LINGAYEN PROVINCIAL CAPITOL

The capitol during the American Period

Since the capitol was built during the 1917 it was

known to be the most beautiful capitol in the
Philippines. According to the provincial historian
Rosario Mendoza Cortez, the building was constructed
on April 21,1917 was completed during December
1918. Archt. William parson who was tasked with
implementing Daniel Burnham’s plan. He is the one who
designed and conceptualize the Lingayen Capitol
Building, it was the most impressive of all those built
during the era is an excellent example of his
philosophy. It has been told that the provincial capitol
is the most beautiful Provincial Capitol constructed
during the American period described as “ a successful
adaptation of imposing classic architecture in tropical
conditions”. Designed by parsons and constructed
between 1917-1918, under the direction of Archt. Ralph
Harrington Doane. It was budgeted at Php 300,000. Built
of poured concrete it is covered with limestone on the
exterior purposely form the warm color. ( quarries had
been recently located in several provinces containing
a certain type of limestone resembled “botticino”, a
beautiful Italian marble used extensively abroad). The
capitol was to be central core of a group to be
constructed in the future that would include a court
house, jail, garage, storeroom, hospital and residences for the governor and provincial
treasures at an estimated cost of Php 500,000.

The Lingayen Provincial Capitol building follows this norm. It is the centerpiece of
a larger town plaza for Lingayen, located near the beach together with the provincial
high school, the provincial trade school, and the governor’s mansion; it forms the
government center of the town plan. Separate from the center of the town and a park
like environment gives the place a dignified and restful ambiance. A four-lane
boulevard divided by a garden park replete with fountains connected the provincial
government center with the main highway and the municipal center at the old town
plaza. The entire building or its main portion is rectangular in plan, two to three stories in
height, and set on a podium consisting of several steps. The entrance is at the center of
the façade with one or several doors and sheltered by a twostory portico. The spacious
rooms had high ceilings and large windows arranged along wide corridors. The
architecture is characterized by the use of columns, entablatures and pediments.
 A track of land comprising 25 hectares by the beach was obtained in the
municipality of Lingayen and the cornerstone laid on April 21,1917. Designed with a
minimum of wall surfaces and maximum window openings to take advantage of the
cool sea breeze, it was protected from the sun and the rain by imposing colonnade
and a projecting cornice surrounding the entire edifice .

The interior was planned in large , open spaces omitting interior walls as much as
possible to give the impression of an open pavilion. A monumental main floor lobby
and stain hall with courtroom on the second floor, two stories high was designed
purposely for the architectural effect suitable to the dignity of the government and
surpassing the interior of any provincial capital previously erected.

The site extended from the municipality of Lingayen all the way to the gulf and
was approached by a wide imposing boulevard. Careful landscaping planning would
ensure that the building itself would be elevated on a terrace giving a broad unrivaled
seascape on one front—a panorama of sea and sunset as seen only in the Philippines-
the richly wooded high of Zambales mountains and Cape Bolinao on the south and
rugged outline of the famous Mt. Sto. Tomas of the Baguio on the north .

Parsons believed that the charm of the building would be due to its good
proportions: sound materials and well-studied details. He believed that the
characteristics of a people were formed their surrounding and the broad avenue would
have a highly educational and uplifting the effect on the present and future generation
in their desired social political and more attainments.

But during the world war II the capitol building

is severely damage. Only the shell of the beautiful
building remains after the smoke subsided.

During the administration of Gov. Enrique

Braganza (1946- 1951), the provincial capitol,
together with the schoolhouses and municipal
buildings of Lingayen were rebuilt through the
Philippine Rehabilitation Act Passed by the U.S.
Congress in 1946. The provincial capitol was rebuilt and restored to its pre-war grandeur.
It was declared as one of the eight architectural treasures of the Philippines by the
National Commission for Culture and Arts and the Filipino Heritage Festival Inc. in the
year 2006.
The present Capitol Building

The capitol building underwent a general facelift and restoration works from
August 2007 to December 2008 under the administration of the present governor
Amado T. Espino Jr. with the help of the Pampanga’s Architect named Chris David who
designed the interior of the capitol building.

From the outside, it is a stately American in fluenced architecture. The splash of

golden yellow on a long, straight parch of white on the marquee and columns relishes
an art, majestic yet simple and homely.

It’s a structure of elegance and authority, a display of fine art dignifying the seat
of power—“of the people, by the people and for the people.”

Inside, the warmth of finely polished narra and mahogany wood panels captures
the rich heritage of the colonial past, just as the parquet of palo tsina graces and
makes aglow the entire ground floor of the building, the radiance inexorably in the
eternal color of nature.
SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE CAPITOL BUILDING:

FLOOR PLANS

GROUND FLOOR PLAN SECOND FLOOR PLAN

THE MARKER

REAR FAÇADE

The rear view perspective which looks like the white

house
OFFICIAL SEAL

The Province of Pangasinan Official Seal

SESSION ROOM

The session room which is connected to the office of

the Governor and the Vice Governor’s office

INTERIOR DESIGN

Interior design of Capitol by

Archt. Chris David

-it is carved from Kamagong and

Narra tree
SECOND FLOOR LOBBY

displays of awards received

reception desk in second floor

CONFERENCE ROOM

THE GOVERNOR AND VICE GOVERNOR OFFICE

The Governor’s Office

The Vice Governor’s Office

CLASSICAL IONIC VOLUTE AND POSTS

The classical carvings and columns of the exterior of the capitol building at the rear
view

SPIRAL STAIR CASE

The spiral staircase made of solid wood and steel railings speaks of elegance

Reference/s:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangasinan_Provincial_Capitol

https://www.academia.edu/7861493/capitol_building

http://mabuhaylingayen.blogspot.com/2011/03/provincial-capitol-in-lingayen.html

http://journeyingjames.com/2012/01/lingayen-capitol-complex-the-most-beautiful-in-the-philippines/