I L D E F O N S O  P.  S A N T O S,  JR., FPALA, ASLA, IFLA, PIEP

Santos, who pioneered the landscape architectural profession in the Philippines, is well-known in professional circles for his uncompromising integrity and high degree of professionalism.  He was instrumental in the establishment of the specialty board of landscape architecture at the professional regulation commission (PRC) of the Philippines. He holds PRC registration no. 0000001.

 

His more than 40 years experience in a wide spectrum of landscape architectural projects acquired in the united states of America, southeast Asia, and in the Philippines has earned him numerous awards and citations.

 

The prestigious landscape architectural firm that today bears his name was founded in 1963.

 

Since its inception, i.p. Santos & associates has grown both in size and stature.  The firm has worked on varied projects ranging in scale from simple residences to complex developments, such as resorts, parks and recreation, memorial parks, hotels, shopping center, private and public housing, educational institutions, office buildings, town centers, e60tc. These projects have one thing in common.  They are the product of creative, imagine and functional designs marked by a rich background of experience and expertise and a high degree of excellence and professionalism.

Education

He attended the university of santo Tomas, where he received bachelor of science degree in architecture in 1954.  Not content with  his  newly  acquired  degree, he aspired to enrich   his architectural   background   by  enrolling  at the prestigious university of southern  California school of architecture, los angeles,  California   where  he  obtained  his  second  bachelor  of architecture degree and his industrial design degree in 1956 and later, a master of architecture degree in 1960.

 

Experience

While working for his architectural degrees at the university of southern California, he joined the firm of Ralph d. Cornell in 1955 and went to work for Cornell, bringers and trolled when it became a partnership.

 

He gained valuable experience during his nine-year stint at the landscape architectural office of Cornell, bringers, and troller.  His last project with the well-known firm was the famous los angeles music center, which he designed before returning to the Philippines.

 

He was appointed professorial lecturer in landscape architecture at the university of the philippines in 1964 and continued to hold this position until his appointment as full professor in 1991.  From october, 1965 to september, 1996, he was the landscape architectural consultant for the office of the u.p. campus planning.

Activities

Beleiving that mankind is one, he joined the rotary club of makati west and became its club president form 1972-1973.  He was also the past president of the Philippine Trojan club of the university of southern California.

 

Santos has been a member of the American society of landscape architects since 1963.  He is also a member of other association like the american horticultural society, southern California horticultural institute, American institute of  urban  and regional  affairs, asean  association for planning and housing.  In July 17, 1997 he joined the Philippine institute of environmental planners, where he was exempted from taking the environmental planners board examination by the Philippine regulation commission (PRC).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

 

As the official delegate  of the Philippine association of landscape architects (pala) to the international federation of landscape architects (ifla)  grand  council, he  has  attended  ifla congresses in Salvador, Brazil (1978); Bern, Switzerland (1979); Vancouver, Canada (1981); Canberra, Australia (1982); Munich, Germany (1983); Kobe, japan (1985); Paris, France (1987); Boston, u.s.a. (1988); manila, Philippines (1989).  Seoul, south Korea (1992);  grand council, Pretoria south Africa (1993);  Mexico city (1994); Bangkok (1995).

 

He has also attended ifla regional conferences in manila (1977); Singapore (1980); Hongkong (1984); ocho rios, jamaica (1986); Bali (1993); and Taipei (1994).

 

In 1989 he was elected chairman of international federation of landscape architects (ifla) international committee on environmental planning until 1994.

 

For seven years, he was the chairman of the eastern regional council for Asia and the Australia until he was elected in 1985-87, 1987-89, 1993-95, and then again in 1995-97 as the vice president in-charge of ifla’s eastern region.

 

He was the president of the Philippines association of landscape architects (pala) from 1977-1984.  In 1985, he was awarded   the   plaque   of  appreciation   for  his  outstanding achievement and became a fellow, the highest honor the pala can bestow.

 

 he returned to the university of the Philippines as head of the landscape architectural program for undergraduate and graduate school after his stint as a member of the board of examiners for landscape architects from 1983-1986.  In June 1991, he became a full professor.

 

He delivered a paper entitled “the evolution of landscape architecture in the Philippines” at the Philippine social science center in 1985.  In October 1986, he was invited as  guest  speaker  at the zaragoza arte flor garden festival in spain.  He spoke on the “landscape within the Philippine context.”  He was  invited  as  a   guest   speaker  at   the   Mara  institute  of technology,  selangor,  Malaysia  in July 1987.  He spoke on the “the Philippine experience:  landscape  architecture in a developing country.”      He    delivered   a    paper    entitled   “aesthetics   in    landscape architecture as applied within the context of a developing country “at the symposium in Athens, Greece, 1988.

Awards and citations

For his outstanding work on nayon pilipino, he was given two awards.  The first award was conferred on him on November 19, 1969 by the former first lady of the Philippines mrs. Imelda r. Marcos  and  the  other  “plake ng karangalan” by the nayong pilipino foundation, inc. In 1980.  In 1971, he was selected one of the top 12 outstanding makati residents.  Following that year, he was given manila’s highest cultural award for being a “patnubay ng kalinangan” during the araw ng maynila celebration.

 

His alma mater, the university of santo Tomas conferred upon him two successive awards in recognition of his achievement - the “talaan pandangal” in 1980, and the “outstanding thomasian award” the following year.  He was included  in  the  7th  edition  of  “marquis  who’s  who  in   the world” and in the 11th edition of “men of achievement.”  Also on  February  15, 1986,   he  was  given  an  award  by  the  united garden clubs of the philippines, inc. As the “outstanding landscape architect.” 

 

In 1988 he was awarded the Bali (British association of landscape industries) national landscape awards for the project taikoo shing.  On august 31, 1990, the art association of the Philippines awarded him a plaque of appreciation for his assistance and support in the continuing collective struggle  for  philippine contemporary art.  On June 12, 1992, he was honored by the municipality of malabon by conferring on him the  “gawad ng katangian award.”

 

On January 23, 1993, he was made an adopted son of Imus during the 5th annual gawad parangal.  He was awarded the “outstanding professional for landscape architecture” in 1993 by the Philippine regulation commission.  Last December 12, 1997, his unparalleled professional service for the past 15 years was honored by the united architects of the Philippines (uap).  He was given on march 11, 1998, a “parangal ng bayan award” by the national consumers council for having excelled in the field of landscape architecture.

 

On June 09, 2006, he was awarded as national artist for his outstanding achievement in architecture and allied arts by malacanang, cultural center of the Philippines, and national commission for culture and arts.

 

 
Make a Free Website with Yola.