St. La Salle Hall

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Coordinates: 14°33′51.5″N 120°59′37.5″E / 14.564306°N 120.993750°E / 14.564306; 120.993750
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
St. La Salle Hall
St. Jean-Baptiste de la Salle
Groundbreaking1920
Completed1924[2]
Renovated1948
Design and construction
Architect(s)Tomás Mapúa[3]

St. La Salle Hall is an H-shaped four-story structure built in the Neoclassical style in the Philippines.[4] It was built from 1920 to 1924 to serve as the new campus of De La Salle College (now De La Salle University) due to a lack of space in the previous campus in Paco, Manila, and to accommodate its increasing student population. It served as the grade school and high school building back from when the college was still offering those levels.

Originally built as a three-story structure, a fourth level was added in the 1990s for the residence of the

College of Business and the Pearl of Great Price Chapel.[6] Meanwhile, the second floor of the St. La Salle Hall houses the School of Economics and the Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Aside from classrooms, it also houses several offices of the university and laboratories.[7]

The structure was severely damaged during the

liberation of Manila in World War II. Numerous civilians took refuge in the building for protection. Restoration of the building after the war took two years and cost ₱246,883 (US$5,720).[8] Retrofitting of the building started in January 2011, and was completed by 2012.[5][9]

student newspaper of the university, identifies it as "DLSU's most historic building."[10] It is the only Philippine structure featured in the book 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die: The World’s Architectural Masterpieces, published by Quintessence Editions Ltd. in 2007.[3]

History

St. La Salle Hall ca. 1924

Selection of the site

Due to the lack of space in the campus at Paco, the transfer of De La Salle College to Taft Avenue was decided.

girls' school located about 200 meters (660 ft) from the new campus. The two schools, one for boys and one for girls, would allow parents to send their children to a single area. Another reason for the selection was its close location to a streetcar station of the Manila Electric Railroad And Light Company
allowing quick transport for the students.

Opposition to constructing the college at the new site came from certain

Governor General Francis Burton Harrison
, and expressed that a college ought to be constructed in the area. Harrison failed to get the approval of the municipal board, however. The building plan was only pushed through a year later when the composition of the board changed. In order to get approval, the Brothers themselves took the initiative to donate a piece of the property on the other end of Taft Avenue.

Construction

Construction of St. La Salle Hall ca. 1921

In 1916, a competition was held to determine the design of the building. Cornell University alumnus

Filipino registered architect and subsequent founder of the Mapúa Institute of Technology (now Mapúa University), won the competition against 9 other architects, and was awarded ₱5,000 (US$116).[8][13][14]

The cornerstone was laid by

St. Joseph
.

World War II

The Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament on the southwestern wing of St. La Salle Hall

The building sustained heavy damages during

massacred by Japanese troops inside the school chapel on February 12, 1945.[16][17][18][19][20]

Reconstruction of the building was made from September 1946 to December 31, 1948, at the cost of ₱246,883 (US$5,710).

Most Blessed Sacrament. The chapel was blessed a year later.[20]

Architectural details

  • Pediment of the St. La Salle Hall façade
    Pediment of the St. La Salle Hall façade
  • Closer look at the details of the façade
    Closer look at the details of the façade
  • A close-up of the left corner of the pediment of the façade
    A close-up of the left corner of the pediment of the façade
  • Arcade of St. La Salle Hall
    Arcade of St. La Salle Hall

References

  • Jose Victor Jimenez (1992). The De La Salle College, 1911-1941: An Institutional History (Thesis). Manila: University of Santo Tomas.
  • Carlos Quirino (1986). La Salle: 1911–1986. Makati: Filipinas Foundation.
  1. ^ Annie A. Laborte (September 2007). "The Buildings of La Salle". Benchmark. Supreme Court of the Philippines Public Information Office. Archived from the original on 2012-04-01. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
  2. ^ "History: 1920". De La Salle University. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
  3. ^ a b Augusto Villalon (2009-04-12). "DLSU building included in int'l best-of list". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2012-07-26. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  4. ^ "A La Salle Storey". The LaSallian. August 6, 2013.
  5. ^ a b Patrick Ong (2010-11-21). "St La Salle Hall, to undergo retrofitting". The LaSallian. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
  6. ^ "Overview". De La Salle University. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
  7. ^ "Contact Offices". De La Salle University. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Approximate conversion value as of May 2011
  9. ^ "Retrofitting of St La Salle Hall". De La Salle University. 2010-10-14. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
  10. ^ Audrey Virgula (2010-11-21). "DLSU Taft, to partner with Canlubang campus". The LaSallian. Manila. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
  11. ^ "The founding (1911–1920): The House on Nozaleda Street". Philippine Lasallian Family. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  12. ^ "The founding (1911–1920): School Year 1911–1912". Philippine Lasallian Family. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  13. ^ "Tomas B. Mapua (1888-1965)" (PDF). National Historical Commission of the Philippines. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-25. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
  14. ^ "The founding (1911–1920): Outgrowing Nozaleda". Philippine LaSallian Family. Archived from the original on 2011-08-10. Retrieved 2011-05-15.
  15. ^ "De La Salle University". National Historical Commission of the Philippines. September 4, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  16. ^ "Home of the brave". Business World Online. 21 June 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  17. ^ "Massacre at La Salle College, 1945". Business World Online. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  18. ^ "A horrible day never to be forgotten". Inquirer. 12 February 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  19. ^ "History". De La Salle University. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
  20. ^ a b "Home for the Faithful". De La Salle Alumni Association. Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. Retrieved 2011-05-13.

External links

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