BRIEF HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE IN THE WORLD

The architecture was not always thought of as a profession. The "architect" was the person who
could build structures that didn't fall down. In fact, the word architect comes from the Greek word
for "chief carpenter," architektōn. In the United States, architecture as a licensed profession
changed in 1857.
Before the 1800s, any talented and skilled person could become an architect through reading,
apprenticeship, self-study, and admiration of the current ruling class. Ancient Greek and Roman
rulers picked out the engineers whose work would make them look good. The great Gothic
cathedrals in Europe were built by masons, carpenters, and other artisans and tradesmen. Over
time, wealthy, educated aristocrats became key designers. They achieved their training informally,
without established guidelines or standards. Today we consider these early builders and designers
as architects:
Vitruvius
The Roman builder Marcus Vitruvius Pollio is often cited as the first architect. As chief engineer for
Roman rulers such as Emperor Augustus, Vitruvius documented building methods and acceptable
styles to be used by governments. His three principles of architecture are used as models of what
architecture should be even today.
Palladio
The famous Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio apprenticed as a stonecutter. He learned about
the Classical Orders from scholars of ancient Greece and Rome when Vitruvius' De Architectura is
translated, Palladio embraces ideas of symmetry and proportion.
Wren
Sir Christopher Wren, who designed some of London's most important buildings after the Great Fire
of 1666, was a mathematician and scientist. He educated himself through reading, travel, and
meeting other designers.
Jefferson
When the American statesman Thomas Jefferson designed Monticello and other important
buildings, he had learned about architecture through books by Renaissance masters like Palladio
and Giacomo da Vignola. Jefferson also sketched his observations of Renaissance architecture when
he was Minister to France.
During the 1700 and 1800s, prestigious art academies like École des Beaux-Arts provided
training in architecture with an emphasis on the Classical Orders. Many important architects in
Europe and the American colonies received some of their education at École des Beaux-Arts.
However, architects were not required to enroll in the Academy or any other formal educational
program. There were no required exams or licensing regulations.
The Influence of the AIA
In the United States, architecture evolved as a highly organized profession when a group of
prominent architects, including Richard Morris Hunt, launched the AIA (American Institute of
Architects). Founded on February 23, 1857, the AIA aspired to "promote the scientific and practical
perfection of its members" and "elevate the standing of the profession." Other founding members
included Charles Babcock, H. W. Cleaveland, Henry Dudley, Leopold Eidlitz, Edward Gardiner, J.
Wrey Mould, Fred A. Petersen, J. M. Priest, Richard Upjohn, John Welch, and Joseph C. Wells.
America's earliest AIA architects established their careers during turbulent times. In 1857 the
nation was on the brink of the Civil War and, after years of economic prosperity, America plunged
into depression in the Panic of 1857.
The American Institute of Architects doggedly laid the foundations for establishing
architecture as a profession. The organization brought standards of ethical conduct to America's
planners and designers. As the AIA grew, it established standardized contracts and developed
policies for the training and credentialing of architects. The AIA itself does not issue licenses nor is it
a requirement to be a member of the AIA. The AIA is a professional organization—a community of
architects led by architects.
The newly formed AIA did not have funds to create a national architecture school but gave
organizational support to new programs for architecture studies at established schools. The earliest
architecture schools in the US included the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1868), Cornell
(1871), the University of Illinois (1873), Columbia University (1881), and Tuskegee (1881).
Today, over one hundred architecture school programs in the United States are accredited
by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which standardizes the education and
training of US architects. NAAB is the only agency in the US that is authorized to accredit
professional degree programs in architecture. Canada has a similar agency, the Canadian
Architectural Certification Board (CACB).
In 1897, Illinois was the first state in the US to adopt a licensing law for architects. Other
states followed slowly over the next 50 years. Today, a professional license is required of all
architects who practice in the US. Standards for licensing are regulated by the National Council of
Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).
Medical doctors cannot practice medicine without a license and neither can architect. You
wouldn't want an untrained and unlicensed doctor treating your medical condition, so you
shouldn't want an untrained, unlicensed architect to build that high rise office building in which you
work. A licensed profession is a path toward a safer world.
HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE PROFESSION IN THE PHILIPPINES
THE HISTORY
In 1921, Architecture Profession was practiced in the Philippines during the Spanish era, was
not by virtue of an academic title. There were no architectural schools in the country and the only
architects with academic degrees were Spaniards. However, the first Filipino recorded architect was
Felix Roxas y Arroyo of Binondo, Manila. The closest the Filipino could aspire to practice as an
architect was as Maestro de Obras or Master Builder. The first academic school to train these
maestros was the Escuela Practica y Professional de Artes y Oficio de Manila, founded by the
Spanish government in 1880. In 1900 the first private school to offer an academic title for Maestro
de Obras was the Liceo de Manila. For the early 1930`s to the late 50`s, associations of architects
came and went, but three of these survived until the early 70`s. These were the League of
Philippine Architects (LPA), the Association of Philippine Government Architects (APGA), and the
Philippine Institute of Architects (PIA).

THE BEGINNING OF THE ARCHITECTURE PROFESSION (TIMELINE)

 September 14, 1902

Many of the graduates of this school joined the civil engineers and surveyors in the country and
founded the first professional organization of architects and allied professionals – the Academia de
Arquitectura y Aguimensura de Filipinos (AAAF)
  December 1971
The profession of Architecture was given its first separate statute on June 17, 1950 with the
enactment of Republic Act 545, An Act to Regulate the Practice of Architecture in the Philippines. In
December 1971, President Ferdinand E. Marcos officially declared the second week of December as
Architecture Week.

 The Creation of Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)

President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued PD 223 in June 1973 creating the Professional
Regulation Commission with the duty of regulating all the professions and accrediting only one
professional organization to represent each profession. Recognizing the need to formally integrate
the three architectural associations, APGA, LPA and PIA each appointed three representatives to
form the Panel of Negotiation in May 1973.

 United Architects of the Philippines (UAP)

In order to effectively pursue the objectives and perform its task and duties under the
resolution, the Ad-Hoc Commission was authorized to sit as the Interim Board to administer,
implement and coordinate the various activities of the new organization until the first regular Board
of Directors and Officers was duly elected. The new integrated society was called, the United
Architects of the Philippines (UAP). Membership of the three organizations numbering a total of
1,300, automatically became members of the UAP and during its first year, 700 members officially
registered for active membership. On March 26, 1976, the United Architects of the Philippines
registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. UAP became the first accredited
professional organization on May 12, 1975 with the professional regulation commission issuing
certificate no. 001 to the UAP as the duly accredited professional organization for architects in the
Philippines.

 The Implementation of Architectural Education

On June 12, 1976, the UAP informed the Union Internationale des Architectes (UIA) of the
integration of the three architectural organizations under the United Architects of the Philippines
and requested for recognition of the UIA as its National Section in the Philippines. On March 22-25,
1979, the UAP organized a National Conference on Architectural Education at the Development
Academy of the Philippines in Tagaytay City. The result of the Conference was the endorsement of
a new ladder-type curriculum for architectural education, which was approved by the Ministry of
Education and Culture and adopted by schools and colleges of architecture in the Philippines. The
same year saw the approval of the new Architects` National Code by the Professional Regulation
Commission. This code was prepared by the UAP as a standard of ethics and practice of
architecture in the Philippines

 UAP’s First Commission

In recognition of UAP`s involvement in government program and activities, the Metro Manila
Commission appointed the UAP members to constitute the Board of Advisers for urban design and
development for Metro Manila.

 September 1979
In September 1979, UAP became a founding member of the Architects Regional Council Asia
(ARCASIA) and Arcasia Board of Architectural Education (ABAE) organized in Jakarta, Indonesia. Its
primary objective is to foster friendly, intellectual, artistic, educational and scientific relations
among national institutes of Architects in Asia. Later this was changed to Arcasia Council of
Architectural Education (ACAE). In the same year, the UAP also became a founding member of the
ASEAN Association for Planning and Housing (AAPH).

 December 1979
December 1979, the UAP organized a 4-month activity entitled "Filipino Technology in the
80`s in collaboration with the five professional organizations, two ASEAN Organizations, fourteen
government agencies and schools of architecture. At the closing of the "Filipino Technology of the
80`s, President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued Letter of Instruction 1000 directing all government
ministries and agencies to authorize and support only PRC accredited professional organizations
like the UAP in organizing and hosting national and international conferences and to give priority to
the members of the organizations in the hiring of employees and in the engagement of professional
service.

 March 28, 1981

On March 28, 1981, the UAP initiated the preparation of the document entitled
"International Code of Ethics on Consulting Services" during the Arcasia Workshop held in Manila. It
was later formally adopted by ARCASIA in its meeting in Hong Kong on August 6, 1981.

 June 4-5, 1982

After several documents were submitted by UAP to the Union Internationale des Architectes
(UIA) concerning the laws of the Philippines and the status of the UAP as a follow up of its
application to the UIA, the UIA Bureau during its meeting at Honolulu, Hawaii on June 4-5 1982
concluded that "legally according to the laws of the Philippines, the UAP is the only organization
with the right to represent the Filipino architects either in the Philippines or internationally and
particularly with regards to the UIA.

 January 24-26, 1983

On January 24-26, 1983 during the meeting of the the UIA Council at Santiago de Chile,
Chile, the Council passed Resolution No. 9 stating the "following the laws of the Philippines and the
UIA Statutes, UAP legally became the National Section". A certification to this effect was issued to
the UAP in April 1983. The meeting of ARCASIA in Lahore, Pakistan in 1983 approved the proposal
for UAP to host and organize the First Asian Congress of Architects (ACA-1) in Manila in October
1984 (The Sixth Asian Congress of Architects was also held in Manila in December 1994).
The United Architects of the Philippines today claims a membership of over 8,000 architects
scattered over 3 strategic areas of the country: Area A, comprising the central and northern portion
of the Island of Luzon including Metropolitan Manila comprises 5 regional districts; Area B
composing southern Luzon as well as the members from the islands of Mindoro, Masbate and
Palawan contains five regional districts; Area C comprises members from the Visayan Islands as well
as Mindanao. This area comprises four regional districts.
After careful and meticulous process of incorporation, the United Architects of the
Philippines (UAP) was finally established in 1975 and was recognized by the Professional Regulation
Commission (PRC) as the duly accredited professional organization of architects in the country.
With a pool of more than 50, 000 members and a strong network of 181 chapters from various
regions across the globe, the UAP is a prime mover in making the architecture profession known
not only in the country, but also in the international arena. It is an award-winning professional
organization which has clinched the PRC’s Most Outstanding Accredited-Professional Organization
Award or the APO Award for several consecutive years since 2002 — a testament that it is serving
its purpose of protecting the profession.
THE ARCHITECTS
Despite not having architecture schools at that time, Maestro de Obras and surveyors
established the first organization of architecture as interest in this field grew. More and more
Filipinos were able to study abroad and return to the country to practice their profession. In 1921,
the Engineers and Architects Law was passed, stating the separation of board of examination for
engineers and architects. The same law also mandated Maestro de Obras to be automatically
registered as architects, with Tomas Mapua as the first licensed Filipino architect.
Today, architects are considered as master builders of all vertical structures, working hand-
in-hand with allied professionals in creating builds and designs. Considered not only as a lucrative
career, but also a fulfilling path for every builder, the profession has paved the way for notable
Filipino architects to showcase their creations not just in the Philippines, but also abroad.
We have renowned architects we all look up to for their distinct designs:
1. Leandro Locsin - who is the talent behind The Cultural Center of the Philippines;
2. Juan Felipe Nakpil, who designed the Manila Jockey Club, Magsaysay Building, and Rufino
Building among others;
3. Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa who designed the San Miguel Corp. Headquarters inspired by
the Banaue Rice Terraces. These architects are the representation of what the Filipino talent
truly has — love for country, creativity, vibrancy, and innovation.
4. Juan M. Arellano - He attended the Ateneo Municipal de Manila and graduated in 1908. His
first passion was painting and he trained under Lorenzo Guerrero, Toribio Antillon, and
Fabian de la Rosa. However, he pursued architecture and was sent to the United States as
one of the first pensionados in architecture, after Carlos Barreto, who was sent to the Drexel
Institute in 1908; Antonio Toledo, who went to Ohio State; and Tomás Mapúa, who went to
Cornell.

Juan Arellano Juan Nakpil Leandro Locsin

Francisco “Bobby” Maňosa

THE PRACTICE OF ARCHITECTURE IN PHILIPPINES
Philippines
Republic Act (RA) 9266 or “The
Architecture Act of 2004.” This is the art, science
and profession of planning, designing and constructing
buildings in their totality, with due account of their
environment and in accordance with the principles of utility,
strength and beauty.
Many other considerations are involved in the creative
process that requires the designer to have a firm grasp and
understanding of many different factors such as the physical
environment, geography, ecology, sustainability,
meteorological conditions of the site, human
anthropometrics and even the heritage of the locality. At
least a basic understanding of different.
Architecture as a profession came about only in 1921 when
the first registration of architects was implemented. In 1950,
with Manila and the whole country just starting to rebuild
from the ravages of the Second World War, RA 545 or
Philippines
Republic Act (RA) 9266 or “The
Architecture Act of 2004.” This is the art, science
and profession of planning, designing and constructing
buildings in their totality, with due account of their
environment and in accordance with the principles of utility,
strength and beauty.
Many other considerations are involved in the creative
process that requires the designer to have a firm grasp and
understanding of many different factors such as the physical
environment, geography, ecology, sustainability,
meteorological conditions of the site, human
anthropometrics and even the heritage of the locality. At
least a basic understanding of different.
Architecture as a profession came about only in 1921 when
the first registration of architects was implemented. In 1950,
with Manila and the whole country just starting to rebuild
from the ravages of the Second World War, RA 545 or
Regulatory Laws
Architectural Laws

 Republic Act No. 9266 Architecture Act of 2004

March 17, 2004
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A MORE RESPONSIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE REGULATION FOR THE
REGISTRATION, LICENSING AND PRACTICE OF ARCHITECTURE, REPEALING FOR THE PURPOSE
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 545, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "AN ACT TO REGULATE THE
PRACTICE OF ARCHITECTURE IN THE PHILIPPINES," AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

 Republic Act No. 1581

June 16, 1956
An Act to Amend Section Thirty-Four of Republic Act Numbered Five Hundred Forty-Five,
entitled “An Act to Regulate the Practice of Architecture in the Philippines”

 Republic Act No. 545

 An Act to regulate the practice of architecture in the Philippines
Allied and Development Laws

 Republic Act No. 10350

Philippine Interior Design Act of 2012

 Republic Act No. 10587

Environmental Planning Act of 2013

 Republic Act No. 9053

Philippine Landscape Architecture Act of 2000
REFERENCES

 Heray, R. A. (2021). 100 years Architecture Profession in the Philippines. Retrieve from
https://www.zigguratrealestate.ph/post/100-years-architecture-profession-in-the-philippines
 UST, FEU UE SLU UP Diliman. (n.d.). Philippine Architecture College Notes. Retrieve from
http://philarchitecturenotes.weebly.com/philippines-architects---history-uap.html#:~:text=The
%20profession%20of%20Architecture%20was%20given%20its%20first,the%20second%20week
%20of%20December%20as%20Architecture%20Week.
 Stodocu. (n. d.). The Practice of Architecture in the Philippines. Retrieve from
https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/technological-institute-of-the-philippines/standards-of-
professional-practice/the-practice-of-architecture-in-the-philippines/24244781

 Craven, J. (2020, Jan 30). How Did Architecture Become a Licensed Profession? Retrieve from
https://www.thoughtco.com/architecture-become-licensed-profession-177473