This project involves the renovation and interior fit-out of the DSWD SWADCAP Building, a 1976 Brutalist-style structure designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin.
Originally designed in 1976 by National Artist for Architecture Leandro V. Locsin, the SWADCAP building stood as a testament to the Filipino Brutalist aesthetic—massive, raw, and dignified in its expression. Located within the PONUSWA compound, this government structure was part of a broader institutional vision for social welfare in the region. Nearly five decades later, the building has been thoughtfully restored and reimagined as the DSWD Academy—a premier learning institution that now provides specialized training, capacity-building programs, and continuing development initiatives for social workers across the country.
The rehabilitation and interior fit-out, led by ARC LICO, involved a capsule conservation management plan that respected the building’s historical and architectural significance. The firm developed a design direction that preserved the essential Brutalist vocabulary—board-formed concrete textures, heavy overhangs, and sculptural staircases—while introducing warmth, light, and contemporary finishes to support the building’s educational function.
What was once a dormant 20th-century monument has now been revitalized into a dynamic 21st-century hub for social innovation. The DSWD Academy affirms how heritage can be adaptive—honoring its original form while preparing it for new and urgent purposes.
