Leandro V. Locsin Partners, Architects wins CCP design competition

MANILA, Philippines - Leandro V. Locsin Partners, Architects was named the winner of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Architectural Design Competition for two iconic buildings, announced Nestor O. Jardin, chairman of the design competition. 

Leandro V. Locsin Partners, Architects won over four other finalists in the final stage of the two-phase competition. According to the selection committee, the design and concept of Leandro V. Locsin Partners for the new Artists Center and the new Performing Arts Theater translated aspects of Philippine culture commendably and were inherently Filipino yet forward-looking and global in appearance. Also important was that the designs incorporated sustainability, economy and green qualities and addressed the need for CCP buildings to be accessible to the public. 

According to the winning firm, the design for the two new buildings was conceived to evoke the idea of sculptures within a larger garden and on another level to recall the archipelagic arrangement of an island, a mangrove cluster or Badjao village, and a wave on a promontory rising out of the sea, all possible metaphors for the expression of a national architecture. 

The new Artists Center as designed would contrast the CCP Main Theater’s solid singularity. It will feature a series of lighter, transparent pavilions while the new Performing Arts Theater will be more formal but still approachable as bicycle and pedestrian ramps and a grand entrance leading to the main lobby beckons all to step into the public space. 

The designs for the new buildings all incorporate sustainability, economy and green qualities which were expressed in terms of the environmental impact of the buildings, material choices, energy use, operational efficiencies, and calamity readiness. According to Leandro V. Locsin Partners, Architects, the key to sustainability is that the designs remain relevant to the needs of artists and the cultural community. 

Leandro V. Locsin Partners, Architects wins in the CCP Architectural Design Competition for two iconic buildings, the new Artists Center and Performing Arts Theater, which were conceived to evoke the idea of sculptures within a larger garden and on another level to recall the archipelagic arrangement of an island.

The new Artists Center and the new Performing Arts Theater are two of seven iconic buildings that will form the centerpiece of the CCP Complex master development plan, which is aimed at redeveloping the 62-hectare property of the CCP. In this plan, world-class facilities and spaces for artists and the core programs of the CCP will be constructed. The new Artists Center is envisioned as an arts facility that will serve the mandate of the CCP to train and educate artists, arts and cultural managers, teachers and public. The new Performing Arts Theater will have an audience capacity of 1,000. It will serve the growing needs for performing venues in the CCP Complex. 

Leandro V. Locsin Partners, Architects is credited with having helped shape Manila’s skyline and architectural landscapes. From its drawing boards have sprung some of the country’s most notable landmarks, including the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Manila International Airport, and the Philippine International Convention Center. The design team of Leandro V. Locsin Partners, Architects was composed of Edgardo C. Ledesma, Jr., Leandro Y. Locsin, Jr., Raul R. Locsin, Mae M. Cruz and Melylyn Espineda.