The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) celebrates Gabriel Formoso (1915-1996), newly proclaimed National Artist Award for Architecture under Presidential Proclamation No. 1414.
One of the first 100 licensed architects in the Philippines, Formoso embraced modernist principles of functionality, simplicity, and efficiency throughout his four-decade career.
Among his most significant legacies is the BSP Complex in Manila, whose Brutalist design is characterized by rectilinear massing, horizontality, decorative restraint, and an honest expression of materials. The complex’s block-patterned walls complement the masonry of the historic Fort San Antonio Abad, bringing together history and modernity within the landscape.
Formoso also designed the BSP Security Plant Complex in Quezon City, and the BSP branches and regional offices in La Union, Lucena, Bacolod, Iloilo, and Davao, shaping the institution’s architectural identity across the country.
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