PABLO S.

ANTONIO
National Artist for Architecture (1976)
(January 25, 1902 – June 14, 1975)

Personal Background
Pablo Antonio was born on the 25th of January 1901 in Binondo, Manila,
Philippine Islands. Pablo became an orphan when he was just 12, so it was hard for him
simply to finish higher school education. He works during day, and he attended the
secondary School at night. He honed his skills in drafting and design through
experience, he did this without attending design school. He also worked as a draftsman
for the bureau of Public works. After that he studied architecture at the Mapua Institute
of Technology but dropped out of school. Ramon Arevalo, an engineer, noticed Pablo
and sent a dropout to study at University of London, from which he graduated in 1927,
completing 5-year course in just 3 years. He passed the board exam and in 1932 he
became a licensed architect.
Pablo Antonio Architecture and its adoption of Art Deco techniques was radical
for its time, the dominant motif of the Philippine was neoclassicism when he began his
career. Antonio died in Manila, Philippines on June 14, 1975 due to health reasons. The
cause of his death is still not stated until after he died. The design he makes is based on
simplicity and clean structural design. The lines are clean and smooth, and where there
are curves, these are made integral to the structure Pablo believes that function must
come first before the elegance of the structure. His design focus on the maximum use of
natural light and cross ventilation. He always strives to make each of his building design
unique from others, he avoided obvious trademarks the materials used in the building
were concrete, hardwood and hand forge wrought iron of the Philippines.

Career Background

After finishing high school, Pablo Antonio took the course of architecture and
structural engineering through a correspondence course, at Tomas Mapua’s
architectural school, but because of his obligations at work he had to drop out. He had
to help in the completion of the legislative building, which is now known as the national
museum of the Philippines.
For the first time Pablo stepped into the realm of architecture in 1933 when he
constructed the Ideal Theatre along Avenida Rizal in Manila. After that his career
started to develop fast. During his lifetime he managed to design several buildings that
nowadays are considered to be architectural wonders of Art Deco and modern style.

Awards

 National Artist of the Philippines Award in Architecture

Notable works:

Far Eastern University Administration and Science

buildings; https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ve
d=2ahUKEwjvmqKv9LnmAhWbMN4KHZgNDY4QjRx6BAgBEAQ&url=https%3A%2F%
2Fwww.realliving.com.ph%2Flifestyle%2Farts-culture%2Farchitect-heroes-3-art-decor-
buildings-by-pablo-s-antonio-a40-
20160818&psig=AOvVaw14w2BKsmt2F22_3rPh35_V&ust=1576576775395727

Manila Polo Club; https://images.summitmedia-

digital.com/realliving/images/articles/0000/00/00/architect-heroes-3-art-decor-buildings-
by-pablo-s-antonio/architect-heroes-3-art-decor-buildings-by-pablo-s-antonio/3a.jpg

Ideal Theater; http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-

aq1PlYkEBWg/U6s8aqGKLTI/AAAAAAAAAyY/z22Bb8D6AOo/s1600/ideal1.jpg

Lyric Theater; http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-

kkHvlbW5gyc/TkzlzeClg2I/AAAAAAAABKg/F1vQD2pGqpA/s400/Lyric+Theater+along+
Escolta+Manila.jpg

Galaxy
Theater; https://historyofarchitecture.weebly.com/uploads/4/1/8/6/4186116/1225154.jpg
?364

Capitan Luis Gonzaga Building; https://encrypted-

tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcQbM81IT7Uxyfm1wqFLd3D-
Xk2mZU3cxuO4HpoZgs2OF2X12Adc

Boulevard-Alhambra (now Bel-Air) apartments; http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-

FB5CJLaPI8g/TkzKnVk3HZI/AAAAAAAABKY/8-Bj-IWALC8/s400/Boulevard-
Alhambra+%2528now+called+Bel-
Air%2529+Apartments+Building+in+Roxas+Boulevard.jpg

Sources
https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-
philippines/pablo-s-antonio/
https://prabook.com/web/pablo.antonio/1288862
https://prezi.com/kkoeyghrpg97/architect-pablo-antonio-national-artist-of-the-philippines/