“The Poet of Concrete”: Negrense National Artist Architect Leandro LocsinThe art of architecture combines form and function, creating spaces that are expressive and aesthetic as well as practical and utilitarian. It takes a true artist to be able to bring spaces to life, with a unique architectural signature that transcends time. This is what Architect Leandro Valencia Locsin was able to accomplish, through iconic buildings and residences that left an indelible mark on Filipino art and culture. For his achievements, he was proclaimed as a National Artist in1990 by President Corazon Aquino.
His life and works are featured in an exhibit titled “The Poet of Concrete: The Architecture of National Artist Leandro Locsin,” at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. The exhibit, held in collaboration with Leandro V. Locsin Partners (LVLP) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) through the Center for Campus Art (CCA), was curated by fellow Negrense architect, co-founder of the Benilde Architecture Program, and former dean of the CSB School of Design and Arts Gerry Torres, and supported by Benilde President Br. Edmundo Fernandez FSC.
A panel of the Poel of Concrete exhibit highlights the life and accomplishments of National Artist for Architecture Leandro V. Locsin.The exhibit delves into Locsin’s background, education, and illustrious career, with examples of his most iconic buildings, presented through text, photographs, models, and facsimiles of original drawings courtesy of LVLP, along with a look at how he has inspired present and future architects, from the current work of LVLP which is now headed by his son, Andy Locsin and the innovative work of students under Architects Jim Caumeron and Kyle Nuestro, which are inspired by Locsin’s Brutalist form.
Space and structure
“The exhibit seeks to communicate that there was once an architect—Leandro Locsin—whose profound understanding of Filipino history, culture, and heritage became the foundation of his practice. He designed structures that were resolutely modern and international yet rooted in our cultural identity,” says Torres.
Ar Gerry Torres, co-founder of the Benilde Architecture Program, and former dean of the CSB School of Design, conceptualized and curated the Poet of Concrete exhibit.Torres says Leandro Locsin earned the title “The Poet of Concrete” for his unmatched ability to transform a material so ordinary in the post-World War II era—concrete—into something extraordinary. “He was able to transform this humble, ubiquitous material into something magical, making it float, fly, stretch, and cantilever in ways that defied expectations. Locsin’s work with concrete became the medium through which his architectural vision came to life, turning it into a signature element that marks his creations.”
The architect’s foundations
The National Artist was born on August 15,1928 in the genteel city of Silay, Negros Occidental, as the eldest of seven children. His father Guillermo Locsin and his mother Remedios Valencia both come from prominent families. His paternal grandfather, Don Leandro Locsin y de la Rama, was the first elected governor of Negros under the American regime. Locsin was even given the nickname “Lindy”, after the aviator Charles Lindbergh, in honor of the famed transatlantic solo flight.
Music permeated every corner of Locsin’s childhood, particularly in the home of his grandfather. This profound influence led Locsin to pursue music as his first degree, majoring in piano, with aspirations of becoming a concert pianist. Educated initially at De La Salle College in Manila, Locsin returned to Negros during the Second World War before finishing his secondary education in Manila. He initially pursued Pre-Law but shifted to Piano at UST, and finally, in his last year, found his true calling in architecture.
One of the iconic brutalist designs of Ar Leandro V. Locsin was the Ayala Museum in Makati City.Torres believes that the architecture of Silay itself, with its rich collection of early 20th-century homes, undoubtedly shaped his aesthetic sensibilities. In the 1960s, he was among the first to incorporate elements from old houses and churches into his residential designs—a style that gained prominence in the 1970s. His personal and professional life continued to be intertwined with Filipino history, not least through his marriage to Cecilia Yulo, the daughter of Speaker Jose Yulo, whose family owned the Canlubang Estate. Together, they authored the influential coffee-table book, Oriental Ceramics Discovered in the Philippines, in 1967. Their two sons, Leandro “Andy” Y. Locsin Jr., and Tito Locsin, continue to build upon the family legacy.
Andy paid tribute to his father at the exhibit opening. “In his early years, Locsin had the good fortune of being exposed to the Arts. From this early exposure sprang ever-widening interest and explorations in the broad fields of human endeavor and expression. Unlike many of his youthful peers for whom time saw the narrowing and specialization of interests, Lindy Locsin’s path saw an expansion of his personal interests and the pursuit of these with passion and depth. He had a zeal for all things Philippine – the nation’s culture, history, and social structure.”
The centerpiece of the Poet of Concrete exhibit, a scale model of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.Enduring artistry
“The legacy of Leandro Locsin is one that transcends architecture,” Torres says. “He leaves behind a vision of Filipino modernism that remains deeply rooted in cultural heritage while embracing the possibilities of the contemporary world. For future generations, his work serves as a reminder that innovation and tradition are not mutually exclusive, but can, in fact, coalesce to create something truly timeless.”
The exhibit highlights the enduring aspect of Locsin’s work. Andy Locsin shares lessons on legacy from the conversations he had from his father. “A work of architecture becomes iconic only when society finds that it resonates on so many levels – when it captures a spirit and an idea that is relevant to and is valued by those who view it, inhabit it, and use it over time.”
“The Poet of Concrete: The Architecture of National Artist Leandro Locsin” exhibit is located at 12F Gallery, Design and Arts Campus, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. The exhibit will run until December 14, 2024. Gallery hours are Monday to Friday, 10 AM to 9 PM, and Saturdays, 10 AM to 6 PM. The gallery is closed on Sundays.
CSB Architecture students and design enthusiasts attended the successful opening of the Poet of Concrete exhibit.Sidebar
Landmark achievements
National Artist Leandro Locsin has left an indelible mark in the art of architecture, with his modernist, brutalist designs that incorporate his ingenious use of space and pride in Filipino culture. Here are some of the structures done in his signature style.
- "The Cultural Center of the Philippines – the CCP’s massive concrete edifice, designed by Locsin, was built in 1966 with the purpose of promoting and preserving the best of Filipino arts and culture. It took four years to build on 21 hectares of reclaimed land along Manila Bay. One of its notable features is the “floating” grand staircase, in a winding shape coerced out of concrete.
- The Makati Stock Exchange Building – built in 1971, the building housed the Makati Stock Exchange. In its vicinity of Ayala Avenue are other Locsin works: Bankmer Building (1970), SGV I and II (1967), and the National Life Insurance Building (1968).
- The Philippine Pavilion, Expo ‘70, Osaka, Japan – Locsin captured the soaring Filipino spirit and hope for progress with the pavilion’s dramatic apex roof that swept into an apex from the ground. The ceiling captivated visitors with its use of narra planking and a Capiz-shell skylight. It was judged one of the 10 most popular pavilions of the expo.
Leandro V. Locsin’s son Andy continues his father’s legacy at the helm of the Leandro V. Locsin Partners design firm.Istana Nurul Iman – this Locsin masterpiece in Brunei is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei and his family, as well as the location of the country’s senior government offices of the country. It features curved roofs and a huge golden dome for the palace mosque, with Locsin highlighting Brunei’s Islamic and Malay architectural traditions in the design. Built in 1984 with more than $1 Billion construction cost, Istana Nurul Iman was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's largest living residence of a state head.
De La Salle Chapel, Bacolod – the main chapel of the university of St. La Salle, also known as the Doña Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Chapel, was built in 1966. For this structure, Locsin created a perimeter porch flanked by columns, giving a Grecian feel and the calmness of open space.
Church of the Holy Sacrifice – also known as the UP Chapel in the Diocese of Cubao, this was one of Locsin’s first architectural commissions. It was initially designed for the Ossorio family in Negros, but the plan was scrapped when the head of the family, Frederic Ossorio left for the US. Locsin presented the plan to Fr. John Delaney, the first Jesuit chaplain of UP. The Church of Holy Sacrifice, which can accommodate 1,000 parishioners, became the first circular chapel with the altar in its center in the country, and the first to have a thin shell concrete dome.
Article by: Maan D’Asis Pamaran
Photos by: Richard Visco
