Phl architecture finds gatekeeper

Consider Indiana Jones in the real world, and you might be looking at Architect Joel V. Rico, who is a conservation architect, historian and amateur archaeologist rolled into one.

Rico speaks with both the precision of a designer and the reverence of a historian. For him, architecture is not only about shaping skylines but also about safeguarding the nation’s memory.

“Being part of the PIA shaped me. What began as professional involvement eventually grew into an industry — and for me, it became a passion,” he said, referring to the Philippine Institute of Architects, the country’s oldest existing architectural organization, founded in 1933. 

“There’s an alignment of an architectural profession — not just designing, but conserving heritage structures. I just happen to be following in their footsteps.”

Rico has devoted his career to this dual calling: designing for the future while conserving the past. He is currently the chief operating officer of Ma Es+ro de Obras, an architecture, construction, and restoration firm. Over the years, he has become one of the country’s foremost restoration architects, entrusted with some of the nation’s most important heritage landmarks.

Among his projects was the restoration of White Cross Children’s Home in San Juan, designed by National Artist and former PIA president Pablo Antonio. More recently, he has been deeply involved in the rehabilitation of the Manila Central Post Office, which was gutted by fire in 2023.

“The Post Office will look the same as before, but its purpose will be different,” Rico explained. 

“The building will now serve more for public and cultural use — there will still be postal services like letters and P.O. boxes, but it will also house a postal museum, a presidential library, and public spaces.”

The restoration is a daunting task. The initial estimate of P1.1 billion has ballooned to at least P2.2 billion, with work expected to stretch until 2027. 

Tough but challenging world

“It’s very challenging — not that difficult, but bureaucracy, pricing, and funding make it tough,” Rico admitted. “Government can’t spend that on one building at once, so it must be divided into phases.”

His expertise in heritage goes beyond individual landmarks. Rico has extensive experience in conserving and restoring fortifications, churches, museums, and galleries, as well as in developing heritage districts. From 2006 to 2008, he served as the primary architect, planner, and historian of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan. This ambitious project revived Spanish-era houses and transformed them into a living heritage village.

Beyond practice, he has also led institutions shaping the profession. Rico served as president of the PIA from 2011 to 2013 and was the founding president of the Guild of Philippine Architects in Conservation in 2012.

Today, he teaches at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde while also serving as a consultant for government agencies and institutions.

His portfolio of conservation work includes the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Intendencia de Manila in Intramuros, the Quezon Institute, several Philippine National Railways heritage stations, and the Baguio International Convention Center.

As PIA’s official historian, Rico has also chronicled the institution’s rich legacy. He recalls interviewing elder members in 2003 for PIA’s 70th anniversary, resulting in a book that traced the evolution of 20th-century Philippine architecture alongside the institute’s history.

That history, he notes, is inseparable from the country’s architectural achievements. PIA was founded by Juan Nakpil, the first National Artist for Architecture, together with Tomas Mapua, Carlos Barreto, Andres Luna de San Pedro and Fernando Ocampo. All six National Artists for Architecture — Nakpil, Pablo Antonio, Leandro Locsin, Ildefonso Santos, Jose Maria Zaragoza and Francisco Mañosa — were PIA members.

“PIA’s contributions (to the trade) include the 1950 Architecture Law, the National Building Code, and RA 9266, the 2004 Architecture Law,” Rico said. “Our elders focused on getting things done.”

In contrast to younger professional organizations, PIA maintains a quiet, tradition-bound culture. 

“We are sustained by tradition, governed by those who want results, not just young leaders chasing positions,” Rico explained. “Our camaraderie was always strong — new graduates were treated as peers by the giants of Philippine architecture.”

Today, PIA continues to shape both policy and heritage conservation. It is currently preparing dossiers for UNESCO World Heritage nominations, including a corridor that would link Luneta to the Post Office and encompass the National Museum complex. If successful, this could become the country’s next World Heritage Site after Vigan.

Looking toward PIA’s centennial in 2033, Rico hopes the institute’s legacy will endure. “Our biggest contributions remain twofold: six national artists for architecture all came from PIA, and we shaped the laws that govern Philippine architecture,” he said.

For Rico, architecture has always been more than concrete, glass and steel. It is the fabric of national identity, a living record of history. 

“The history of Philippine architecture is the history of the Philippine Institute of Architects,” he reflected. “Our legacy is the profession itself — its laws, its national artists, and its heritage buildings.”