The accolades are absolutely monumental. He has produced 244 buildings, 108 residences, 53 public and private establishments, 48 commercial structures, 40 offices, 21 churches and chapels, 13 hotels and resorts, six housing projects, and even an airport terminal! Moreover, he is best remembered for the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex and the Philippine International Convention Center.

But who could have constructed all these longstanding architectural masterpieces? The name is Leandro Valencia Locsin, Sr., National Artist for architecture.

Born in 1928 in Silay, he was named after his paternal grandfather, the first elected governor of their home province of Negros Occidental during the American regime. The family quickly adopted the nickname Lindy, from the aviator Charles Lindbergh, known for his unprecedented solo flight across the Atlantic.

He pursued pre-law at the De La Salle College in Manila, before shifting to an Associate in Arts, major in Piano degree at the University of Santo Tomas. However in his senior year, when everyone else had their futures meticulously planned out, he did the unthinkable: he shifted to architecture. And the rest, as they say…