06/09/2025
in 1976, the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Asia’s first international convention center and one of the country’s prime examples of brutalist architecture, was inaugurated.
It was designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro V. Locsin and built by DMCI Group founder Engr. David M. Consunji.
In his memoir A Passion to Build, Engr. Consunji recalled the monumental task of completing the structure in less than two years in time for the 1976 International Monetary Fund-World Bank Meeting on October 4, 1976.
DMCI worked on the PICC while also building the Philippine Plaza and doing the renovation and expansion of the Manila Hotel in time for the meeting attended by over 4,600 delegates.
Despite the tight schedule, DMCI finished the PICC in just 23 months, driving about 20,000 prestressed piles, the most it had ever used for a single development.
Through the years, the PICC has hosted prestigious events such as the 1994 Miss Universe Pageant, APEC Summits, ASEAN Summits, the World Law Conference, and various international acts, from Luciano Pavarotti, the Bolshoi Ballet, Janet Jackson, Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, Ricky Martin, Burt Bacharach, to Lea Salonga.
Declared as National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines in 2022, the PICC continues to stand as a timeless landmark of Philippine architecture and engineering excellence.
Sources: A Passion to Build: A Memoir of David M. Consunji
www.picc.gov.ph
Photo: DM Consunji, Inc.