Press Release:
The Cultural Center of
the Philippines will pay tribute to National Artist for Architecture
Ildefonso P. Santos, Jr. in a necrological ceremony on Sunday,
February 2, 2014 at 9:00am at the CCP Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo
lobby (Main Theater lobby). Interment will follow at the Magallanes
Crypt.
Santos passed away on
January 29 due to multiple organ failure. He was 84.
Santos was a pioneer in
landscape architecture in the Philippines and known as the Father of
Philippine Landscape Architecture. He had a distinguished career that
spanned more than 40 years and was responsible for the creation of
hundreds of parks, plazas, gardens, and outdoor sites that have
become a part of modern day Filipino life.
Proclaimed National
Artist for Architecture in 2006, he was cited for “designs that
took inspiration from the Filipino celebration of free-flowing,
positive, ‘maaliwalas’ space. He understood and accommodated
Filipino physiological, behavioural and social needs in providing
shade, providing opportunities for close seating and the sharing of
food and laughter in his public spaces’. The National Artist Award
also recognized his contributions to the professionalization of the
field of landscape architecture. Santos helped established the first
university programs in landscape architecture and advocated for the
recognition of the art and profession by the government and allied
fields. He also organized the Philippine Association of Landscape
Architects.
Among Santos’
well-known projects were Loyola Memorial Park in Manila, the Eternal
Gardens Memorial Park in Caloocan City, the Caliraya Lake Resort in
Laguna, the Batulao Village Club in Batangas, the Imus town plaza in
Cavite and the Rain Tree Sports Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Santos was awarded the
Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan Award by the City of Manila in 1972
and named Outstanding Landscape Architect by the United Garden Clubs
of the Philippines in 1986.
Santos held two degrees
in Architecture from the University of Santo Tomas (1954) and the
University of Southern California (1956), where he also earned his
master’s degree. From 1955 to 1963, He worked in Los Angeles with
Cornell, Bridges and Troller, and then later established his own firm
in the Philippines. He oversaw projects in Malaysia, Hong Kong,
Guam, Thailand, Singapore, Taipei and Bahrain. Santos was president
of the Philippine Association of Landscape Architects from 1977 to
1986 and was a member of the Board of Examiners for Landscape
Architecture of the Professional Regulation Commission from 1982 to
1986.
Santos was born September
5, 1929 to Ildefonso Santos and Asuncion Paez.
For more information
about the CCP necrological ceremonies for Santos, please call the
Office of the Artistic Director at 832-1125 loc. 1121.
