Architecture as a Projection of Power : A Study of the Bipolar Manifestations of Power in the CCP Main Building and the Coconut Palace = 권력의 투영으로서의 건축: 필리핀 문화센터 본관과 코코넛 궁전의 권력 양극성에 대한 연구

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The architectural landscape of the Philippines went through one of the most transformative periods during the Marcos administration (1965–1986), particularly under the conditions of Martial Law (1972–1981). It was an era not only characterized by the extreme political and socio-economic changes, but also by the lasting impact it left on the evolution of Philippine Architecture. The government’s ambition to project an image of national progress initiated an unprecedented wave of expedited construction projects, mostly commissioned by the former First Lady Imelda Marcos. These were aimed to define and forge a strong sense of Filipino identity after periods of colonialism. The convergence of strong political will, economic resources, and architectural innovation of that period enabled the realization of projects that might otherwise have remained conceptual.

Architecturally, this period became known for the extensive amount of monumental architectural projects commissioned. It left behind a legacy that has continuously dominated space and also public memory. These͏͏ structures͏͏ have͏͏ served͏͏ as͏͏ evidence͏͏ of͏͏ the͏͏ Marcos administration’s power and͏͏ are͏͏ often͏͏ referred͏͏ to͏͏ by͏͏ supporters͏͏ as͏͏ proof͏͏ of͏͏ a͏͏ golden͏͏ age of͏͏ the͏͏ the Philippines.͏͏ The golden age narrative,͏͏ while͏͏ frequently͏͏ examined͏͏ ͏͏under͏͏ an͏͏ economic͏͏ lens͏͏ to͏͏ study the͏͏ severe͏͏ detrimental effect on the national economy,͏͏ is͏͏ rarely͏͏ analyzed through͏͏ the͏͏ lens͏͏ of͏͏ architecture͏͏ itself,͏͏ the͏͏ very͏͏ medium͏͏ through͏͏ which͏͏ the͏͏ regime͏͏ sought͏͏ to͏͏ timelessly͏͏ project͏͏ their power.͏͏ This͏͏ study͏͏ addresses͏͏ that͏͏ gap͏͏ through an exhaustive review of the͏͏ intersection͏͏ of͏͏ architecture͏͏ and͏͏ power͏͏ during͏͏ the͏͏ Marcos͏͏ administration,͏͏ focusing on͏͏ two buildings,͏͏ the CCP Main Building and the Coconut Palace. Both buildings are on the reclaimed͏͏ site͏͏ known as the CCP Complex, the͏͏ core of the commissioned͏͏ cultural͏͏ projects͏͏ during͏͏ of Marcos͏͏ era.͏͏ The͏͏ CCP͏͏ Main͏͏ Building was built͏͏ at͏͏ the͏͏ beginning͏͏ of͏͏ the͏͏ regime and͏͏ the͏͏ Coconut͏͏ Palace was constructed͏͏ towards the end, with its inauguration coinciding the day Martial Law was officially lifted. The stark difference in political context at the time of conception to inauguration of both buildings are reflected in the built form, evident͏͏ in͏͏ scale,͏͏ form,͏͏ and͏͏ spatial͏͏ organization.͏͏ Despite͏͏ the differences in design strategies involved,͏͏ these bipolar qualities converge into a share͏d objective,͏͏ to͏͏ embody͏͏ and͏͏ project͏͏ power.͏͏ Analyzing the implications of these͏͏ parallel and contrasting͏͏ points,͏ reveal how political͏͏ power͏͏ is inscribed into͏͏ architecture͏͏ through͏͏ multiple strategies,͏͏ shaping͏͏ public͏͏ perception,͏͏ cultural͏͏ identity,͏͏ and͏͏ leaving a timeless legacy͏͏.͏͏

In͏͏ the period of Martial Law under the Marcos administration,͏͏ critique͏͏ on͏͏ government͏͏ activities͏͏ were͏͏ severely͏͏ constrained͏͏ and͏͏ carried͏͏ significant͏͏ risks͏͏ for͏͏ those͏͏ who͏͏ questioned͏͏ the͏͏ regime’s͏͏ narratives.͏͏ Building on the privilege to study a topic in today’s time, this paper aims ͏͏to͏͏ examine the allegations of the architectural golden age narrative surrounding the built environment under the Marcos administration and contribute͏͏ to͏͏ a͏͏ broad discourse͏͏ regarding͏͏ the͏͏ architectural͏͏ strategies͏͏ that͏͏ influenced͏͏ such͏͏ claims,͏͏ offering͏͏ a͏͏ critical͏͏ lens͏͏ through͏͏ which͏͏ to͏͏ understand͏͏ how͏͏ built͏͏ forms͏͏ were͏͏ mobilized͏͏ to͏͏ shape͏͏ public͏͏ memory͏͏ and͏͏ political͏͏ legitimacy.

국문 초록 (Abstract)

필리핀의 건축 경관은 마르코스 행정부(1965–1986) 시기에, 특히 계엄령(1972–1981) 하에서 가장 변혁적인 시기를 겪었다. 이 시대는 극심한 정치적·사회경제적 변화로 특징지어졌을 뿐만 아니라, 필리핀 건축의 진화에 지속적인 영향을 남겼다. 정부는 국가 발전의 이미지를 투영하려는 야망 아래 전례 없는 속도의 건설 프로젝트를 추진하였으며, 이는 식민지 시대 이후 강력한 필리핀 정체성을 정의하고 구축하려는 목적을 지녔다. 당시의 강력한 정치적 의지, 경제적 자원, 건축적 혁신의 결합은 본래 개념적 수준에 머물렀을 프로젝트들을 실현 가능하게 했다.

건축적으로 이 시기는 방대한 수의 프로젝트와 기념비적 규모로 알려져 있으며, 공간뿐 아니라 기억 속에서도 지배적인 시각적 유산을 남겼다. 이러한 구조물들은 정권의 공공 서비스 노력의 가시적 증거로 기능하며, 지지자들에 의해 이른바 국가의 “황금기”의 증거로 자주 소환된다. 그러나 이러한 서사는 당시 국가 번영의 심각한 쇠퇴를 강조하는 경제적 관점에서 자주 분석되었을 뿐, 정권이 권력을 영속적으로 투영하려 했던 매체인 건축 자체의 관점에서는 드물게 탐구되었다. 본 연구는 마르코스 행정부 시기의 건축과 권력의 교차점을 검토하며, 특히 마르코스 시대의 문화 프로젝트가 집약된 매립지인 CCP 콤플렉스를 중심으로 한다. 이 콤플렉스는 정권의 시작부터 끝까지 지속적으로 확장되며 당시의 건축적 반영을 제공했다.

연구의 초점은 콤플렉스 내 두 주요 건축물, 정권 초기에 건립된 CCP 메인 극장과 정권 말기에 건축된 코코넛 팰리스를 비교·분석하는 데 있다. 이 두 문화적 랜드마크는 규모, 형태, 공간 조직에서 뚜렷한 대조를 이루지만, 궁극적으로 권력을 구현하고 투영하려는 단일한 목표를 공유한다. 이러한 대비적 사례를 나란히 배치함으로써, 분석은 정치 권력이 어떻게 상반된 미학적 전략을 통해 건축에 새겨지고, 동시에 대중 인식·문화 정체성·지속적인 통치의 시각적 유산을 형성하는지를 보여준다.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• 1. Introduction 1
• 1.1. Background of the Study 1
• 1.2. Scope & Methodology 3
• 1.3. Literature Review 4
• 1.4. Research Framework 8
• 2. The Administration’s Architectural Legacy 10
• 2.1. The First Lady’s Identity and Architectural Authority 10
• 2.1.1 The Honorary Architect 12
• 2.1.2 The Patroness of the Arts 15
• 2.2. Architectural Vision of the Marcos Administration 17
• 2.2.1 Defining the Aesthetics of the Era 19
• 2.2.2 Beautification 23
• 2.2.3 Displacement 24
• 2.3. Architectural Projects of the Administration 26
• 2.3.1 Cultural Projects 29
• 2.3.2 Healthcare Projects 29
• 2.3.3 Infrastructure Projects 31
• 3. Architecture and Power in the CCP Main Building and Coconut Palace 33
• 3.1. State Motives in Building the CCP Main Building & Coconut Palace 33
• 3.2. The Reclamation of the CCP Complex Site in Manila Bay 40
• 3.3. Blueprints of Authority (Plans, Form, and Material) 44
• 3.3.1 The CCP Main Building 44
• (1) Site 44
• (2) Plans 46
• (3) Form & Material 52
• 3.3.2 The Coconut Palace 54
• (1) Site 54
• (2) Plans 56
• (3) Form & Material 59
• 4. Bipolar Manifestations of Power in the CCP Main Building and Coconut Palace 64
• 4.1 Monumentality 65
• 4.2 Spatial Regulation 66
• 4.3 Audience Projection 71
• 5. Conclusion: Power in the Architecture of the Marcos Regime 73
• 5.1. Summary of Key Findings 73
• 5.2. Recommendations 76
• References 78
• Architecture and Power 78
• Marcos and Philippine Politics 80
• Architecture in the Marcos Era 82
• History of Architecture in the Philippines 86
• 요약 88