For the first ever BluPrint Perspective, architect Angelo “Gelo” Mañosa of Mañosa & Company gave the magazine an exclusive tour of his Batangas residence, which was the epitome of sustainability. Along with this, the house showcased a truly Filipino design which made use of local indigenous materials. According to Mañosa, building his house was a project driven by passion and chasing one’s dream.
In his exclusive cover story for the magazine, Arch. Gelo Mañosa shared his passion for his work, his creative process, how the Philippine architecture scene has changed, and his advice for future architects. This marks the first time that BluPrint Perspective has featured an architect on its E-Cover.
Passion for Architecture
Through his father Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa, who is regarded as the National Artist for Architecture, Arch. Gelo Mañosa practically grew up in this field. It was not difficult for him to discover his passion for architecture being exposed to it from a young age. When asked about the difficulties he encountered as a young architect, Arch. Mañosa stated that he viewed anything related to his work as a challenge which made it actually fun. He even enjoyed the tight deadlines and hyperactive projects that come with his line of work.
In his job, Arch. Gelo Mañosa is also able to collaborate with people who share the same passion. He stated that his favorite days were working in the office with his team. According to the architect, “it was really immersing in the creative environment with different facets of people contributing, coming up with different solutions.”
Creative Process
For Arch. Gelo Mañosa, inspiration can come from everywhere such as the natural environment or our local culture. It is important however to have that singular idea that will become the driving force of what makes your project unique. Arch. Mañosa believes in simplicity. “Keep things simple. Life is complicated enough, your environment is complicated enough, keep things simple,” the architect stated.
Arch. Mañosa also puts importance in having a healthy environment. According to him, the difficulties in architecture were the indirect environments architects had to be in. He found environmental problems such as traffic to be a hindrance to his work. He believes that it is important for people to work in healthy places that don’t box them in.
Changes in the Philippines Architecture Scene
Recently, there has been a rise of Filipino pride in the architecture scene. People have started to enjoy local design. According to Arch. Mañosa, “I think that the industry has changed for the good. Much better today than before. Before, we were very colonial-minded. We had a very “what’s west is best” kind of thinking, and I think that’s changed quite significantly today.”
Advice for Future Architects
Being in the industry for decades, Arch. Mañosa shared his advice for future architects which is to keep improving themselves. With the pandemic still ongoing, he encourages future architects to use this time to study and to learn new things to better themselves in the architectural world. According to him, “these times will never be difficult forever. Like all difficult things, they do pass. Eventually, greener pastures and better times will come. The question is, when they do come, will you be ready for them? Are you prepared?”
In the Philippines, environmental stress can be a hindrance to one’s dream. It is necessary for the government to make changes that will be beneficial to everyone including future architects. Arch. Mañosa shared his advice on how the future president can help in terms of infrastructure and architecture. He suggested disaster-proofing the nation and having proper zoning ordinances for cities in the central business district to lessen the traffic problem.
Head on over to https://bluprint.onemega.com/how-to-achieve-a-goal-challenging-architecture-then-and-now-with-arch-gelo-manosa/ for the full story.