17 floors above the five-storey base and reaches a height above ground of 232.75 ft.
Accommodation
The building has one basement level over the whole podium area and was the first in Manila to provide car parking underground. There is space for 120 cars in the basement which also contains a nightclub
the '1571', shops, the main utility kitchen and maintenance and equip- ment areas. The '1571' is named after the year Manila and the old Spanish walled city of Intramuros were founded. Heavy timber beams and plain adobe walls recreate the atmo- sphere of Intramuros,
At ground level there are two main entrances from each of the two thoroughfares. Both have deep can- tilevered canopies with intricate hand- carved wooden borders. This motif is carried through the main lobby where baroque carved Narra timber walls of 36 panels provide contrast to rich beige and brown marble floorings and columns. The marble is from the provinces of Mindoro and Romblon.
Aquamarine rugs. native easy chairs, heavy bureaus of Philippine dark wood with mother of pearl
inlay and antique porcelain jars add elegant accents to the lobby areas. There are also attractive planters and twin murals by Philippine sculptor Napoleon Abueva, depicting old Maynilad (the city's old name) during the rule of Filipino chieftain Soliman, and Manila after the regime of the Spanish conqueror Miguel Lopez de Salcedo.
Above the reception area is a 40 ft. long wooden bas-relief by Carlos Fransisco depicting the major festivals of the islands.
While both entrances lead through spacious lobbies to the centrally placed reception area, adjacent to which are the hotel's administrative offices, one is designed primarily for use by the public and the other for the hotel guests. At the public en-
trance off United Nations Avenue there is access at left and right to shopping arcades. The guests lobby is much wider; an open well sur- rounded by marbled galleries with carved timber ballustrades rises through three floors and escalators on each side take guests to the restaur- ants or public functions on the other podium floors.
Also at ground level are the Cafe Coquilla coffee shop and the Sultana cocktail lounge. The coffee shop,
whose colour scheme is blue, white and yellow, aims at an old Spanish atmosphere with a combination of tiled floors and walls, ornate painted chandeliers and dark timber furni- ture, while the Sultana displays the rich decor of Mindanao, Philippines with intricate "sari-manok" designs and colourful capiz shell mosaics.
The whole of the first floor is de- voted to concessionaire shops. On the second floor is the grand ballroom and terrace, three special dining or private party rooms, the Harana cock- tail lounge, Port Orient restaurant and main dining room, and the main kitchens to serve all the restaurants on this floor.
Global chandeliers formed from capiz shells and folding partitions with capiz shell panels which can divide the room into three are a feature of the ballroom. Decorated entirely in coral pink, the ballroom measures 116 ft. x 64 ft. x 18 ft. and has a capacity of 1,200 persons for meet- ings or 800 persons for banquets. The adjoining ballroom terrace mea- sures 88 ft. x 24 ft. x 12 ft. 6 in. and holds a further 200 persons or 140 for banquets.
The Port Orient restaurant, with rattan furnishings, weathered beams and corrugated iron roof, simulates a
Main lobby and reception
Pool and Philam Life Building beyond
Far East BUILDER, September 1968.
Marble-clad galleries above the main lobby
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