UNIVERSITY OF PANGASINAN-

PANGASINAN-PEN

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 4

MAG- ARCHISTORY
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
THE AMERICAN
AMERICAN——CLASSIC STYLE CAPITOL
THE PROVINCIAL CAPITOL OF LINGAYEN ,PANGASINAN

A GLIMPSE OF HISTORY
PROVINCIAL CAPITOL IN
LINGAYEN
CAPITOL DURING THE AMERICAN

PERIOD
SPECIAL FEATURES OF
THE PRESENT CAPITOL BUILDING
THE CAPITOL BUILDING
FLOOR PLANS

THE MARKER

REAR FAÇADE

OFFICIAL SEAL

SESSION ROOM

INTERIOR DESIGN

SECOND FLOOR LOBBY

CONFERENCE ROOM

THE GOVERNOR AND VICE GOVERNOR

OFFICE

CLASSICAL IONIC VOLUTE AND POSTS

PUBLISHED BY : ARKITHIRD (2013—2014; 2ND SEMESTER)

 A GLIMPSE OF HISTORY

PROVINCIAL CAPITOL
IN LINGAYEN
 Provincial Capitol In Lingayen

Since the capitol was built during the

1917 it was known to be the most beautiful capitol
in the Philippines. According to the provincial
historian Rosario Mendoza Cortez, the building
was constructed on April 21,1917 was completed during De-
cember 1918. archt. William parson who was tasked with imple-
menting Daniel Burnham’s plan. He is the one who designed
and conceptualize the Lingayen Capitol Building, it was the
most impressive of all those built during the era is an excellent
example of his philosophy. It has been told that the provincial
capitol is the most beautiful Provincial Capitol constructed dur-
ing the American period described as “ a successful adaptation
of imposing classic architecture in tropical conditions”. De-
signed by parsons and constructed between 1917-1918, under
the direction of Archt. Ralph Harrington Doane. It was budgeted
at Php 300,000. Built of poured concrete it is covered with
limestone on the exterior purposely fro the warm color. ( quar-
ries had been recently located in several provinces containing a
certain type of limestone resembled “botticino”, a beautiful Ital-
ian marble used extensively abroad). The capitol was to be cen-
tral core of a group to be constructed in the future that would
include a court house, jail, garage, storeroom, hospital and resi-
dences for the governor and provincial treasures at an estimated
cost of Php 500,000.
The Lingayen Provincial Capitol building follows this
norm. It is the centerpiece of a larger town plaza for Lingayen,
located near the beach together with the provincial high school,
the provincial trade school, and the governor’s mansion; it forms
the government center of the town plan. Separate from the center A track of land comprising 25 hectares by the
of the town and a park like environment gives the place a digni- beach was obtained in the municipality of Lin-
fied and restful ambiance. A four-lane boulevard divided by a gayen and the cornerstone laid on April
garden park replete with fountains connected the provincial gov- 21,1917. Designed with a minimum of wall sur-
ernment center with the main highway and the municipal center faces and maximum window openings to take
at the old town plaza. The entire building or its main portion is advantage of the cool sea breeze, it was protect-
rectangular in plan, two to three stories in height, and set on a ed from the sun and the rain by imposing colon-
podium consisting of several steps. The entrance is at the center nade and a projecting cornice surrounding the
of the façade with one or several doors and sheltered by a two- entire edifice .
story portico. The spacious rooms had high ceilings and large The interior was planned in large , open spaces
windows arranged along wide corridors. The architecture is omitting interior walls as much as possible to
characterized by the use of columns, entablatures and pediments. give the impression of an open pavilion. A mon-
umental main floor lobby and stain hall with
courtroom on the second floor, two stories high
 During the administration of Gov. Enrique Bra-
ganza (1946- 1951), the provincial capitol, together with
the schoolhouses and municipal buildings of Lingayen
were rebuilt through the Philippine Rehabilitation Act
Passed by the U.S. Congress in 1946. The provincial capi-
tol was rebuilt and restored to its prewar grandeur. It was
declared as one of the eight architectural treasures of the
Philippines by the National Commission for Culture and
Arts and the Filipino Heritage Festival Inc. in the year
2006.

was designed purposely for the architectural effect suit-

able to the dignity of the government and surpassing The capitol building underwent a
the interior of any provincial capital previously erect- general facelift and restoration works from
ed. August 2007 to December 2008 under the
The site extended from the municipality of administration of the present governor Amado T. Espino
Lingayen all the way to the gulf and was approached Jr. with the help of the Pampanga’s Architect named Chris
by a wide imposing boulevard. Careful landscaping David who designed the interior of the capitol building.
planning would ensure that the building itself would be
elevated on a terrace giving a broad unrivaled seascape From the outside, it is a stately American-
on one front—a panorama of sea and sunset as seen influenced architecture. The splash of golden yellow on a
long, straight parch of white on the marquee and columns
only in the Philippines- the richly wooded high of
relishes an art, majestic yet simple and homely.
Zambales mountains and Cape Bolinao on the south
and rugged outline of the famous Mt. Sto. Tomas of It’s a structure of elegance and authority, a display of fine art
the Baguio on the north . dignifying the seat of power—“of the people, by the people
and for the people.”
Parsons believed that the charm of the building
would be due to its good proportions: sound materials
and well-studied details. He believed that the charac- Inside, the
warmth of finely
teristics of a people were formed their surrounding and
polished narra
the broad avenue would have a highly educational and
and mahogany
uplifting the effect on the present and future generation wood panels cap-
in their desired social political and more attainments. tures the rich
heritage of the
But during the world war II the capitol build-
colonial past, just
ing is severely damage as seen in picture above. Only
as the parquet of
the shell of the beautiful building remains after the palo tsina graces and makes aglow the entire ground floor
smoke subsided. of the building, the radiance inexorably in the eternal color
of nature.

A brisk travel to the past, and seemingly, a solid step to a

secure future.
 All the offices are fully air-conditioned and the corri-
dors lit up with chandeliers and wall lamps.

The basement is home to the public affairs depart-

ment or the Provincial Information Office (PIO),
where press and photo releases and other documents
for public dissemination are churned out daily to
various media outlets. Working side by side with the
PIO is the Management Information Systems Office,
the data bank of the provincial bureaucracy.

On the other side of the basement is the General Ser-

vices Office where all transactions, especially mat-
A house in order, the elements of managing public affairs ters on procurement or acquisition of equipment, are
are reconciled in rhythmic fashion, intact under one roof, properly documented.
one family, one soul.
The Finance Building on the right flank of the Capi-
The overall ambiance is that of a rebuilt piece of a peri- tol houses the offices of accounting, budgeting,
od—a picture-book American Commonwealth setting of treasury, assessor and audit. Alongside it is the Kal-
bygone prettiness, but combined with the comfort and lux- antiao Building where the Provincial Tourism and
ury of modern architecture and interior design. Provincial Attorney’s offices are located.

The result is a monument to what a provincial capitol

should look, retaining a sense of place belonging to the
region and not to the world.

“It’s the best capitol in the country,” said then-Interior

Secretary Ronaldo Puno when he visited Pangasinan.

He noted: “Everything is in the right place, no spoils, The

environment is captivating.”

Entering the building, noticeable is another work of art—

the official seal of the province—in its colorful ensemble, All the buildings—the Capitol, Finance and Kalan-
superbly etched on the center of the lobby that leads to a tiao—were renovated in harmony with the design
spiral staircase of wood parquet up the second floor where conceptualized by Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr. to con-
the governor and vice governor hold office. Here, too, is form with his system of governance.
the session hall of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP).
“But our pride cannot mask the urgency of sustaina-
ble solutions for our problems,” the governor said,
The offices for each of the members of the Sangguniang stressing that “in properly harnessing our resources,
Panlalawigan are equally apportioned in uniform design honoring and loving our heritage, we will surmount
and interior décor. The vice governor’s office just beside other obstacles; for now, we can more easily share
the SP session hall is a spacious rectangular workspace, opportunities for ourselves and the future of Pan-
complete with an equally spacious receiving room and gasinenses.”
Completing the circumferential network of services is the
Environment and Natural Resources Office housed in a
building which was also renovated just across the Urduja
House, the official residence of the governor.

“Actually, the Capitol is now a top tourism landmark in

Pangasinan, a centerpiece come-on,” Provincial Infor-
mation Officer Orpheus Velasco said.

Since its renovation two years ago, close to 200,000

busloads of people from within and outside the province
have visited the Capitol.

During the recent summer Palarong Pambansa which the

province hosted the second time around, athletic delega-
tions from the country’s various regions toured the vast
expanse of the Capitol compound. They expressed envy on
the elegance of the structure, especially the well-polished
wood paneling.
Lets take a peek inside the capitol building
T HE FLOOR PLAN OF THE CAPITOL
PROVINCIAL CAPITOL
MARKER
T HE REAR VIEW PERSPECTIVE
WHICH LOOKS LIKE THE WHITE
HOUSE
O FFICIAL SEAL OF THE PROVINCE
T
HE SESSION ROOM WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR AND THE VICE GOVER-
NOR’S OFFICE
I NTERIOR DESIGN
OF CAPITOL
BY ARCHT. CHRIS DAVID

IT IS CARVED FROM
KAMAGONG AND NARRA
INSIDE THE
CAPITOL
BUILDING

DISPLAYS OF AWARDS
RECEIVED

RECEPTION DESK IN SECOND

FLOOR
C O N F E R E N C E R O O M

H A L L W A Y
 GOVERNOR’S
OFFICE

VICE GOVERNOR’S
OFFICE
T he classical carvings and
columns of the exterior of the
capitol building at the rear view