December 14, 2011

Hidden in plain sight

Uy-Chaco Building in Binondo, Manila
Because of the district's hustle and bustle, and the inadequacy of Philippine rules about building signs, it is easy to miss the pre-war architectural gems of Binondo, Manila's Chinatown. The Uy-Chaco Building, which houses the Binondo branch of Philtrust Bank, stands right behind the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch. I've featured the arch in the past, but it wasn't until several years later—and a relatively long wait for the people I was meeting with—that I noticed the building. Information about it on the web is contradictory; it was either built in 1914 and designed by Samuel C. Rowell or built in 1930 and designed by Andres Luna de San Pedro.

6 comments:

  1. crocrodylDecember 14, 2011 at 1:27 AM

    I like the unique green roof!

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  2. OlivierDecember 14, 2011 at 5:10 AM

    beau contrasme entre ces deux architectures

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  3. alexDecember 14, 2011 at 5:45 AM

    fascinating. interesting to compare Chinatowns throughout the world.

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  4. LowellDecember 14, 2011 at 7:49 AM

    My goodness, there must be 3 or 4 architectural styles in this photo. I like the arch very much.

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  5. UnknownDecember 14, 2011 at 10:11 AM

    i miss this place... ;-)

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  6. brattcatDecember 14, 2011 at 7:50 PM

    love seeing the layers of architectural style here.

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Thanks for visiting and letting me know!