American Colonial Era Urbanism: The Philippines and the City Beautiful

Summary

Professor Ian Morley discusses the history of American colonial urban planning in the Philippines, focusing on the implementation and evolution of the City Beautiful movement, the role of Filipino architects, and the lasting impact on modern-day urban challenges.

Highlights

Introduction to the Lecture Series and Speaker00:00:03

Professor James Robson introduces the third talk in the Philippine lecture series at Harvard, highlighting the growth of Philippine studies at the university, including the introduction of Tagalog language courses and upcoming events featuring Ed Garcia and Waka Ayama. He then introduces the guest speaker, Professor Ian Morley.

Origins of American Colonial Urbanism00:06:46

Professor Morley explains how American colonial rule post-1898 introduced the 'City Beautiful' planning paradigm, shifting away from the Spanish 'Laws of the Indies' grid system. He discusses the influence of Daniel Burnham and the importance of creating unified, harmonious, and modern civic centers.

Implementing the Burnham Plan and City Beautiful00:12:21

The speaker analyzes how the City Beautiful model was applied to Manila and Baguio. He distinguishes between Burnham's broad vision and the ground-level implementation led by William Parsons, emphasizing the symbolic role of civic centers in promoting democratic ideals and colonial modernization.

Filipino Agency and Architectural Development00:33:16

Morley shifts focus to the post-1916 era, where Filipinos gained more control over civil service and urban design. He highlights the role of 'pensionado' architects like Juan Arellano and Antonio Toledo, who began reinterpreting American models to reflect a native identity and address local needs.

The Commonwealth Era and Post-Colonial Challenges00:55:40

The discussion covers the Commonwealth period (1935-1946) and the rapid, though often skewed, development of public works. Morley addresses the lack of focus on housing, the growing density and slum issues, and how these pre-war planning shortcomings continue to impact Manila's urban challenges today.

Q&A: Infrastructure, Transport, and Future Outlook01:21:10

In the Q&A session, Morley discusses the potential influences of the US Works Progress Administration, the lack of integrated transport planning history in the Philippines, and the structural density problems that make Manila an extremely challenging city to manage in the contemporary era.