DESIGN AMIDST CHAOS

WALKED AROUND DIVISORIA, MANILA'S PRINCIPAL TRADING DISTRICT, TODAY TO LOOK FOR CHRISTMAS DECORS. I CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THE GRANDEUR OF TUTUBAN MALL ESPECIALLY THE CENTERMALL AMIDST CHAOS OF CARS, JEEPNEYS AND SHOPPERS. ASIDE FROM THE FACADE, I PERSONALLY LIKE THE INDUSTRIAL/RUSTIC/CLASSICAL FUSION OF THE COLUMN DESIGN.

THE CENTERMALL IS ORIGINALLY THE PNR [PHILIPPINE NATIONAL RAILWAYS] STATION WHICH WAS BUILT DURING THE YEAR 1892. THE BUILDING AND THE PROPERTY THEMSELVES HAVE STOOD FOR MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS, BEARING WITNESS TO THE UNFOLDING OF THE HISTORY OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE. THE TUTUBAN TRAIN STATION SERVED AS A VITAL BLOODLINE OF COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPORTATION FOR THE FILIPINO GUERILLAS DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR. THE HOUSE OF FILIPINO HERO ANDRES BONIFACIO AND HIS FAMILY WAS ACROSS THE TUTUBAN TRAIN STATION. THIS WAS ALSO THE SAME HOUSE WHERE BONIFACIO WAS SAID TO HAS BEEN BORN. THE KATIPUNAN WAS ORGANIZED A FEW BLOCKS FROM THE STATION. BONIFACIO AND HIS SIBLINGS WOULD LIVE IN THE AREA FOR THE SUCCEEDING YEARS UNTIL THE WAR BROKE UP. [SOURCE:www.tutuban.com.ph]

THE PNR MAIN BUILDING FACADE WHICH IS CURRENTLY THE TUTUBAN CENTERMALL HAS BEEN PRESERVED TO THIS DAY AS A REMINDER OF ITS PAST GLORY.

THOUGH A NEW PHASE OF THE 168 MALL IS ON THE RISE, I HOPE IT WILL NOT OVERPOWER TUTUBAN OR ELSE I WILL START A REVOLUTION LIKE ANDRES BONIFACIO.