Part 1
THE nation lost an icon in Philippine architecture and design with the passing of Architect Lor Calma at 97 on Jan. 27, 2026. Calma, an acknowledged pioneer of Philippine modernism, leaves behind a legacy of visionary work that not only helped shape the country’s built landscape but also inspired generations who followed in his footsteps.
The Manila Times spoke with architects and designers — including Calma’s son and successor, Architect Eduardo “Ed” Calma — about the late architect’s influence on them, both professionally and personally.
Jason Buensalido, principal and Chief Design Ambassador of Barchan Architecture & Design Company, said that Calma exerted a profound influence on him by embodying bravery and conviction. “From him, I learned the importance of remaining focused on one’s architectural position and not being distracted by naysayers. His career demonstrated that meaningful work often requires standing firm against the current,” Buensalido said.
Although he did not have the opportunity to work with Calma directly, Buensalido recalls an early encounter with the senior architect that left an indelible impression. In 2005, he joined a national architectural competition — one in which Calma’s firm also participated — that required the submission of a scale model of the proposed master plan. He recounted that while most, including himself, rendered conventional architectural models, Calma presented “something entirely different: a pristine, highly modernist, and abstracted interpretation of their proposal.”
“The reaction,” Buensalido said, was "immediate and visceral... it was a powerful reminder that architecture is not only about compliance or representation, but about clarity of idea and the courage to express it in unexpected ways.”
Buensalido believes that Calma’s true legacy lies in his adaptation of modernist architecture "to our tropical climate and cultural conditions — a crucial foundational step that succeeding generations of Filipino architects have continued — and continue — to build upon.”
Ar. Cathy Saldaña, principal, president, and founder of PDP Architects and Project Design Plus Architecture Management Corp., recognizes Calma as a “stellar influence.” Saldaña, who wrote about Calma as a student fulfilling an academic requirement and later as a practicing professional, described his insights as thought-provoking. “Even in the ’70s, he was already challenging design norms, eschewing the popular Mediterranean facades of the ’80s and pushing forward with clear, sharp lines, clean palettes, and decluttered elevations,” she said.
Saldaña described his works as “timeless,” with a style characterized by generous natural lighting and open spaces, ensuring that landscape was integrated into all of his work.”
Legacy
It was Calma’s metal sculptures, however, that struck Saldaña the most. “Bright, bold, unafraid... he was an architect who was also a sculptor. I was in awe,” she said.
Beyond his designs, Saldaña reflected on his character: “His strength was his humility, his down-to-earth nature, and a sense of humor that didn’t wane as he got older.”
The Philippine Institute of Interior Designers (PIID), of which Calma was a founding member, paid tribute to him in an Instagram post. It called him “one of the quiet pillars who helped shape the soul of Philippine interior design” and credited him with “elevating it into a serious, principled profession.”
Calma co-founded the Philippine School of Interior Design (PSID) in 1967 with Edith Oliveros, Napoleon Abueva, and Arturo Luz. The school was housed in the Cancio-Calma Building, which was designed by Calma himself and considered “unprecedented” at the time for its use of precast concrete with a curtain wall system, all erected in 30 days. The firm Cancio-Calma Associates also held office there. The structure stood out on the Pasong Tamo, Makati, landscape, then dominated by warehouses and factories in the 1950s and 1960s.
Since its founding more than 50 years ago, PSID has become one of the country’s leading design schools. Interior designer Pojie Pambid, vice president for academic affairs and an alumnus of PSID, recalled his student days there.
“During a lecture on the history of architecture, I learned that the building was designed in the Bauhaus style — and that he (Calma) was a proponent of that particular style. For me, that was literally the pages of a book jumping out in real life,” he said.
Pambid, who has taught generations of students for more than 30 years at PSID, also remembered Calma’s interactions with students at school exhibitions. “He spoke with students, imparting wisdom in an inspirational way. He was not overbearing, did not come off as the quintessential authority in modern architecture... he took time to take pictures with the students and, with practically, anyone who wanted one,” Pambid said.
(Part 2 will be published on March 10.)