“Time traveling in Manila: Preserving heritage, one building at a time” is not just a catchy phrase. It’s what we’re about to do right here at the Juan Luna Building. This historic building stands in Binondo Manila. It’s more than just bricks and mortar. It’s a time capsule.
The Juan Luna Building has lived many lives. It was once known as the Pacific Commercial Company Building. Later it became the First National City Bank Building. For a time it even went by the name Ayala Building.
Completed in July 1922 the Juan Luna Building officially opened on November 13 1922. Its early days saw it as a hub for commerce. Then Enrique Zobel bought it in 1940. From then until 1959 it was known as the Ayala Building. In 2007 LBC Properties Inc. renovated the Juan Luna Building.
In 2009 businessman Carlos Araneta bought the building. He planned to turn it into a business process outsourcing center. It was even slated to be renamed the Juan Luna e-Services Building. Araneta preserved the facade. However lack of investors changed these plans. The Juan Luna Building became a mixed-use space and a living museum.
Disaster struck in May 2018. A fire in the nearby Land Management Bureau Building spread. It reached the Juan Luna Building damaging the third and fourth floors. Thankfully the National Archives stated that no historical documents were burned. Their important documents were stored elsewhere.
Murphy McGill and Hamlin designed the five-story Juan Luna Building. These New York City and Shanghai architects created a masterpiece. The Juan Luna Building cost two million pesos to complete. Its design reflects the International Banking Corporation style. Colossal columns and a rusticated ground floor define its look. Ionic columns rise to an entablature. An anthemion strip crowns the top.
The Juan Luna Building occupies an irregular corner lot. It sits where Juan Luna Street meets Muelle de la Industria. Its frontage measures 43 meters on General Luna Street. It extends 46 meters along Muelle de la Industria.
Today the Juan Luna Building stands as a testament to Manila’s resilience. It has survived fires ownership changes and evolving purposes. Each brick whispers tales of its past. So take a moment to appreciate this architectural gem. The Juan Luna Building is a living piece of Manila’s history.