Siglo 20 is a landmark publication by Dr. Gerard Lico that chronicles the evolution of Philippine architecture and urbanism throughout the twentieth century. More than a visual archive, the book is a critical examination of the ideological, political, and cultural forces that shaped the built environment of the modern Philippines. Spanning the American colonial period, postwar reconstruction, Martial Law-era development, and late capitalist urban expansion, Siglo 20 provides a sweeping narrative of how architecture responded to—and helped construct—Filipino modernity.
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Combining exhaustive archival research, theoretical analysis, and compelling visual documentation, the book presents buildings as artifacts of their time—imbued with the ambitions, contradictions, and anxieties of a developing nation. From neoclassical government edifices to Brutalist public housing, and commercial complexes to civic monuments, the publication captures a century of transformation and contestation in space-making.
For academics, architects, planners, and cultural workers, Siglo 20 is both a foundational reference and a provocation. It equips readers with the analytical tools to understand architecture not just as design, but as an expression of power, ideology, and identity. As one of ARC LICO’s flagship intellectual outputs, the book affirms the firm’s commitment to advancing architectural discourse in the Philippines and beyond.
