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The Heart of UP Diliman

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This is the winning entry of the 2nd Honrado R. Fernandez Competition for Architectural Criticism 2008 organized by HCS UP Diliman. Thinette Joy Caballes Quilaneta, born and raised in Tacloban City, Leyte, is a frustrated writer. Most hours of the day, her brain is almost twisted and turned by thoughts of randomness but just couldn’t blurt out or write down the right words to express what has caused her brain to topple over.

Tall pillars welcome you upfront just upon seeing this magnificent structure. A wide flight of steps leads you to the large grand doors luring you to come in. It is a place where everyone goes to find answers to mind boggling questions, where everyone is almost ravenous for knowledge and learning. It is where your brains can be fed as well as beaten out. It could also be a place of respite and leisure for some, and a place of anguish for many others who are going through a lot of cramming and research. It is indeed a still bittersweet asylum for the students and teachers of this colossal academic community. It is called the Main Library.

In the University of the Philippines’s (UP) history, when the Battle of Manila in 1945 devastated the Padre Faura campus in Manila, UP tried to find itself again. At that time, UP President Bienvenido Gonzalez pushed for the transfer to the site just vacated by the United States (US) army, amidst the objections of parents and alumni. Constructed in the 1950’s almost simultaneously with the arts and sciences, administration and engineering buildings, the Main Library was one of the first structures in the Diliman campus, designed by Juan Nakpil, the campus architect of that time.

The campus’ main library was later named Gonzalez Hall, in homage of the former UP President Gonzalez. It was purposely fashioned after the administration building, now known as Quezon Hall, just like how the arts and letters and engineering buildings were mirror images of each other.

The location of the Main Library, approximately at the center of the academic oval, represents its being the Heart of UP. It embodies the verity that education is the life of the university. Its structure, being similar to the administration building, represents its being one with the so-called Brain of the University. Its structure also suggests its rank among other UP Diliman buildings having been constructed analogous to Quezon Hall, which is technically the highest ranking building in the campus. Being located at the center of the Academic Oval expresses its importance to the whole academic community and to the rest of the nation.

Its aesthetic is very customary to the American architecture at that period. It makes the structure historically beautiful, revealing how American culture became a part of our own. It divulges the way we were influenced by Americans through education and even past our general way of life. In the 1950’s, American architects and they’re style in architecture became popular. Almost everywhere in the world, architects would follow or copy American style of building. This can explain why early buildings in the campus, or even outside campus, seem to be that way. They became our idols.

The grandeur of the edifice of the Main Library itself signifies the great importance of learning and teaching in the university. The library’s façade is a picture of the timeless wisdom this facility could offer. One could immediately locate the entrance to the building for one could see an outstanding emblem representing the library at the center of its façade, which could be considered as the focal point of the exterior. From the outside, you would just see one massive building with several floors. Inside, it is not one, but a series of defined spaces.

Everything is large, high and grand. The large windows allow enough natural light to penetrate the building, thus minimizing the need for utilizing much electricity while the sun is still up. These large windows also allow people to look outside to refresh their minds and enhance vision and imagination. It also permits air to freely breeze in, which makes the library cool even without air conditioning systems or electric fans, thus also minimizing electricity consumption. It is one design solution perfect for building in a tropical country like the Philippines. The library’s high ceilings don’t restrict the movement of air inside the spaces, suffocation is nearly impossible. It also gives a feeling of openness and comfort along rows of shelves and countless books stacked in the rooms. It lessens the sense of being confined in just one possibility. It also minimizes the reverberation of noise since it provides a larger space for sound to scatter, therefore almost diminishing chances of sound bouncing back and forth the walls. The main stairs inside the library links all four floors of the building. It is proportionate to the enormity of the space inside. It is, however, uncomfortable to climb because of its wideness, therefore far from the handrail, and of the awkward height of its risers.

The facility could accommodate quite a number of people on all its four levels. In fact, the Department of Library Science now sits at the top floor of the Main Library, which I think is just practical but still am repugnant about. Having a spacious campus, it might be best if a separate building for the course is to be provided.

If one is a new user, one wouldn’t have that much difficulty in locating spaces inside since the spaces are properly labeled and situated. At present, the main focal point inside the building is the cluster of computers which almost replaced the ancient card catalogs. This only proves that technology for the facility’s improvement is not taken for granted. The interior, though, doesn’t allow you to freely flow from one room to another, since the interior spaces are well-defined rather than continuous. This I think is good as it is more clear-cut and specific which makes it a lot easier for the users to almost pinpoint what they are exactly looking for. Efficiency and functionality are essential factors to consider.

Education shouldn’t be boxed in the four walls of the classroom and learning shouldn’t stop when the professor puts an end to the class. It is important that we allow ourselves to develop and learn more than just what is being required. Having the passion and hunger for learning is good. Having a good ocean of sources is even better. It is what the library is for, to provide a venue for extra erudition.

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