artlearning.jpg

lovely interiors. thanks for sharing.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/SDA-Detail.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/Youturnacorneritsurprisesyou.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/SDA-Detail2.jpg

wow! if that new bldg. functions like it should, then surely it will set the benchmark for future school/college/university design. i think that alone opens up the way to a higher level of design for our (ailing?) contemporary pinoy architecture. thumbs up there! now if only we could see more of those being built all over the country and perhaps some with more pinoy character.

i wonder how they're gonna address the issue of vandalism in its case... maybe not now, but in the future. three words - universal white board... it's gonna be rather tempting. minsan hindi rin kasi maiwasan yung mga maloloko jan. hope they won't be calling the "MMDA artist" any time soon! :lol:

^Impressive. The classrooms and corridors are light and airy, very conducive for learning and the development of new ideas :okay:

Got any photo showing the building in its entirety?

thing is though, the location of the building could not be any worse

wow! if that new bldg. functions like it should, then surely it will set the benchmark for future school/college/university design. i think that alone opens up the way to a higher level of design for our (ailing?) contemporary pinoy architecture. thumbs up there! now if only we could see more of those being built all over the country and perhaps some with more pinoy character.

i wonder how they're gonna address the issue of vandalism in its case... maybe not now, but in the future. three words - universal white board... it's gonna be rather tempting. minsan hindi rin kasi maiwasan yung mga maloloko jan. hope they won't be calling the "MMDA artist" any time soon! :lol:

I don't think they'll be needing the MMDA artist if that happens, after all, the walls are just painted white. ;)


^Impressive. The classrooms and corridors are light and airy, very conducive for learning and the development of new ideas :okay:

Got any photo showing the building in its entirety?

There is, but it is not updated yet.

thing is though, the location of the building could not be any worse

Thing is though, if it weren't for that location, we won't be seeing this uniquely designed building. The "location is bad" talk has been done over on the u/c thread many times. It's about time we talk about something else, now that this building is finally finished.

My Goodness thnx Mithril for the updates...
i'm actually saddened by the fact that the corridors are still open air..
ehhe i'm actually expecting a fully air-conditioned space, also thinking about the building it self has a lot of light coming in from the outside...
-i have no problems in this kasi next term panay laboratories ako and no classrooms... BHWAhahahah... pero a sad fact is baka later pa daw ang delivery ng new computers.. so they will be recycling pc's form the main..
wehhhh....

and with views like that naku sana pla ehh hindi ko pa kinuha yung photography class ko.. ehhe kasi yung subjects parate ko is yung mga bagay sa plaza v.

well for some good reasons like conserving energy.. blah blah.. pero common
buti sana kung FRESH air ehh.. like where placed in the mETRO... i'm thinking the corridors would be black in no time because of the sooth. lolzz yung isang side ng classrom is glass WOAH about that!!!

Well, we can't do anything about the city air, but at least, on higher ground, it's not as bad as the air on street level, I think. But rest assured, on windy days, open-air's far better that air-conditioning, especially on the cold season. Also, no worries on the soot for the monotony of white will soon be broken by artwork displays anyway since each corridor can double as exhibition spaces. :)

IVy08CiObuM

This video produced by Cecil Ravelas and created by Our Own Little Team La Salle was shown at the inauguration of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts building, Friday, April 27, 2007. The video features Br Dodo Fernandez FSC, Chairman of the Board, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. The soundtrack was composed by Pepe Manikan

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/Cutting-edgefeatures.jpg

Got any photo showing the building in its entirety?

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/SDAfront.jpg
SDA Building Front View

wow. the green campus and the neat buildings of st scholastica make a really nice background.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_3498.jpg
14th floor corridor

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_3542.jpg
14th floor architectural details

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_3577.jpg
Elevator lobby balconies as seen from the ground floor

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_3566.jpg
12th floor Food court

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_3961.jpg
Food court with the furniture

pwede ba kaming pumasok dito? kahit frosh palang kame?:) wala lang, gusto ko lang makita, kala namin talaga dito na kame next year pa pala:lol: CAN'T WAIT!!!! :D excited na tuloy ako!!! hahaha:) Ang ganda talaga eh! Super ganda daw sabi nung mga nagorient samin na higher batch, nakapasok daw sila :D

IVy08CiObuM

This video produced by Cecil Ravelas and created by Our Own Little Team La Salle was shown at the inauguration of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts building, Friday, April 27, 2007. The video features Br Dodo Fernandez FSC, Chairman of the Board, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. The soundtrack was composed by Pepe Manikan


Lupit talaga ng La Salle!
Awesome Building...
Animo La Salle! :banana:

(Let's pretend na lang na maganda rin youn area around the building) :lol:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/SDAdetail.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/SDATech.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/SDAviews.jpg


Very often we are misled by aesthetic, having such open space and too much glass will only add power consumption.With the spiralling cost of electricity bill students will be charge for this and the parents like me will have to carry this burden. It is much better to provide at least open courtyard with greening accent that will help somehow in cooling process, while this will also create better interior effect.

The designer is brave enough to venture with designs similar to I.M. Pei brand of space wastage which will be again caculated the same as the usable space. Even in hotels or any similar function the clients are being charge for those common spaces not knowingly.

Whitewash building in the latter study of users bahavior is not the best thats why you will see now most hospital being more of colorfull interior similarly in learning spaces.

Simple case is the Gawad Kalinga where houses are painted with lively colors which are proven lifting the mind and moral being of those occupants.

Very often that we are used to this colonial mentality like those design being copied like a combination of Mier's mixed with Gehry's and so fort.

We have a very rich culture that can be tha basis of our designs. Our designers must explore more.

pwede ba kaming pumasok dito? kahit frosh palang kame?:) wala lang, gusto ko lang makita, kala namin talaga dito na kame next year pa pala:lol: CAN'T WAIT!!!! :D excited na tuloy ako!!! hahaha:) Ang ganda talaga eh! Super ganda daw sabi nung mga nagorient samin na higher batch, nakapasok daw sila :D

Syempre naman, pero mas maganda siguro kung by second term na kayo dumalaw. May mga areas pa kasi na hindi pa talagang tapos, parang Trinoma tuloy. :lol:


Very often we are misled by aesthetic, having such open space and too much glass will only add power consumption.With the spiralling cost of electricity bill students will be charge for this and the parents like me will have to carry this burden. It is much better to provide at least open courtyard with greening accent that will help somehow in cooling process, while this will also create better interior effect.

The designer is brave enough to venture with designs similar to I.M. Pei brand of space wastage which will be again caculated the same as the usable space. Even in hotels or any similar function the clients are being charge for those common spaces not knowingly.

Whitewash building in the latter study of users bahavior is not the best thats why you will see now most hospital being more of colorfull interior similarly in learning spaces.

Simple case is the Gawad Kalinga where houses are painted with lively colors which are proven lifting the mind and moral being of those occupants.

Very often that we are used to this colonial mentality like those design being copied like a combination of Mier's mixed with Gehry's and so fort.

We have a very rich culture that can be tha basis of our designs. Our designers must explore more.

Only the elevator lobbies and rooms are air-conditioned, the rest of the corridors are open ventilated to reduce electricity costs. But with a building that has a lot of electronic equipment inside, high electricity bills cannot be avoided. Also, the location of the building makes an open courtyard with greenery impossible. The whitewash walls are not permanent though. Eventually those blank walls will be decorated with student artworks.

Syempre naman, pero mas maganda siguro kung by second term na kayo dumalaw. May mga areas pa kasi na hindi pa talagang tapos, parang Trinoma tuloy. :lol:


salamat! :D hehe! excited na ko sa monday:lol: 1st day high! haha... kita ko yung ibang rooms sa csb main, tas halos wala na yung ibang equipments, nilipat na daw dun sabi nung orientator namin habang tinutour kame sa main. sana may tour din sa SDA!!!:lol: astig yun! haha. Btw, anung year mu na?

salamat! :D hehe! excited na ko sa monday:lol: 1st day high! haha... kita ko yung ibang rooms sa csb main, tas halos wala na yung ibang equipments, nilipat na daw dun sabi nung orientator namin habang tinutour kame sa main. sana may tour din sa SDA!!!:lol: astig yun! haha. Btw, anung year mu na?

Second. Ano nga pala course mo? :lol:

Lecture room A914 with chairs:
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4335.jpg

Second. Ano nga pala course mo? :lol:

Lecture room A914 with chairs:
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4335.jpg

nice! hindi pa nga tapos, kasi wala yung projectors sa ceilings, bagong bago ah, hahaha.

course ko, MMA, haha kaw? di pa nga ako ganun kagaling sa editing eh, web design etc. Tuturuan naman siguro kame diba?

One word (compound word pala! :D )... cutting-edge!

i wonder how they're gonna address the issue of vandalism in its case... maybe not now, but in the future. three words - universal white board... it's gonna be rather tempting. minsan hindi rin kasi maiwasan yung mga maloloko jan. hope they won't be calling the "MMDA artist" any time soon! :lol:


With the looming threat of vandalism, the CSB-SDA could really claim to fully encourage "creativity" in all it's forms! :D

Went to check my classroom last night (though my class will start on Friday pa). Most of the rooms are still not operational.

When the building was inagurated last April, it was quite impressive. However, when it went into actual operations yesterday, there were a lot of disappointments. As usual, the results of a rushed opening.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4366.jpg
Elevator traffic at the ground lobby

Perhaps the greatest problem of all is the elevators. The elevators are set-up in way that the closest elevator to the floor you're in will be the one to first arrive. There were no individual elevator control panels, if you click one panel to go down, all panels will light up. Plus at the moment, not all five elevators are running, which obviously leads to one thing, heavy elevator traffic. The SDA seemed to have unfortunately beaten its cousin building, the Br. Andrew Gonzalez Hall of DLSU (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=445464), in terms of queues on the elevator lobbies.

The other solution to this problem, the stairs, also posed problems. Some parts of the stairs, notably the ground up to the fourth floor, were blocked access, probably due to construction or whatever. Those who decided to climb down the stairs only end up in the fifth floor, where they were forced to queue up in order to take the elevator to go further down. Those who prefer to use the stairs or those who have elevator phobia were forced to take the elevators since the access to the main fire stairs is located outside the building, and the other four stairs were inaccessible at the moment for safety purposes.

The building has five passenger elevators, two service elevators, and five sets of stairs. However, only two or three passenger elevators are usable at present, one service elevator is not yet operational, and the other service elevator is non-existent at the moment, while only one of the five sets of stairs is half-usable. :ohno:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_3468.jpg
The airconditioning needs a powerup

Second biggest problem probably is the airconditioning. Like what happened to Trinoma on its soft opening, the aircon wasn't powerful enough. Students and faculty ended up fanning a lot on the airconditioned corridors and classrooms. You could see the airconditioning in the classrooms running, but you could barely feel it.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4352.jpg
The SDA Theater would probably be finished by the end of the year

The other problems include incomplete multimedia equipment for the classrooms and laboratories, and most of the essential facilities like the library, theater, studios, and student services offices not being operational yet. Hopefully most of these problems get addressed in the following weeks. The building was indeed presentable and impressive on its inaguration day, but because of a rushed opening, the students might be thinking of the opposite. :ohno:

Just to clarify...

Ed Calma is not a licensed architect. He's currently having problems with the UAP because of misrepresentation.

From the pictures, I have to agree that there's too much wasted space. The project will give good advertising and promotional milage to the Designers but sadly the Students will be the ones who will shoulder the expenses. The design really looks good on paper and in prints. I'm sure they'll seem wonderful in lecture halls and seminars, it's very easy to sugar-coat a project using play of words and design concepts ("kuno").

Architecture should always be a balance of form and function.

So really, Ed is not a licensed architect? Hhmm... I guess the name Calma alone sells enough, it's a reputation his father, Lor, built.

Will that really be a problem? After all he's got a lot of (licensed :D ) associate architects in his firm.

Very often we are misled by aesthetic, having such open space and too much glass will only add power consumption.With the spiralling cost of electricity bill students will be charge for this and the parents like me will have to carry this burden. It is much better to provide at least open courtyard with greening accent that will help somehow in cooling process, while this will also create better interior effect.

The designer is brave enough to venture with designs similar to I.M. Pei brand of space wastage which will be again caculated the same as the usable space. Even in hotels or any similar function the clients are being charge for those common spaces not knowingly.

Whitewash building in the latter study of users bahavior is not the best thats why you will see now most hospital being more of colorfull interior similarly in learning spaces.

Simple case is the Gawad Kalinga where houses are painted with lively colors which are proven lifting the mind and moral being of those occupants.

Very often that we are used to this colonial mentality like those design being copied like a combination of Mier's mixed with Gehry's and so fort.

We have a very rich culture that can be tha basis of our designs. Our designers must explore more.yeah i agree that we need more originality and we can achieve that by learning more about ourselves and by exploring and unlocking what potentials we have... stashed away by foreign distractions. perhaps his talent should tackle more on filipino culture and aesthetics. but then again, there are architects who simply chose to specialize and become filipino modernists in the sense that they are pinoys who like to design what's currently in the international mainstream... that being an issue of global practice. some seem to follow a different path especially those who embraced a strict modern architectural dogma regardless of current trends. so i wonder if their products can still be called truly filipino? those being made by pinoys right here in the country, but follows a foreign code. i am more keen to answering no (considering originality above all else), but then wasn't the late leandro locsin given the title national artist in the field of architecture? and he was one of those filipino modernists. that had me thinking. what was filipino architecture back then? what is it now? and how will it be in the future? perhaps this new building can also provide us with some clues.


One word (compound word pala! :D )... cutting-edge!




With the looming threat of vandalism, the CSB-SDA could really claim to fully encourage "creativity" in all it's forms! :Dhey you're right! a work of genius! :lol:



Just to clarify...

Ed Calma is not a licensed architect. He's currently having problems with the UAP because of misrepresentation.

From the pictures, I have to agree that there's too much wasted space. The project will give good advertising and promotional milage to the Designers but sadly the Students will be the ones who will shoulder the expenses. The design really looks good on paper and in prints. I'm sure they'll seem wonderful in lecture halls and seminars, it's very easy to sugar-coat a project using play of words and design concepts ("kuno"). yeah i've heard of that controversy of him and this other well-known designer not being licensed here in the country. kala ko tsismiz lang spread by competitors and detractors? for me it doesn't take a license to be considered a pure-blooded architect. an architect is an architect. no amount of money or type of license can give you that title. only you and your work can really turn you into one. but then again, we have laws and regulations that should be followed. those cannot be bypassed by anyone including him. i think he's a talented designer, he should just apply for a license if he still doesn't have one... if that's causing problems for him. baka nagkaproblema siya sa RA 9266 "architecture act". time will tell whether or not his design will really work out for the students there in benilde.

Ed Calma did not design the whole thing by himself though, as the building was designed by a team of architects from LCDI with him as the design principal.

Ed Calma did not design the whole thing by himself though, as the building was designed by a team of architects from LCDI with him as the design principal.

Of course no one does a whole project by him/herself, even for the best architects, it's gotta to be the whole firm. :D And yes, that's actually what I meant with this statement...

...After all he's got a lot of (licensed :D ) associate architects in his firm.

...but what I'm asking is that will there be trouble if a design firm, in this case Lor Calma Design Inc., have a principal which is well, not a licensed architect?

Although I must say Eduardo don't need the license anyway, design is embedded in his genes already, being the son of Lor, he's a very capable architect and interior designer.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1a/CSB-SDA1.JPG/800px-CSB-SDA1.JPG

When the building was inagurated last April, it was quite impressive. However, when it went into actual operations yesterday, there were a lot of disappointments. As usual, the results of a rushed opening.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4366.jpg
Elevator traffic at the ground lobby

Perhaps the greatest problem of all is the elevators. The elevators are set-up in way that the closest elevator to the floor you're in will be the one to first arrive. There were no individual elevator control panels, if you click one panel to go down, all panels will light up. Plus at the moment, not all five elevators are running, which obviously leads to one thing, heavy elevator traffic. The SDA seemed to have unfortunately beaten its cousin building, the Br. Andrew Gonzalez Hall of DLSU (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=445464), in terms of queues on the elevator lobbies.

The other solution to this problem, the stairs, also posed problems. Some parts of the stairs, notably the ground up to the fourth floor, were blocked access, probably due to construction or whatever. Those who decided to climb down the stairs only end up in the fifth floor, where they were forced to queue up in order to take the elevator to go further down. Those who prefer to use the stairs or those who have elevator phobia were forced to take the elevators since the access to the main fire stairs is located outside the building, and the other four stairs were inaccessible at the moment for safety purposes.

The building has five passenger elevators, two service elevators, and five sets of stairs. However, only two or three passenger elevators are usable at present, one service elevator is not yet operational, and the other service elevator is non-existent at the moment, while only one of the five sets of stairs is half-usable. :ohno:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_3468.jpg
The airconditioning needs a powerup

Second biggest problem probably is the airconditioning. Like what happened to Trinoma on its soft opening, the aircon wasn't powerful enough. Students and faculty ended up fanning a lot on the airconditioned corridors and classrooms. You could see the airconditioning in the classrooms running, but you could barely feel it.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4352.jpg
The SDA Theater would probably be finished by the end of the year

The other problems include incomplete multimedia equipment for the classrooms and laboratories, and most of the essential facilities like the library, theater, studios, and student services offices not being operational yet. Hopefully most of these problems get addressed in the following weeks. The building was indeed presentable and impressive on its inaguration day, but because of a rushed opening, the students might be thinking of the opposite. :ohno:

Wow! Nice! :banana:

Ganda talaga ng SDA building.. Ibang iba talga siya compared sa ibang Lasalle Buildings.. Truly Unique.. hehe..

Regarding sa Elevator traffic.. Eh mukhang kasama na yan sa Lasalle Culture.. Noong nagaaral pa ako dyan, meron na yan.. I remember one incident sa Yuchengco Building. Madami kami naghihintay ng elevator, eh ewan ko kung ano ginawang kalokohan nung mga sumakay nung elevator. Paglabas nila, bumababa yung elevator ng ilang inches kaya yun sira. So We have to few more minutes para lang dumating yung isa pang elevator.. Na-late tuloy ako sa class.. tsk tsk tsk.. Lakas trip :ohno:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4156.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4372.jpg

Well, I don't really have problems with Ed Calma doing designs. There are however some who are questioning it. I would think that Calma doesn't affix his signature to the plans, but in several print ads, magazines, articles, he uses the term "Arch." which is against the law.

I only mentioned this because I read in one of the replies here saying "....the architect of the....is Ed Calma." Anyway, if he really wants to practice architecture, I think it's only fair that he takes the board exams as all Registered Architects in the country have done.

I do acknowledge however, that a PRC License does not make one better than the other. It doesn't mean that any licensed architect is more skillful than Ed Calma.

But, back to topic, I really think that building is hideous.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/SDAlecture2.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/SDAlecture3.jpg

di kaya nakaka distract yung glass wall na yan... hehe... syempre if you are concentrated ;istening to your professor then andaming nakatayo dun, syempre kahit paano di mo maiiwasan na di mainis sa kanila...

the 2nd picture looks cool... di ako pwede dyan, baka buong class sa skyline lang ako nakatingin... :lol:


i wonder how they're gonna address the issue of vandalism in its case... maybe not now, but in the future. three words - universal white board... it's gonna be rather tempting. minsan hindi rin kasi maiwasan yung mga maloloko jan. hope they won't be calling the "MMDA artist" any time soon! :lol:

:lol: universal whiteboard! i hate people who vandal, i guess well educated naman mga tao na they won't vandal sa malaking white board.



Just to clarify...

Ed Calma is not a licensed architect. He's currently having problems with the UAP because of misrepresentation.

i think he studied in the US sa Pratts, so yung license nya sa US? AIA? how come na nakakapagpractice sya and malalalaking project pa yung iba...

Pratts? Camille o John? :D I think you mean the Pratt Institute.

nakapasok na ko dito eh, pero saglit lang, :lol: yung kasama ko kasi nakita ng guard yung eaf niya, kaya ayun, hahha, this week pa daw pwedeng pumasok. i saw a lot of students waiting sa lobby for the elevators. Some of my blockmates told me na super tagal daw.

Pratts? Camille o John? :D I think you mean the Pratt Institute.

pratt nga typo sensya... tsaka sa columbia U ata...

elevator traffic will always happen.. buti nga kayo orderly e..

Sa Beato hindi ganyan mga tao.. haha..

okay yung classrooms na facinng the skyline a.. tamang tama, makati skyline pa yung kita kahit sa malayo..

hopefully ala naman magtatayo ng building that would block that view.

May harness room daw dyan a?

Have they started offering Architecture at DLSU or Benilde?

DLSU-Manila and CSB, nope. DLSU-Dasmariñas, yes.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4517.jpg

I am planning to go there this afternoon. Are cameras allowed, even p&s?

Of course, they require a permit for the SLRs though, I'm not sure on P&S cameras.

Additional pictures:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4423.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4426.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4430.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4435.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4436.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4437.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4438.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4443.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4445.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4448.jpg
14th Floor architectural detail

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4451.jpg
Looking down at the 12th floor

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4454.jpg
Physical Fitness class at the 12th floor Amphitheater

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4457.jpg
SDA Cinema, looking towards the seats

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4460.jpg
SDA Cinema, looking towards the screen

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4458.jpg
SDA Cinema acoustic wall details

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4464.jpg
SDA Cinema ceiling details

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4466.jpg
11th floor...

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4467.jpg
...looking down to the 8th

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4468.jpg
Storm louver details

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4469.jpg
Greenscreen TV & Film production studio

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4470.jpg
Greenscreen control rooms

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4471.jpg
Some un-artistic addition

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4476.jpg
Temporary lecture rooms

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4384.jpg
9th floor lecture rooms

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4400.jpg
Classroom casualty

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4381.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4531.jpg
6th floor shadowplay

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4477.jpg
Backside detail

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4478.jpg
Backside detail

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4480.jpg
Roofdeck

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4481.jpg
Backside detail

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4483.jpg
10th floor ceiling detail

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4487.jpg
5th-8th floor architectural detail

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4488.jpg
6th and 7th floor elevator lobby balconies

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4493.jpg
SDA Theater

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4495.jpg
Hanging theater

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4496.jpg
5th floor Industrial Design open workshop area

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4497.jpg
5th floor trellises

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4498.jpg
6th floor

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4499.jpg
Music Production Lecture Room

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4501.jpg
Music Production Lecture Room

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4507.jpg
Room detail

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4521.jpg
Noontime glare

:lol: !!!! kame yun!!! yung nagPE dun!!! ako yung nakaupo! haha! andun ka pala! hehe :D tsaka nakakainis yung permit na yun, haha! :nuts: thanks sa pics
@ mithril cloud :okay: tuwing magdadala ako ng slr, tinatakpan ko ng basura:lol: tapus hindi nila nahahalata:D

i just noticed this morning na kita pala tong building na to from as far as sta mesa., (sa LRT) :)

Have they started offering Architecture at DLSU or Benilde?

Do they plan to?

Do they plan to?

I hope so, sana! if ever, magaaral ako ng architecture dito, haha joke, and sa benilde na lang :D Maganda ang views ng SDA eh, kakagaling ko lang dyan kanina sa cafeteria para magmeeting sa groupmates ko, kita yung Manila Bay, Mt. Makiling, Ortigas, Makati. :) And the other day, parang nakita ko si Bianca king sa cafeteria, kaso I'm not sure kung siya yun.

i like this fancy building. :D hopefully i could take up my photography degree there.. :D

:lol: !!!! kame yun!!! yung nagPE dun!!! ako yung nakaupo! haha! andun ka pala! hehe :D tsaka nakakainis yung permit na yun, haha! :nuts: thanks sa pics
@ mithril cloud :okay: tuwing magdadala ako ng slr, tinatakpan ko ng basura:lol: tapus hindi nila nahahalata:D

Parang ikaw yung nasa pinaka-left na naka upo! :D Tama?

I noticed, the workmanship seems top notch, gives justice to the design, Eduardo must be so happy. Looks like all the delays are worth it, it's better than rushing it, palulusutin na lang yung mga sablay sa punchlisting just to meet deadlines, then afterwards taking time, money and effort to rectify workmanship flaws. :okay: Sino general contractor?

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_3961.jpg
Food court with the furnitureWhoa, they're using Panton chairs :eek: in the food court?? I'm actually feeling a bit jealous..

:lol: !!!! kame yun!!! yung nagPE dun!!! ako yung nakaupo! haha! andun ka pala! hehe :D tsaka nakakainis yung permit na yun, haha! :nuts: thanks sa pics
@ mithril cloud :okay: tuwing magdadala ako ng slr, tinatakpan ko ng basura:lol: tapus hindi nila nahahalata:D

Hahaha, umaaligid lang ako sa 14th at 12th floor nung mga oras na yun. Marami na rin akong nakitang mga SLR owners na kakaiba yung pinagbabalutan ng mga SLR nila, merong mga binabalot sa tshirt, nakalagay sa mga fancy bags, etc. para lang hindi mahalata. :lol:

Parang ikaw yung nasa pinaka-left na naka upo! :D Tama?

I noticed, the workmanship seems top notch, gives justice to the design, Eduardo must be so happy. Looks like all the delays are worth it, it's better than rushing it, palulusutin na lang yung mga sablay sa punchlisting just to meet deadlines, then afterwards taking time, money and effort to rectify workmanship flaws. :okay: Sino general contractor?

SKI's the general contractor. :)

Whoa, they're using Panton chairs :eek: in the food court?? I'm actually feeling a bit jealous..

I looked up on "Panton chairs" on Google and got surprised by how much it costs per piece, and to think we have around 250 of those in the food court! :eek:


More pictures!

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4553.jpg
Looking from Singalong cor. P. Ocampo St.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4568.jpg
Learning Resource Center staircase

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4570.jpg
8th floor lobby looking towards the top

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4574.jpg
9th floor lightwell corridor

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4578.jpg
Brother President's Office

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4579.jpg
Minor vandalism :ohno:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4580.jpg
Looking from the backdoor gate of the DLS-CSB Taft campus

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4583.jpg
Backside details again

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4585.jpg
Looking down...

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4587.jpg
9th floor lobby

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4597.jpg
Look who's brewing

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4589.jpg
9th floor revisited, this time with Figaro coffee

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4591.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4592.jpg

nice!!! galing ng mga shots!!! @ mithril cloud, ganun nga gagawen ko, hahaha, papasok ko sa T-shirt ko, haha:lol: tsaka nahihiya akong magpics kasi sa SDA/CSbmain kasi Nikon gamit ko:D may halos lahat ng nakita kosa 12th floor kanteen ay Canon eh... :) kakahiya magpost ng pics haha! cellphone lng gamit ko, anyways... eto post k ng nga ang mga pics na di pa masyadu napopost dito :D

green day!!!! :D
http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/3748/dsc02421copyvb1.jpg

yung ibang blockmates ko after Media Max org General assembly nung Wednesday ata :) ...
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/1756/dsc02495la7.jpg

...nalate nga ako kasi sinamahan ko friend ko kumain sa kanteen 12th floor haha, 1st time nya kasi sa SDA... hehe, inask ko siya sa ym na kung ok lng ipost ko pic nya dito, ok lng daw, hahaha!
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/6424/dsc02484sj4.jpg

nag hirap mag-panorama, haha, eto yung PE class namin.. hehe bago kame picturan ni mithril cloud sa 14th floor
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/6346/dsc02460zs4.jpg

eto naman sa 12th floor,
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/1535/dsc02652ua2.jpg

eto yung trash can, walang mapicturan e:lol:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/1143/dsc02482ib8.jpg

tas eto, nagdrawing nalang ako sa kanteen ng SDA para hindi mahalata na frosh kame :D haha! panget nga eh, kasi on the spot ko ginawa, ballpen kagad...
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/4803/dsc02443copyqo6.jpg

ewan ko kung ba't sila natatawa:lol: astig yung room na yan, parang loft siya
http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/6859/dsc02462sq4.jpg

@mithril cloud, ba't dun sa elevators, walang 13th floor button? :lol:

tas eto, nagdrawing nalang ako sa kanteen ng SDA para hindi mahalata na frosh kame :D haha! panget nga eh, kasi on the spot ko ginawa, ballpen kagad...
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/4803/dsc02443copyqo6.jpg

Ah ganun? Isang beses mo pang sabihing panget 'yan babatukan kita pag nakita kita! :tongue2: Kung panget na yan sa'yo pano la kaya ang mga drawing ko! :D

Where did you learn how to do perspectives? Plain talent? Kaliwete ka ba?

Ah ganun? Isang beses mo pang sabihing panget 'yan babatukan kita pag nakita kita! :tongue2: Kung panget na yan sa'yo pano la kaya ang mga drawing ko! :D

Where did you learn how to do perspectives? Plain talent? Kaliwete ka ba?

kitang kita na kaya yung mali, yung matabang tao dun sa left mas malaki kesa sa right dun sa long table:D haha, kasi lumipat kame ng pwesto, kaya nagkaganyan. kumpul-kumpulan kameng magblockmates eh, takot mawala sa sda:lol: kita nga dyan yung shang grand tower sa pinaka-left. anyways, nung bata ako, left handed ako, but my siblings taught me how to use right, tas ayun, naging right handed n k.

eto pala ako :D
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/8324/img4454ek8.jpg

Architecture should always be a balance of form and function.

So really, Ed is not a licensed architect? Hhmm... I guess the name Calma alone sells enough, it's a reputation his father, Lor, built.

Will that really be a problem? After all he's got a lot of (licensed :D ) associate architects in his firm.

hmm...who said he's got alot of associate architects in his firm? "Associate" is not included in his vocabulary

hmm...who said he's got alot of associate architects in his firm? "Associate" is not included in his vocabulary


Ed never gives credit to his/her employees (no associate architects in his firm)

yeah i agree that we need more originality and we can achieve that by learning more about ourselves and by exploring and unlocking what potentials we have... stashed away by foreign distractions. perhaps his talent should tackle more on filipino culture and aesthetics. but then again, there are architects who simply chose to specialize and become filipino modernists in the sense that they are pinoys who like to design what's currently in the international mainstream... that being an issue of global practice. some seem to follow a different path especially those who embraced a strict modern architectural dogma regardless of current trends. so i wonder if their products can still be called truly filipino? those being made by pinoys right here in the country, but follows a foreign code. i am more keen to answering no (considering originality above all else), but then wasn't the late leandro locsin given the title national artist in the field of architecture? and he was one of those filipino modernists. that had me thinking. what was filipino architecture back then? what is it now? and how will it be in the future? perhaps this new building can also provide us with some clues.


hey you're right! a work of genius! :lol:



yeah i've heard of that controversy of him and this other well-known designer not being licensed here in the country. kala ko tsismiz lang spread by competitors and detractors? for me it doesn't take a license to be considered a pure-blooded architect. an architect is an architect. no amount of money or type of license can give you that title. only you and your work can really turn you into one. but then again, we have laws and regulations that should be followed. those cannot be bypassed by anyone including him. i think he's a talented designer, he should just apply for a license if he still doesn't have one... if that's causing problems for him. baka nagkaproblema siya sa RA 9266 "architecture act". time will tell whether or not his design will really work out for the students there in benilde.

Have you ever even met this designer? i agree on your opinion.....but are you sure , he should be the only one to be credited for ?an architect is an architect...but it doesnt mean that a "designer is an architect" think deep..there's a lot more to consider with the word architect!

[QUOTE=Mithril Cloud;13448006]Ed Calma did not design the whole thing by himself though, as the building was designed by a team of architects from LCDI with him as the design principal.[/QU

That's right, Ed did not design the whole thing by himself but he doesn't want to admit it or give credit to those people who helped him finish the project. I admire Ed being a very good designer, but he is also a worse employer ever, he never treat his employees as one of his colleagues (not sure if the term colleague is appropriate to use because of the fact that he is not license).He wanted to invest more in his software/computers rather than keeping his best employees. He doesn't know how to appreciate his employees’ who have selflessly been working hard to finish the project.

And what's the point of creating multiple messages with multiple accounts? Why don't you just place it all on one, and besides, we're getting off-topic with all these discussions about Ed Calma. This thread is for the SDA Building, and not Ed Calma. There's an already existing thread for architects (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=196103) where this kind of discussion is more appropriate.

And what's the point of creating multiple messages with multiple accounts? Why don't you just place it all on one, and besides, we're getting off-topic with all these discussions about Ed Calma. This thread is for the SDA Building, and not Ed Calma. There's an already existing thread for architects (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=196103) where this kind of discussion is more appropriate.


OK....The design is nice (one of the Philippine Architecture Breakthrough without foreign architectural design consultant - for me, don't make it in general). I saw it in actual. The general contractor & sub-contractors didn't execute well.

excuse me..im not the same person with a different account ...this is free country!!

@excolleague , excolleague-2,
judging from your nickname and from you comments, you seem to be previously from his office and maybe you think you are one of those 'best employees' he didnt keep

did u not even think if he will be reading this thread?

@excolleague , excolleague-2,
judging from your nickname and from you comments, you seem to be previously from his office and maybe you think you are one of those 'best employees' he didnt keep

did u not even think if he will be reading this thread?


"you seem to be previously from his office and maybe you think you are one of those 'best employees' he didnt keep"

just to close everything up...I dont care if he reads this thread. better if he reads, so as to know what's really happening. Sorry but im not one of those who you quoted in your statement.

And one more thing , isnt this suppose to be about SDA?(as you guys said) !

anyway, believe in what you want to believe...its the way it should be...right?
Thanks for paying attention. Atleast now somebody knows the truth...

i think you just nailed your own coffin with that statement. so i guess you really are an ex-calma employee who is disgruntled. well, just a piece of advice - if you are really so pissed off at him then tell him that straight. i don't think it would do any good to vent it out on forums - go straight to the point.

Hello all. I would like to comment on the identity of excolleague and excolleague 02. As coming from the same firm as them, I can verify that both are different individuals. As for the comment:

“judging from your nickname and from you comments, you seem to be previously from his office and maybe you think you are one of those 'best employees' he didnt keep”

I would venture to comment that this statement is a bit judgmental. In my 6 years with LCDA/LCDI, the management have never fired anybody. They may have made it hard for the employee to stay like salary cuts and a generally condescending attitude to said employees, but there have never been any termination as far as the design department is concerned (there used to be 3 departments so I can’t say decisively if there were any termination in sales and administration). People leave for a variety of reasons, most do so for the very universal reason of seeking greener pastures. Another thing is that both excolleague and excolleague 02 are actually some of the best employees Ed ever had. Both of them have been connected, at one time or another, with this project; one of them was a senior architect during the construction documentation stage (was also the architect-in-charge for the many of Ed's prestigeous and published works). Perhaps that is the reason why they may have vented their frustration here; they have been loyal and hardworking to the core (often working overtime for days on end, without compensation just so the project get the attention it deserves) yet receive little or no recognition or gratitude from management. At one time, even accused of misusing office resources by rendering weekend overtime work.

Lest I be accused of being “an ex-calma employee who is disgruntled” I would like to say that I left LCDA/LCDI in good terms. I actually had to postpone my departure for a few months for them to find a suitable replacement senior architect-in-charge for the DLSU-CSB-SDA project, and even helped out beyond my employment in that office. Ed is not really a bad boss; it's just that his management style is, in his own words, dictatorial and, thus, rubs a lot of people the wrong way.

That said, allow me to bring this thread back on track. My comments on the project is that they basically got most things right except for a few details. The most glaring would be the front hardscape area and the transformer vault. Said vault was supposed to mimick the folded façade of the sewage treatment plant. The stairs along the vault was supposed to be embedded and hidden along the slope. The ramp itself was detailed to be sloping and more gradual that would correspond to the radius of the vehicular entrance. The benches in front were originally designed to be folding surfaces similar to the front bollards. Even the revised railings at the elevator lobby were not followed. There are more little details that were not faithfully followed but one would dare say that this is a common occurance in such a massive undertaking. The fact that there were more than 40 subcontractors didn’t help either. An example would be the abovementioned railings: there were 5 subcontractor involved just to make the railings (one to do the steel frame, another to install the drywall, another for the glass, another to paint and another to tile the baluster area). Also, the plastering were not too well done. All these shortcomings would probably be addressed in the punchlisting. However, when all is said and done, I think that the aesthetic criteria, functionality and general feel of the project was achieved. In the end, the project would be a landmark and a beacon for the future of architecture in the Philippines.

my comments are generally derived from the statements stipulated by the individuals, as what i read thru the past posts. these are my personal translations of their emotions (such as the 'disgruntled' comment). if you think i am being judgmental then so be it, but that judgementality is only based on the comments posted. thank you for your clarification though.

Honestly, I totally envy everyone enrolled in SDA. Lol.

Lilipat na 'ko sa SDA [SMIT student here]! Hahahahahahahaha. :P Jk.

06.25.07

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/aaron_ofngol/100_1097x.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/aaron_ofngol/100_1090x.jpg

Gusto ko pa sanang kumuha ng night shot kasi padilim na kaso baka pagalitan na ako pag ginabi ako ng uwi.

Nice shots! :eek:

Were those taken from Burgundy West Bay?

nice shot!

okay yung close up mo sa rope a.. :)

SDA from Ivy Hills:

http://images.gerald19.multiply.com/image/8/photos/14/500x500/10/IMG_0199.JPG?et=RvuxVR1xNJutX55r0AVAgQ

Article about the SDA from the Philippine Daily Inquirer: Shrine to cutting-edge creativity (http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view_article.php?article_id=72940)

masyadong antiseptic yung building.
walang kulay...
parang oa ung pagka-modern.

While it's true that a lot do find this structure cold and detached, hence antiseptic, it was not always so. Originally, the exterior masonry walls was supposed to be finished in tiles. La Salle did not allow this since it would be hard to maintain given the height of the building. Furthermore, they felt that should the tile suffer from delamination, it would have been a dangerous projectile that could be a threat to both the occupants and the neighboring residence. The next option was to go to a pigmented cement finish. At that time, this was a proprietary method used by a single company (since then, some employees of the original company have set up their own using the same method). Again, La Salle frowned on this since maintainance would have been close to impossible in the event that the original company close shop. These finishes would have made the exterior softer as opposed to the massive plain white wall that exist today. Curiously, this wall was also originally supposed to be folded as shown in the original 3d images.

The original concept by the museum consultant was for most of the interior walls of the entire school to be mounting locations for the works of the students. Even the walls within the parking area were to be treated artistically. There was even, at one point, discussions in turning the walls of the black box area into some sort of graffiti walls. Complementary to this was that various strategically located walls was to be finished in accent colors and/or materials. This would have been, at least conceptually, a pleasant contrast between the inherent coldness associated with the building materials and the warm, personal touches of the individual students' artworks. This would have theoretically humanize the structure.

Since the building is yet to be completed, it is my understanding that the interior display would be implemented at a later date. Ultimately, it would take sometime before it can be seen if this building ages well.

another piece of trivia worth noting was that the glass louvers along the corridors was not part of the original design. at the start of the design development stage, the entire building, including the corridors was supposed to be airconditioned. by the time construction started, this criteria was changed to naturally ventilated public traffic areas thus portions of the glass on the curtain wall was deleted. it was only a later stage when it was observed that, by leaving the corridor open, this would invite prolonged weather damage to the drywalls along said corridors. in effect, the folded and curved interior drywall partitions opposite the curtain wall was, by all intent and purpose, actually the exterior walls.

Article about the SDA from the Philippine Daily Inquirer: Shrine to cutting-edge creativity (http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view_article.php?article_id=72940)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1066/617859316_34a9b9b808_o.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1180/617859290_89556dda49_o.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1289/617919338_649e9e48c2_o.jpg

ha ha ha... now i get it... they can use that bare wall as billboard to announce activities of their 'creative' students e.g. exhibits, performances, etc. LOL! :banana: :lol:

Where a new generation of artists are trained (http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2007/06/28/YTCP2007062896741.html)
Manila Bulletin
June 28, 2007

De La Salle Philippines makes a compelling statement in support of the creative industries with the launching of De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde’s School of Design and Arts campus.

Located along Pablo Ocampo Street in Malate, Manila, the 14-storey academic complex created by Lor Calma Design, Inc. is the most advanced DLS–CSB building to date and undoubtedly one of the most progressive college grounds in Asia.

"This is probably the first building of its kind that manifests the multidisciplinary teaching approach of the school," says design principal Eduardo Calma. "The building takes its form from the spirit of design creativity; nothing was pre-conceived. This way, it would provide a much more stimulating learning environment compared to the usual box with corridors and flat lines."

Envisioned as a home for a new generation of artists and designers, Calma explains that the structure is a "vertical campus" which establishes visual interest with a sophisticated façade done in aluminum cladding, full glass curtain walls and intricate, multifaceted details. The interiors are bathed in natural light, with huge glass windows providing ample ventilation throughout the hallways – features that also help the building cut down energy consumption. The spacious corridors double as exhibition spaces, while the glass-paneled classrooms are marked by distinctive folded walls.


VOCABULARY OF SPACE

It is also the first building in the country equipped with G-10 technology, breaking down temporal and spatial barriers with its ability to hook up to ongoing arts-related events, anywhere in the world, in real time.

"If you have a place that already teaches you a vocabulary of space, then you already establish a kind of language for design and arts," avers Calma. "That makes the building a tool for education."

"The concept of the building encapsulates the unique features of the school," agrees Bro. Edmundo Fernandez FSC, Interim President and Chairman of the Board of DLS-CSB. "We have signature programs not offered as degree courses anywhere else. Our facilities and laboratories are governed by new technology. Our students have both professional educators and expert industry practitioners as mentors, keeping our curriculum abreast with the latest trends in the creative industry. We really invested in this school. I don’t think there’s any other academic institution in the country that has put as much outlay or confidence in the field of design and arts. We just did."

Following the learner-centered approach in education, the SDA building is replete with exhibition spaces, performances venues and studio facilities to enrich the student’s hands-on experience. These include the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design, the SDA Cinema and film archive room, sound recording and production studios, workstations for animation and video production, studios for filmmaking and photography, a Black Box performance space and two ballet studios with fireproof costume rooms, among others.

However, the most eyecatching structure is the 558-seat theater, cantilevered about four stories above the ground and hanging intriguingly over the entrance driveway – stylishly providing both an iconic image for the design school and a dynamic façade for the entire building.

The school currently caters to 12 programs that offer degrees in Animation, Arts Management, Digital Filmmaking, Fashion Design and Merchandising, Multimedia Arts, Music Production, Photography, Production Design, Technical Theater, Industrial Design, Performing Arts major in Dance (in consortium with Ballet Philippines dance progam), and Interior Design (in consortium with the Philippine School of Interior Design).

With these and other innovative courses that will be made available soon, the DLS-CSB administration is convinced that graduates from their School of Design and Arts will easily find productive work in the creative industry, one of the fastest growing sectors with a yearly contribution of some .5 million to the global economy.

yes indeed, one of the best building and aesthetically captured even youre in lrt, you can see the destructivism style, but the enviroment is not good enough, malate is not a good place for such great building like this.:ohno:

St. Benilde becomes 1st school in RP with 10-gigabit LAN

By Lawrence Casiraya
INQUIRER.net (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=76057)
Last updated 03:57pm (Mla time) 07/11/2007

SINGAPORE -- College of St. Benilde (CSB), a unit under the De La Salle Philippines school system, has become the first school in the Philippines to have a 10-gigabit local area network (LAN) supporting the bandwidth requirements of its multimedia courses.

The 10-gigabit or 10G LAN, bought from network equipment supplier 3Com, covers CSB's newly erected School of Design and Arts (SDA), which opened this June and offers courses on fashion, theater and multimedia, among others.

The investment is meant to "future-proof" the school's network and satisfy bandwidth requirements due to animation and other design software used by students, said Ricson Singson Que, CSB's IT director.

The SDA currently has 1,000 students and Que expects this number to double next year.

Que will speak at 3Com's two-day Asia Pacific summit being held here starting Wednesday. He is representing CSB as a Philippine 3Com customer.

"We will not be investing in a bigger highway if we do not know already the type of applications we will run in it," Que said in an interview.

He did not mention exactly how much was invested in the network upgrade but said CSB allots about P10 million for IT and some P10 million more in operational expenses.

CSB will also be investing in security software from Tipping Point, a subsidiary of 3Com.

CSB started deploying its 10G LAN -- an upgrade from the previous 100Mbps network -- around the first quarter of this year. The network includes H3C switches, which resulted from the merger between 3Com and Chinese equipment maker Huawei Technologies.

The two companies formed a joint venture Huawei-3Com or H3C in 2003, the latter acquiring a controlling stake for about $190 million. 3Com acquired the remaining stake from Huawei earlier this year for $882 million.

yes indeed, one of the best building and aesthetically captured even youre in lrt, you can see the destructivism style, but the enviroment is not good enough, malate is not a good place for such great building like this.:ohno:

I disagree wholeheartedly. There's nothing wrong with putting a great building in a relatively rundown area. That's what urban renewal is all about. The Guggenheim Bilbao and the Disney Concert Hall both by Frank Gehry, and the Kodak theater, and I could go on and on with examples of great buildings that were all located in areas that weren't the most modern or fashionable during the time of their construction. Hopefully the Benilde building also triggers an urban renaissance for Malate.

But anyway, I don't think Malate is rundown at all. It has history, an authentic urban atmosphere (unlike those ultra-planned, ultra-fake developments), an interesting mix of institutions, architecture and people.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/DSC_1101.jpg
SDA at night

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Lecture Room 0910

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Lecture Room 0911

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Lecture Room 0912

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9th floor corridor

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Lecture Room 0918

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Lecture Room 0918 Teacher's PC

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Lecture Room 0917

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Stuident Exhibit

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Brightly lit lobby

This seems a good case to discuss since UAP is saying they have the right to squeeze those licence architect who will be going into partnership with an unlicence architect or engineers. Such case is practically unfair to most of unlicence practioner who has spent his entire lives in their love of profession, common to those working abroad.





Architectonic debate


By Alex Vergara
Inquirer
Last updated 05:20am (Mla time) 08/05/2007


MANILA, Philippines - What's in a title? Who has the right to call himself an architect or to offer his services as one for a fee?

According to the Professional Regulatory Board of Architecture (PRBoA), a person can only assume the title "architect" and use it in the pursuit of his or her livelihood if he or she has passed the state-sanctioned board exam for architects.

Under chairman Armando Alli, PRBoA twice called Inquirer's attention for inadvertently identifying Ed Calma and Anton R. Mendoza as architects in two separate stories.

Ed Calma, a 2003 TOYM awardee, is listed as the Design Principal of his father's architectural firm Lor Calma Design & Associates. His CV states that he earned his undergraduate degree in Architecture at the Pratt Institute and his graduate degree in Advanced Architectural Design at Columbia University in New York.

Although most people, including a number of lifestyle journalists familiar with their works, assume that Calma and Mendoza are licensed and registered architects in the Philippines, it turns out they are not.

As such, says Alli, they have no right to be called architects. Nor can they pass themselves off as architects under such a benign job description as "designer."

"It's called solicitation-once you project yourself as an architect or offer yourself as capable of performing the work of an architect," Alli explains. "Such a practice is prohibited under the law."

Apart from giving media practitioners reason to pause and verify their sources' claims, the issue is bigger than it seems since it also concerns would-be Filipino architects studying abroad, as well as foreign architects hired by prominent families and multinational companies to do a number of projects here either as consultants or "architects-of-record."

How does the board deal with such individuals and situations without appearing biased against, say, Calma, who, apart from having the advantage of working for one of the country's best architectural firms, also studied architecture abroad?

What does it take to be able to legally practice architecture in the Philippines? Won't education in the best schools abroad as well as an impressive body of work suffice, or make up for a person's inability to take the board exam here?

For that matter, what's the scope of a licensed and registered architect's responsibility? How liable is he every time he signs and gives his seal of approval on projects conceptualized or rendered by an unlicensed and unregistered individual?

Even if they hire an architect to go over and approve their plans, are homeowners guilty of malpractice and solicitation when they implement home-improvement projects based on their own designs?

If Alli is to be believed, PRBoA isn't any stricter or less reasonable than its counterparts tasked to oversee other professions. Nor is it, he says, zeroing in on certain individuals because of pressure from members of the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP), a private organization composed of practicing architects.

"We're not mandated to protect and promote the livelihood of architects," says Alli, who, like Marietta Segovia and Angeline Chua Chiaco, two of his colleagues on the board, is a practicing architect. "That's the job of the private sector. We're basically here to see and ensure that the law is followed.

Proper practice

PRBoA is one of 44 boards under the Professional Regulation Commission. On top of its administrative functions such as giving exams and issuing licenses, the board is tasked to regulate and oversee the proper practice of architecture among its licensed and registered members nationwide.

Calma, allegedly upon his lawyer's instructions, declined to comment on what he described as a "poorly conceived" law. He said, via a series of text messages, that he didn't want to give certain UAP members an opportunity to get "elected" at his expense.

"I don't want to give them a media platform to rant about their malicious interpretation of the law," Calma wrote. "I would rather clear my case in court."

In a phone call he made several months ago to this reporter, Calma attributed the board's renewed zeal to stop creative individuals like himself from earning a living to sheer "crab mentality" among certain UAP members.

When projects are hard to come by, and when even civil engineers dabble in architecture (again one of many illegal acts PRBoA is currently addressing), can you blame legitimate architects from complaining?

But it's also easy to suspect jealousy because Calma does get the choicest projects, including of late the houses Josephine del Gallego Knox in Rockwell and in Punta Fuego and Wyn Wyn Ong in Makati. He also designed the recently inaugurated De La Salle-College of St. Benilde School of Design and Arts in Manila. These happen to be high-profile works that have generated tremendous media exposure.

Calma's clients, with the exception of Knox, declined to give any official statement on the issue.

"Ed respected and understood my vision and improved on it," Knox said via e-mail. "He's a dream architect for a client with my strengths and weaknesses."

Having lived in another country for so long, Knox said she was unaware that there was a law requiring architects to be licensed and registered. To her credit, upon learning of it, Knox was quick to acknowledge that "no one is above the law."

"Ed was practicing within the guidelines of the law," she insisted. "If he wants to officially be the architect-of-record and sign all the documents, then he will have to take the exams and pass with flying colors."

Again via text message, Calma pointed to foreign architects designing big projects here with local and established designers signing for them. "So, I'm no different from them since my dad is the one signing and I work under him and the company he [has] built for almost 45 years," he wrote.

On the other hand, despite being regularly described by society columnist and good friend Maurice Arcache as a "super architect," Mendoza denied, also via a text message, having misrepresented himself.

Mendoza's clients include such A-listers as Sen. Loren Legarda, Manny V. Pangilinan, Irene Martel Francisco, Fred Uytengsu and Joey Concepcion

Legarda had this to say: "I hired ARM architects with Mike Soriquez as architect and Anton (Mendoza) as interior designer. Anton is a gifted artist and a very professional worker. We have been high-school friends."

The law

Alli denies having any particular bias against media-savvy individuals like Calma and Mendoza. "I've never even met Calma," he says. "What we're trying to ensure is that people uphold the law."

The law in question is Republic Act 9266 or the Architecture Act of 2004, which Alli and colleagues helped draft.

RA 9266, which passed through two Congresses, took effect three years ago, after it was signed by President Macapagal-Arroyo. It has been described by its authors as a "more responsive and comprehensive" act compared to RA 545, the law it replaced.

In essence, the act stipulates that only individuals who passed the architecture board exam given by the PRC, and have secured the necessary licenses and registrations, have the right to call themselves architects and engage in the practice of the profession.

The law doesn't recognize or is silent on the status of individuals who studied and took similar licensure exams abroad, Alli says. Nor does it endorse a designer's works, no matter how outstanding, as a way of compensating for him not to take the board.

Alli adds that it's unlawful for non-architects to practice as architects under such titles as "designer" or "space planner."

But a practicing architect, who requested not to be identified, thought differently: "I don't know of a law that prohibits people being described as designers especially if they are merely mentioned in publications."

Calma may have a number of sympathizers even among his peers, but not a few of them want to see him face the music. After all, it was the UAP that brought the matter of his and Mendoza's alleged misrepresentation to the board's attention.

The list, says Alli, also involves 20 or so other prominent designers "who are regularly featured in newspapers," including Joey Yupangco, Camilo Vasquez and hairdresser-turned-furniture designer Budji Layug.

Of course, one can claim to be the "architect" of an ingenious plan, system or device without breaking the law, but the problem begins once one does the actual work of a licensed and registered architect.

Private individuals who design their own homes and have their plans executed and signed later by an architect have nothing to fear (apart from the soundness of their ideas), says Alli. But once these individuals start designing for others for a fee, then they better watch out since they're already in clear violation of the law.

According to Alli, those who did not take the board exams like Calma and Mendoza are technically beyond the board's jurisdiction. But the board can apply the squeeze on architects who have signed and affixed their seals on their behalf.

Aiding and abetting

"These architects are guilty of violating the law by aiding and abetting a non-practitioner. By this mere act, they stand to lose their licenses," Alli warns.

For their part, unlicensed and unregistered "architects" are also engaging in criminal acts, says Alli. The board's hands may be tied in acting directly against them, but it can endorse their prosecution to the Department of Justice.

"The complainant need not be an architect," says Alli. "He or she can be anybody. If the evidence against the [illegal practitioners] is strong, we can take the case to the DOJ."

It is also not a mere question of whether or not a building is structurally sound. Since it takes a team, including an army of civil and structural engineers, to build one, structures designed by an illegal practitioner have a fairly good chance of standing the test of time.

"The building may appear like it was designed by a professional since professionals actually assumed the liability and responsibility for him," says Alli. "But we go back to the issue of the person (illegal practitioner) projecting himself as the author of a certain work. Based on the law, he may not openly claim that it's his work."

What about foreign architects-including former Filipino citizens-working either as consultants or principals behind certain projects here?

Foreigners will have to secure permits from the PRC, the Department of Labor and the Department of Foreign Affairs to practice in the Philippines for a limited period of time only. But before they're given such permits, there has to be some form of "reciprocity" between the Philippines and the countries they come from.

"Filipino architects should be accorded the same treatment if they go to these countries to lend their expertise there," said Alli. "An accreditation system is now in place among most countries that comprise the Asean and Apec."

Filipinos who passed the board here before becoming citizens of other countries can again practice in the Philippines upon their return after securing a special permit. Their licenses and registrations, says Alli, are still recognized despite the change in their citizenships.

Meanwhile, Filipinos may choose to study architecture abroad but if they plan to practice here, they should be aware of the differences in the way the discipline is taught here compared to, say, in the US.

While American architectural schools are more focused on concepts and practical ways to program spaces and erect buildings, says Alli, their counterparts in the Philippines lean more toward theories, mathematical computations and a fair share of structural engineering.

At first blush, the American approach may seem the wiser, more practical one, but if US-educated Filipinos plan to practice architecture here, they should retool their training and do a thorough review if they are to successfully hurdle the rather difficult board exams.

Apart from the different sets of standards prevailing in the two countries, buildings in the tropics are designed and constructed differently from those built in temperate countries.

The mortality rate for those taking the architectural board exams, notes Alli, is one of the highest, ranging from 49 to 68 percent over the last five years. "Over the past 57 years, only an average of 400 examinees have passed the board."

Alli refrains from speculating, but this reality may be giving Filipinos who studied architecture abroad second thoughts about taking the board here. In a society that still places a premium on reputation, it's no joke for a celebrated designer to lose face for failing to pass a standardized, government-issued test.

Kailan ba pwede makaakyat 'yung mga taga-main sa SDA?

I think you guys can already enter using the usual sign-up method.

A Building as a Tool for Education (http://www.goodnewspilipinas.com/docs/art_and_culture/current/bldg_tool_edu.html)
By Susan de Guzman

With its commitment to promoting a dynamic and innovative learning community in all its member schools, De La Salle Philippines makes a compelling statement in support of the creative industries with the launching of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde's School of Design and Arts campus.

Located along Pablo Ocampo Street in Malate, Manila, the 14-storey academic complex created by Lor Calma Design, Inc. is the most advanced DLS-CSB building to date and undoubtedly one of the most progressive college grounds in Asia.

“This is probably the first building of its kind that manifests the multi-disciplinary teaching approach of the school,” says design principal Eduardo Calma. “The building takes its form from the spirit of design creativity; nothing was pre-conceived. This way, it would provide a much more stimulating learning environment compared to the usual box with corridors and flat lines.”

Envisioned as a home for a new generation of artists and designers, Calma explains that the structure is a “vertical campus” which establishes visual interest with a sophisticated façade done in aluminum cladding, full glass curtain walls and intricate, multifaceted details. The interiors are bathed in natural light, with huge glass windows providing ample ventilation throughout the hallways – features that also help the building cut down energy consumption. The spacious corridors double as exhibition spaces, while the glass-paneled classrooms are marked by distinctive folded walls.

It is also the first building in the country equipped with 10-G technology, breaking down temporal and spatial barriers with its ability to hook up to ongoing arts-related events, anywhere in the world, in real time.

“If you have a place that already teaches you a vocabulary of space, then you already establish a kind of language for design and arts,” avers Calma. “That makes the building a tool for education.”

“The concept of the building encapsulates the unique features of the school,” agrees Br. Edmundo Fernandez FSC, Chairman of the Board of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. “We have signature programs not offered as degree courses anywhere else. Our facilities and laboratories are governed by new technology. Our students have both professional educators and expert industry practitioners as mentors, keeping our curriculum abreast with the latest trends in the creative industry. We really invested in this school. I don't think there's any other academic institution in the country that has put as much outlay or confidence in the field of design and arts. We just did.”

Following the learner-centered approach in education, the SDA building is replete with exhibition spaces, performances venues and studio facilities to enrich the student's hands-on experience. These include the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design, the SDA Cinema and film archive room, sound recording and production studios, workstations for animation and video production, studios for filmmaking and photography, a Black Box performance space and two ballet studios with fireproof costume rooms, among others.

However, the most eye-catching structure is the 558-seat Theater, cantilevered about four stories above the ground and hanging intriguingly over the entrance driveway – stylishly providing both an iconic image for the design school and a dynamic façade for the entire building.

The school currently caters to 12 programs that offer degrees in Animation, Arts Management, Digital Filmmaking, Fashion Design and Merchandising, Multimedia Arts, Music Production, Photography, Production Design, Technical Theater, Industrial Design, Performing Arts major in Dance (in consortium with the Ballet Philippines dance program), and Interior Design (in consortium with the Philippine School of Interior Design). With these and other innovative courses that will be made available soon, the DLS-CSB administration is convinced that graduates from their School of Design and Arts will easily find productive work in the creative industry, one of the fastest growing sectors with a yearly contribution of some US$1.5-million to the global economy.

For more information, please contact the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Marketing Communications Office at telephone number 536-6752 loc. 121 or email mco@dls-csb.edu.ph.

A design student’s utopia (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/aug/12/yehey/weekend/20070812week1.html)
The Manila Times, August 12, 2007 issue

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/aug/12/yehey/images/weekend.jpg

A MAMMOTH structure of glass and steel, the 14-story De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s (CSB) School of Design and Arts (SDA) building has altered the urban landscape of Malate, Manila, since its construction was completed early this year. But the edifice aims to draw more than awe to its beholders. The structure, unknown to many, is De La Salle’s concrete statement of faith to the future of the creative industry in the Philippines.



A wish comes true

Though currently unparalleled in the country, it took 15 years for the SDA to evolve into its present level of sophistication. Gerard L.V. Torres, the incumbent dean of the school, relates that it was in 1992 when the CSB first offered a course in industrial design. The enrollment rate on the course proved to be promising, so in 1995, CSB officially established its school of design and arts. But with the steady growth of the student population surfaced imminent problems. First was the need for additional space, and second, it has became apparent that the traditional CSB campus on Taft Avenue was not cut out as an efficient learning environment for design students. “It was like forcing a square peg in a round hole,” Torres explains.

Thus, seeing the need, the La Sallian brothers asked the educators at the SDA to come up with a wish list. “After collating the inputs, we ended up with a 3-inch thick compilation,” Torres recalls. The collected data was to be used as a basis in designing the new home of the SDA.

A bold move

When asked what made De La Salle invest in such a gargantuan undertaking, Torres explains that the institution had seen the new positive perception toward the creative industry resulting from the burgeoning of the multimedia arts. He emphasizes that the La Sallian brothers should be commended for being visionaries and for putting their money where their mouths are. The budget for the ambitious project, Torres discloses, amounted to P1.5 billion. The cost is for the building alone and does not include expenditures on equipments and facilities.

After a tedious bidding process, the project was awarded to Lor Calma Design group. “So long as he stayed within the confines of the budget and used our inputs as the basis of the design, the architectural principal Eduardo Calma was given free reign,” relates Torres.

One of its kind

The construction of the building quietly kicked off in 2004 and was completed early this year. “The funny thing,” relates Torres, “is that no one seems to notice what we were doing until the building was completed.” Upon its completion, residents and pedestrians of the area were in sheer awe of the magnificent structure that seemed to have risen suddenly along the dowdy length of Pablo Ocampo (formerly Vito Cruz) Street in Manila.

The new SDA building is an ingenious attempt to use space as a teaching tool. “This is probably the first building of its kind that manifests the multidisciplinary teaching approach of the school,” says Calma. “The building takes its form from the spirit of design creativity; nothing was pre-conceived. This way, it would provide a much more stimulating learning environment compared to the usual box with corridors and flat lines.” Though the aesthetic elements of glass and steel are omnipresent, it is astounding to learn that no two rooms and no two floors of the SDA building are the same. A masterpiece of form and function, hallways of the SDA building were designed in a way that they can be converted into impromptu exhibition space whenever needed. In addition, the glass windows allow natural light to get in as well as provide ample ventilation, thus reducing the building’s energy consumption. “If you have a place that already teaches you a vocabulary of space, then you already establish a kind of language for design and arts,” explains Calma, adding, “That makes the building a tool for education.”

The SDA building boasts of the following facilities: museum of contemporary art and design, the SDA Cinema and film archive room, sound recording and production studios, workstations for animation and video production, studios for filmmaking and photography, a black box performance space and two ballet studios with fireproof costume rooms plus a striking 558-seat theater pompously hanging over the entrance driveway of the building.

Commendable courses

The CSB’s toil to uplift the standard of design education in the country had gone a long way since it first offered a single industrial design course in 1992. Today, the SDA caters to 12 programs that offer degrees in Animation, Arts Management, Digital Filmmaking, Fashion Design and Merchandising, Multimedia Arts, Music Production, Photography, Production Design, Technical Theater, Industrial Design, Performing Arts major in Dance (in consortium with the Ballet Philippines dance program), and Interior Design (in consortium with the Philippine School of Interior Design). Students at SDA are guaranteed to receive cutting edge and up-to-date information for the simple fact that 90 percent of its instructors are expert industry practitioners.

Torres though wants to make a distinction on the nature of the school, “The SDA is not a school of fine arts where students are taught painting and sculpture. Though tedious instruction on freehand drawing is included in most courses, the instruction will be heavily based on the multimedia arts,” he stresses. The SDA also enforces a rigid on-the-job training (OJT) program. Graduating students of the school are required to present proof of 250 to 400 hours of training time. Torres also reveals that pretty soon, the SDA will also offer short courses and adult education programs. Drawing accolades from such luminaries as National Artist for sculpture Napoleon Abueva and acclaimed film director Peque Gallaga, the SDA, without a doubt, has established itself as foremost academic institution in the country in the field of design and arts.

Artists as entrepreneurs

Another innovation that the SDA is implementing is the integration of management and entrepreneurial subjects in its curriculum. “We want to completely do away with the image of the ‘starving artist,’” Torres points out. He explains that only two decades ago, rare is a parent who will admonish his child to pursue a career in the creative industry because the notion then was there’s no money in this field. “The situation is entirely different now,” he says. Stressing his point, Torres adds that the creative industry is among the fastest-growing sectors today, contributing millions of dollars to the global economy every year. Armed with top-notch design education and business acumen, Torres believes that SDA graduates will be a potent force in building the country’s future economy. “I don’t have the slightest doubt on the creativity of Filipinos. In all my years as a dean of the SDA, I am awed by the level of skill and creativity displayed by our students. Now, couple that with business know-how and there’s no more reason why they won’t be able to succeed in their chosen career,” he beams. Expressing his pride for SDA graduates, Torres adds, “The talents and skills of our students are our best marketing tools.”

Addressing the issue of tuition cost, Torres admits that studying at the SDA entails a higher price considering level of the quality of its instruction and facilities but that doesn’t mean the institution is closing its doors to talented indigent students. Every year, the SDA has 24 scholarship slots reserved for financially challenged, deserving students. “It is our aim that 20 percent of our student population will be scholars come 2011,” Torres announces.

The SDA is truly a design student’s utopia. Torres recalls that in the beginning, he was having second thoughts of painting the building’s walls white fearing that students might scrawl graffiti on them. “But the walls remain pristine until now,” Torres boasts, intoning that every corner of the SDA building breathes art and commands respect. There’s no single sign on the SDA hallways warning against vandalism, rather, there seems to be a subliminal message in the atmosphere and that is, if you’re an artist, you won’t dare deface those walls knowing that doing so would be sacrilegious.

Improvements like drinking fountains were installed everywhere. Tints will also be added to our fish tank rooms. The SDA Cinema is almost finish, it needs some cinema chairs, probably lazy-boy chairs. Dream on! The SDA Green screen room is almost finished too. The theater would be a question, perhaps Ed Calma can enlighten us. My professor told us that the theater would be finished early next year while the SDA Learning Resource Center will be opened this term after the works being done at the 14th floor would be finished. You can also find Mac Pro's in our computer labs while Dell computers were used in classrooms. Our classroom computers are prone to virus. Lucky though, we have ACTC to control the virus spread. Other labs like Photography labs were finished already. I certainly like the details of our sound studios. Photos coming up.

Guys pag Alumni ba ng DLSU-M pwede umakyat sa SDA?

i don't know why but a classmate of mine who lives at the Madison condo says the building looks like a urinal. :D

i've seen the building and from the ground, napapanganga lang ako. i like that it's white and uses natural light. sana lang yung mga laptops sa lib ng DLSU-M singganda at usable (pa rin) katulad ng mga Dell computers ng building.

Guys pag Alumni ba ng DLSU-M pwede umakyat sa SDA?

I think so, try mu, kasi yung friend ko na taga LS-main, [G]erald™ tinour ko sa SDA, you just have to present your ID then magsisign lng. :D Pero para sure, magsama ka ng taga-CSB na kakilala, di ko pa natanong if it is ok kung walang kasamang tagacsb... haha:lol:

check out the critique of CSB SDA by metroplexed. look for it na lang. i think it was posted last month pa. link:

www.metroplexed.blogspot.com

Magaling ang building na to... It will set up a new trend in local architecture scene... hopefully... Tanung ko lang, meron nabang architecture ang DLSU/CSB?

^^I think they're also planning to open an architecture course. One time I asked our Chairperson & he said that there's a possibility to have an Architecture as one of SDA's programs. We also have a number of Architects in our faculty & even our Dean is an Architect too. I don't have the exact details yet so I'm not sure about this information. Rest assured, the school continues its goal to improve SDA & I can attest to that.:okay:

what's with the blank appearance?

So that the students can do something to make it look better through the use of creative lighting or through artwork display.

I think its "blank appearance" makes it really avant-garde. Well, that's the Architect's idea of the building & we can't do something about it - at least for now. Personally, I take the building as a challenge. As an artist, it takes a very good move to balance the building & its future art installations. Everything should be well planned - it should look something that would truly fit the intricate folds of SDA. The building has been conceived for about 2 years now & it is still under the process of finishing. That makes a stable proof that SDA is truly an Avant-garde wherein everything starts within the boundaries of experimentation. It would also go with the School's history as well, SDA is still flourishing its courses, facilities, & faculties. Even the future of SDA is still being developed; consortiums, international connections & future expansions. I really can't keep my nose out of the buzz, I have lots of news to share about SDA but I think I need to keep my mouth shut at the moment. All I can say is that the school really plans every step it takes. Let's just go with the saying, "Slowly but surely."

By the way, Mithril Cloud informed me that Shoko Matsumoto is in SDA today. He's the lighting director during the SDA's Inauguration. I wonder if they're planning for another colorful SDA this Christmas??? Perhaps a HUGE lantern would be a great attraction this year at Manila.

Here's a peek of the past SDA inauguration:
http://www.sinag-arts.org//assets/images/dlsusda/Images01.jpg

http://www.sinag-arts.org//assets/images/dlsusda/Images02.jpg

http://www.sinag-arts.org//assets/images/dlsusda/Images03.jpg

http://www.sinag-arts.org//assets/images/dlsusda/Images04.jpg

http://www.sinag-arts.org//assets/images/dlsusda/Images05.jpg

http://www.sinag-arts.org//assets/images/dlsusda/Images06.jpg

http://www.sinag-arts.org//assets/images/dlsusda/Images07.jpg

http://www.sinag-arts.org//assets/images/dlsusda/Images08.jpg

http://www.sinag-arts.org//assets/images/dlsusda/Images09.jpg

credits to: http://www.sinag-arts.org

nice.. now thats a real world class structure... nicely done.. I really hope it will set up a new trend

what's with the blank appearance?

Thats not blank,that's one hell of a canvass!!!:lol:

In few years time were seeing colors to appear one by one:cheers:

Wait Benildeans what happened to the Benildanze Group who got axed because they performed in this certain private corporate event?

Are they still together?

^^I think they're also planning to open an architecture course. One time I asked our Chairperson & he said that there's a possibility to have an Architecture as one of SDA's programs. We also have a number of Architects in our faculty & even our Dean is an Architect too. I don't have the exact details yet so I'm not sure about this information. Rest assured, the school continues its goal to improve SDA & I can attest to that.:okay:

The building itself is an architectural masterpiece. It's definitely the most conducive environment to study architecture.

I think so, try mu, kasi yung friend ko na taga LS-main, [G]erald™ tinour ko sa SDA, you just have to present your ID then magsisign lng. :D Pero para sure, magsama ka ng taga-CSB na kakilala, di ko pa natanong if it is ok kung walang kasamang tagacsb... haha:lol:


Nagpunta na ako dun one time with my blockmates, kahit wala kaming kasamang kakilala from CSB. 'Yun yata 'yung time na in-indian niyo ako ni Cha (LOL). Anyways, ayun, sign-up na nga lang, tapos reason kung bakit ka papasok.

Accomodating 'yung lady dun sa front desk, joker, sobra. Haha. Nag-stay kami dun sa caf sa 12th floor; grabe, ang mahal ng pagkain niyo dun. :D

Pero ganda ng Makati skyline :banana: from there, haha. Astig. :D

^^ yung batch namin dati ang ginagawa naman napunta kami sa Angelo king nung bago pa para lang kumain sa canteen nila kahit mahal kasi sukang suka na kami sa John Cannon Hall tska sa Aristocrat :lol:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/SDApristine.jpg

You can't expect much if your prized possession is located in a polluted and congested environ. :ohno:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_5337.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_5336.jpg

All taken by me, btw.

^^ yung batch namin dati ang ginagawa naman napunta kami sa Angelo king nung bago pa para lang kumain sa canteen nila kahit mahal kasi sukang suka na kami sa John Cannon Hall tska sa Aristocrat :lol:


Haha, poor lang kami, dun lang kami sa tabi ng AKIC, Chicken Chicken 'yung tawag namin. Grabe, dinadayo pa namin 'yun. Masarap kasi, marami pa. :)

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/SDACafeteria.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/SDAMP-Lec.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/SDAAnimationStudio.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/SDABackside.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/SDAGFLobby.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/SDAMP-Lab.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/SDAMM-Lab.jpg.

^^ pamatay yung cafeteria, reminds me of art institute of San Francsico's main dining hall....nung bago pa:lol:

Haha, poor lang kami, dun lang kami sa tabi ng AKIC, Chicken Chicken 'yung tawag namin. Grabe, dinadayo pa namin 'yun. Masarap kasi, marami pa. :)

OT: May kainan pa ba sa agno? or na semento na rin?:lol:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2048/2233153097_f1fb8bcb6e_b.jpg
by RJ Olaso (http://www.flickr.com/photos/symphanie/)

^^ pamatay yung cafeteria, reminds me of art institute of San Francsico's main dining hall....nung bago pa:lol:



OT: May kainan pa ba sa agno? or na semento na rin?:lol:

Yeah, buhay na buhay pa rin ang Agno. The so-called "Hepa lane", HAHAHA.

http://www.sinag-arts.org//assets/images/dlsusda/Images01.jpg

credits to: http://www.sinag-arts.org

Wow, that just screams Tadao Ando's Church of Light(one of my favorite buildings). Each time someone posts a picture of the DLS-CSB building, I like it more and more. I'm gonna make a prediction that a few of the next generation of National Artists will come from this school. This is the perfect environment for such minds, the building is white and empty because it is like their canvas. Brilliant stuff!

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4381.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4531.jpg
6th floor shadowplay

are those windows really meant to be opened?


http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4496.jpg
5th floor Industrial Design open workshop area



so this is where they do their resin moldings and stuff.. i bet it'll be dirty by the end of school year.
the guy in this picture looks like our prof.. perhaps thats him...

-----
i wonder how the drafting tables look like. am sure it kick arse.

are those windows really meant to be opened?

so this is where they do their resin moldings and stuff.. i bet it'll be dirty by the end of school year.
the guy in this picture looks like our prof.. perhaps thats him...

-----
i wonder how the drafting tables look like. am sure it kick arse.

Yes, the glass curtains are open to allow natural ventilation inside the corridors.

Here are more shots from the Industrial Design department:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/IMG_5998.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/IMG_6002.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/IMG_6006.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/IMG_6009.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/IMG_6015.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/IMG_6017.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/IMG_6019.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/IMG_6024.jpg

i think the building is nice but doesn't fit in with its surroundings.

Its a nice design..wow

amazing! if that was my school! then i will not have the reasons to cut class or go to malls, maybe i'll just chill out in the school! nice photos! thanks for sharing!

Nice design, It would be better if this is located in BGC.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_4372.jpg

I think the redeeming feature of this building will be its interior.

The facade is neither harmonious nor beautiful to call it a tour de force.
The design is overtly boxy and incoherent for me. 3/10

i dont like the exterior of this building.

5/10

its a weird looking building pala from a distance. not to mention the very bad location, the vendors, pedestrian and motorists kiosk because there's no side street, the pedicab drivers (kailan ba yan ipapatigil sa kalye) and ugly views from inside.

its a weird looking building pala from a distance. not to mention the very bad location, the vendors, pedestrian and motorists kiosk because there's no side street, the pedicab drivers (kailan ba yan ipapatigil sa kalye) and ugly views from inside.

Welcome to reality, live with it.

A friend of mine who's head-over-heels for La Salle argued with me that this building daw is so "great" it could be called one of the world's best. I told her that apparently she is unaware of what "world's best" he is talking about. And then he started to b**** up saying it's La Salle this, La Salle that, saying I (it should be "we"!) come from an "uglier" daw na university (according to him) and I'm making critique to La Salle. What the hell.

Anyway I give it a 5 for gorgeous interiors and garbage exteriors.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3071/2544903734_972569e9d9_b.jpg
by vp foz (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vp_foz/)

Hey, let's not turn this into a school-bashing thread. I'm from La Salle, and naturally, we are proud of our Alma Mater. =) If this were situated in Ateneo, I'd still find this building beautiful.

yung exterior nya parang ginupit-gupit na papel, tacky nga ang facade.
interior's great though.

In some ways, I kind of dislike this design by Calma. Still, I gave it 7/10. It's got harmony but of minimal level. In addition, its sheer size is quite alarming... it could have used so much energy that is out of proportion with its tenant use. I don't know but I kind of feel that Calma, himself, must have hated this one especially these years' the advent of green architecture.

Hey, let's not turn this into a school-bashing thread. I'm from La Salle, and naturally, we are proud of our Alma Mater. =) If this were situated in Ateneo, I'd still find this building beautiful.

Ui, I'm not bashing the school ha. I was just sharing my story of a "friend" who have poor insight, related kasi dito kaya I shared it.

Finally something original .. I was so depressed all the other building all looks the same !!! 10/10 !!!

I can see very daring architecture, clearly and effort at making some sort of statement. The exterior looks confusing, though, quite lopsided and disproportionate. The pale, unembellished area in the right facade doesn't look very good. I wonder if it's that area that will act as a canvas for future student-designers as per previous post. The interiors are cool, however, especially the details on the walls, halls, ceilings, windows and railings. I especially love the angles and the shadows in the inside; the white interior finishes are an excellent canvas to showcase the play of light and shadow. I gave it an 8/10.

nice interiors, but i looks like a gigantic toilet bowl from the exterior shots. sorry.

Mods, requesting title edit to DLS-CSB School of Design and Arts Building | Manila | 14F | 75m

Thanks. :)

;21338988']http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3071/2544903734_972569e9d9_b.jpg
by vp foz (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vp_foz/)

interesting architecture...
like it.

maganda ang loob yan nakita ko sa tv at ang bilis pa ng net ng computer!

On my opinion, interiors, you can see the signature design of Calma, but the outside doesnt seem to compliment with the inside. The design is very deconstructive in theory, but there something misplacement of coordinated architectural elements to the exterior. Sorry but with respect to Calma, maybe if this structure was erected isolatedly like an island land where 4 sides have streets and it was standing in the middle of it, I think this would appreciate much. As you can see in the picture or maybe the angle of shot was not that nice, it was like very messy thus complimenting the old structures, it doesnt stands out. Secondly. The exterior facade was to monotonous in it's look, there must be something to attract on it maybe the grey is too light or there maybe some strong red or black or maybe on curtain walls(glass) they use green flimming with dark grey n.a. or powder coated alum framing. Just an observation only, but, Calma is a legacy designer, I admire him so much.....

nice interiors. but structure sticks like a sore thumb. dapat ilipat ang building na to sa bundok. 5.0 for effort.

;21338988']http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3071/2544903734_972569e9d9_b.jpg
by vp foz (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vp_foz/)
Ganda ng harap...

^^ That is the rear side.

im torn between liking and hating the exterior. i hate it for its messy and incoherent look. at the same time i like it for its uniqueness and boldness.
the interior is modern cool. CSB ba is more expensive than UAP?

questions about the dining hall. it looks chic, im wondering wat kind of food they have, do they serve something gourmet? culinary students prepare the food?

nice interiors, but i looks like a gigantic toilet bowl from the exterior shots. sorry.

sobra:lol:
merong ganyang style na storage place dito,
pero kahit storage place yun, pang mga sossy storage naman :lol:

Hey, let's not turn this into a school-bashing thread. I'm from La Salle, and naturally, we are proud of our Alma Mater. =) If this were situated in Ateneo, I'd still find this building beautiful.

I bet this building would look better in Ateneo with their sprawling campus.

The building look half-finished and it reminds me of a city jail with all the bars on the floors.

:lol:
:nocrook:

being a lasallian, 10 sa akin yan...no questions asked. hahahaha

10 most definitely, Despite the location it's still a very good building and it's white because that has been the school's colors for its buildings, white and green. Kinda like Ateneo with their brick/orange buildings.

And definitely the design is very conducive for creative thought.

im torn between liking and hating the exterior. i hate it for its messy and incoherent look. at the same time i like it for its uniqueness and boldness.
the interior is modern cool.

agreee... agree,,, hehehe

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_5337.jpg


Swerte ng mga building sa foreground. Ganda ng background nila! :colgate:

^ :lol:

Pupil - Disconnection Notice :righton:

s8gmsvPw4Rk

I'm not really familiar with the some rooms/floors in this music-video, ang napupuntahan ko parate ay G, M, 3, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 hehe

The first part ng music video - 10th floor
0:23 - then yung may + signs sa walls, well I forgot what floor :dunno:
0:45 - obviously Ely Buendia is on the 11th floor
0:49 - I haven't been in this room, not sure what floor... my blockmate says it's a sound design room?
1:48 - sorry, hindi ko talaga alam kung anong floor yan:lol:
1:59 - SDA caf 12th floor (turned into a mental cafeteria:nuts:)
2:03 - The band is on the 14th floor (we don't have 13th floor)
2:26 - HAHAHA! yung 2 D.O.'s kilala ko yung isa don:rofl:
3:07 - that's the greenroom (I think that covers 10 and 11th floor)

;21338988']http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3071/2544903734_972569e9d9_b.jpg
by vp foz (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vp_foz/)

uy yaon ka palan igdi dx. Anyway, frankly i don't like the exterior, sa isang angle parang humongous warehouse, tas dito naman mukhang barko.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/bCard_greenroom_s.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/bCard_lrc_s.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/bCard_mcad_s.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/bCard_amphi_s.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/sda/bCard_theater_s.jpg

superfluous yung modernity niya, ang oa imho

superfluous? i don't think so. it manages to use a lot of natural light as much as possible. and the design serves as an inspiration to the art students studying there.

Architecture is defining space bounded by space itself. Experiencing the spaces of SDA (the corridor, the rooms, the lobby) gives a feeling of excitement that excites creativity but good architecture is also about experiencing space comfortably. Turning in the next corner of the corridor makes one confused but at the same time gives a feeling of excitement. The modernity of the building is of calibre but the spaces created brought about by this modernity is confusing and thus does not fit the function it should perform.

superfluous yung modernity niya, ang oa imho

^^parehas tayo.

The SDA Building is featured on Bluprint's latest issue: http://www.bluprintmag.com/inprint.php

being a lasallian, 10 sa akin yan...no questions asked. hahahaha

Being a blue blooded Atenean, I also quite like it. Did I just say that ? Ooops, I must be in the wrong thread.....:lol:

No worries, architectural appreciation transcends school boundaries. ;)

9/10

I'd give a perfect 10. Hopefully I'll have my classes in SDA next term

until you see whats inside... maganda siya..ask a benildean student at isa lang ang sasabihin nila.. maganda ang SDA Campus... and as an alumni of CSB.. ano pang aasahan ko kundi maganda rin.. maganda na yung hotel ng CSB what more pa kaya yung design bldg..

To be honest, I really hate that potrution. Nakakatakot dumaan sa Vito Cruz. What if biglang lumindol.

marami pang streets na matatakbuhan sa vito cruz kung lumindol.. sa makati ka matakot kasi dun angtataas ng bldg..

pasensiya na pagtatanggol ko talaga SDA Bldg.. kasi sa benilde ako graduate..

voted 9/10 love the interiors but height of the building was not that impressive.

9/10

"meh" for the exteriors and :okay: for the interiors..

astig ng la salle ah, kasama ba nito ang LASALLE College of the Arts sa SG?

share ko lang ang pics

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2102/2145988928_e6d4ffda98.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3313/3573934424_9fdef16ec3.jpg

LASALLE Singapore was founded by an Irish Lasallian Brother, but it is not affiliated with the international network of Lasallian institutions.

Here are additional photos for those interested:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0037-1.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0158-1.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0183-1.jpg

I'm an architecture student in SDA. My classes start on tuesday! I'm so excited! :)

I'm a big fan of the interiors (simply unmatched by any other university), but I'm not fond of the exteriors. The buildings could have probably been desgined better.

It's just kinda difficult to appreciate because of its surroundings (shabby congested houses, trains, etc). Had this been built in an open green lot like Ateneo or UP, sobrang ganda nito

;57276561']"meh" for the exteriors and :okay: for the interiors..

astig ng la salle ah, kasama ba nito ang LASALLE College of the Arts sa SG?

share ko lang ang pics

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2102/2145988928_e6d4ffda98.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3313/3573934424_9fdef16ec3.jpg



interior/exterior awesome....love on how they play with that geometric artistry on the interior...exterior wise simple yet so striking.

bow! this is truly an ultra-modern school building! 10/10 :cheers:

eto yung una, pangalawa lang ang two e-com sa moa

10/10 sa aken

kahit atenean ako

The building is one big 10

but the area surrounding it drops it only to a 7 for me.

Had it been built in Fort, UP-Diliman or Ateneo, it could probably be the most beautiful modern academic building in the Philippines

Its a unique and beautiful building that has an awkward location.
Anyways, it will be very conducive for its purpose and perhaps a source of inspiration.

9!!! very modern and fresh to look at in the PHilippines!

is there a chapel in this building?

5/10

8.5 out of 10

The exterior is compromised, I think. The interior is minimalist and functional, but the exterior is a bit compromised.

5/10