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“Reinventing S.O.A.: SERVICE-ORIENTED ARCHITECTURE”

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Daniel A. Lichauco, UAP

Principal Architect, Archion Associates
Professor, UST College of Architecture
What was a brief childish fascination with a compass,
a ruler, and lettering set in his father’s office turned out to
be a cornerstone in the life of Daniel Lichauco, a principal
architect of the architectural firm, Archion Associates.
Lichauco graduated in 1986 with grades good enough
to land him a scholarship as a teacher in the United
States. After passing the Philippine Architecture board
exam in his second take—the first time he failed in history
of architecture—he left for University of Michigan, where
he earned his master’s degree in architectural design and
theory, and in urban planning in 1991. He later on took
a master’s degree under another scholarship in classical
architecture and urban design at University of Notre Dame.
He chose UST which has one of the best programs in the country to study B. S.
Architecture. At present, he is a part-time College of Architecture professor.
The quest of the young aspiring architect from New Manila also meant embarking on
a career path none of his relatives have taken since his family line was in business and
teaching. It was also a leap of faith for a child who once dreamt of becoming a priest.
However, the long years in graduate school finally took its toll on Lichauco.
By his third degree,he was already tired of studying, so he decided it was time to start
working, so he returned to the Philippines after earning his last master’s degree from the
University of Norte Dame in 1993.

In 1994, Lichauco worked for Francisco “Bobby”
Mañosa’s firm as a partner and learned from the
“master” architect himself. Before long he finally
decided to establish his own firm.
As a testament to his uncle Sen. Benigno
Aquino’s legacy to the country, Lichauco designed the
Aquino Center in Luisita, Tarlac for his thesis, which he
later improved and built when he was still working for
Manosa’s firm under his family’s commission.
Despite the heavy workload in his fledging firm,
Lichauco still finds time to teach history of architecture
and architectural design in UST. He realized after
traveling to Europe and the United States, he has to
share valuable knowledge he learned in his trips to
these places.
Now sitting comfortably in his own office at
Archion Associates, Lichauco has come far from his
humble doodles in his father’s office that faithful
summer. Despite his achievements, Lichauco doesn’t
forget the roots of his success.

“The Architect in the Age of Information”
The practice of architecture is a paradox. Architects sell both a service and a product. Architecture, as the mother of all arts, is unique in this
aspect. If painters sell paintings, cooks sell food and sculptors sell sculptures do architects sell buildings? Nope, realtors do. As such, the ar chitect in
the 21st century, in the age of information, has evolved from a Renaissance man to a man of multiple disciplines where in art and traditional engineering
sciences are now combined with other disciplines including economics, environment sciences, sociology and even politics.
Today, the enterprising architect has to be a jack-of-all-trades and master of some; the difference being is that he should be very much aware
of what he is not the master of. Being comfortable with what you do not know is the hallmark of such a jack who also has the ability to seek the
information in a timely and appropriate manner.
As a provider of a service, the architect will be a strong asset to any team at the onset of the project. They have the ability to advice clients on
numerous issues that will lead to the decision to implement a project. Unfortunately, however, this may also lead to the project not being built which is
tantamount to us talking ourselves out of a job. But then, as advisors, we are obliged to give sound and proper advice regardless of the final outcome. The
practice of architecture is at a point wherein this service is beginning to be recognized but unfortunately whose fee structure has yet to be determined.
This early on advice, although extremely valuable to the project onset, has been under valued by the market.
This service however, on the upside may also lead to a commissioned work, which transforms the architect into an entrepreneur, taking on more
risks than the traditional practice of architecture. He now enters into an area of service wherein he has to take certain professional risks by providing
products (information and studies) that are no longer tangible and physical manifestations of drawings and buildings, which is the hallmark of the
profession. These initial studies require the architect to me a “jack of all trades” which may include administrative sciences, economics, political, trend
analyst, behavioral scientist/sociologist, business administrator, realtor, curator as well as project manager, quantity surveyor/estimator and engineer.
This is a carry over of the image of the profession where in the architect is considered to be a master of all, yet our fee structures do not recognize this
expertise as well as the risks involved. Clients, are mostly unaware of the value of this information, particularly from those clients who we know are
frustrated architects and feel that the science of architecture plays an miniscule part in the practice and that “to make a sketch” or as some would put
it “sketch sketch lang” is indeed easy and simple. Very few actually realize that this sketch has a lot of thought and depth to it.
Fortunately, larger firms and corporations are slowly accepting the consultancy culture but unfortunately these are few and far between. The
younger, inexperienced corporations and businesses, who have the ability to change the architectural landscape of the country unfortunately do not
see the value of this service and still expect the architect to be the source of all information and later on penalizing the architect for wrong faulty
information. So now here is the new professional paradox. Architects are expected to provide sound and solid advice that is normally reserved for
specific consultants. This advice is undervalued by the industry and represents a high risk to the architect. Yet, to be competitive, the architect now
has to assume the risk of providing the information, in a field he is not the master of. The fees are not commensurate to the risk and only become so
if the project materializes. As such, architects now move into the realm of “cover your butt” architecture to make sure these risks are mitigated, provide
sound early advice yet understanding that they may never get the bigger the larger fees.

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37th UAP National Convention © 2011