Uploaded on 2016-12-17 by Kiu, Louie Nathaniel

<This is a section of the facade of the School of Design and Arts building where I study architecture in Manila.> Formally opened in the year 2007, the unique SDA building was designed by Architect Eduardo Calma-- one of the Philippines' most influential modern architects. Historically, the Philippines is very much known for its straw Nipa huts, and Spanish-style homes built in wood and stone-- materials of which are very much abundant in the country. With the recent economic developments the country has faced in recent years, however, global influences on the design of cities all over the Philippines, particularly its capital, has become more apparent than ever. The use of glass, concrete, and steel is largely present in new homes and skyscrapers in our cities in an almost globally homogenized fashion, as seen in the facade of my university's arts building. In many ways, the constructions methods, choice of materials, and overall architectural language employed is very much defined by the context of the global economic landscape, leaving only the site and the structure's response to it - Filipino.