Casa Tribunal de Naturales

Casa Tribunal de Naturales
San Nicolas, Manila

Another wishful thinking of adaptive-reuse on heritage houses! This time, re-imagined as a bike shop-café.
About two centuries ago, before locals settle disputes via TV/online shows for instant justice, a lonely structure squeezed between two high-rise buildings along Asuncion Street was the Casa Tribunal de Naturales. This used to be the courthouse that caters to the natives (Chinese and Mestizos) to settle cases and to detain the accussed that was led by a local gobernadorcillo, equivalent of today’s town mayor.

The first two rooms are lowered detention cells, possibly for each gender. A hallway leading an open patio at the back with a stock room and two restrooms. Second floor was the courtroom, the gobernadorcillo’s office, archive room, and an arms depot at the back. Over the roof are the air vent stacks.

Like many of the heritage houses in Manila, it remains abandoned and rotting in decay, which is at high risk of demolition for another souless rectangular building that caters a car-centric city. This is a call for heritage preservation and bike justice on roads for a pedestrian-friendly future in the city.
Let’s hope! Otherwise, just dream.

References:

• Kaladkarin Diaries

• Center for Filipino Architecture

• Three Centuries of Binondo Architecture 1594–1898: A Socio-Historical Perspective

by Lorelei D. C De Viana

 

Read more about the structure.

Pansiteria de Macanista y Buen Gusto

 

Been obsessing the 19th century noodle house,“Pansiteria de Macanista y Buen Gusto” since a personal encounter of the structure during the Binondo - San Nicolas tour back in summer of 2019.The establishment roughly translates as “Tasty Macanese Noodle House”.

According to historical archives, the three-story commercial accessoria is owned by Don Serverino R. Alberto in 1880. The floor plan showcases the commercial divisions in its design by the Chinese-Filipino community. The former establishment was also mentioned in the 25th chapter of “El Filibusterismo”, the second novel of Jose Rizal.

Re-imagined illustration above (for personal amusement) is a study of the first and second floor of what could have been a possible adaptive reuse of the building while retaining the panciteria brand and giving reverence of its past.

To know more about the pansiteria and the rest of the heritage sites, read more on this article.