100-year-old DLSU looks ahead to the next century

The De La Salle University (DLSU) capped its centennial celebration with the blessing and launch of two modern buildings that would be the springboard for the institution’s educational initiatives in the next century.

Taking their cue from the “leap of faith” of the original nine Lasallian brothers who founded the school 100 years ago on General Luna Street in Manila, the Christian brothers continue the legacy with the construction of the Henry Sy Sr. Centennial Hall (HSSCH) at the Taft campus and the Science and Technology Complex (STC) at the Leandro V. Locsin campus in Laguna.

“True to our shared Lasallian values of faith, service and communion, I am confident that the DLSU community will build on what has been started in the past,” said Br. Narciso Erguiza Jr., FSC, DLSU centennial president and chancellor.

The HSSCH, named in honor of the Philippine retail magnate, is the first major building under DLSU’s Centennial Renewal Plan, a long-term development program to rationalize the whole university’s campus setup and respond to the need for more space for research and learning.

The Sy family, headed by SM Investments Corp. executive vice president Hans Sy, and the Christian brothers led the blessing of the new building, which was officiated by the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto.

With the completion of the HSSCH, 3.9 hectares of floor space will be added to the existing 5.6 hectares of the DLSU Taft campus.

The imposing structure on Taft Avenue was designed by the renowned architectural firm Leandro V. Locsin Partners, Architects. The building’s theme is inspired by a grove of trees that forms a forest.

It is likened to a “habitable tree,” a concept that seeks to capture DLSU’s continuous and growing role in Philippine education, as well as the institution’s advocacy of environmental responsibility and sustainability.

The HSSCH is a 14-story eco-friendly building, with a roof deck. It will house several academic service units, study areas, learning spaces and selected offices. It will also be the first academic structure that will be evaluated by the Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (Berde).

The building will have the Learning Commons—a central hub that will serve as the intellectual crossroads for studying in the university. More than a repository of books and reference materials, the Learning Commons is envisioned to be a place of connection where the academic community members can relax, commune and hold official university activities.

The hall features a concourse linked to other buildings and enhances security by centralizing certain areas where students, faculty, administrators and even the public have access.

Erguiza said the HSSCH would “not only improve learning but also transform an environment that would specifically cater to the needs of 21st century learners, who are active participants in their own learning.”

Erguiza emphasized that these learners were predisposed to creative, critical thinking, collaborative learning and knowledge creation.

The DLSU-STC, on the other hand, is a 50-hectare sprawling campus adjacent to the Laguna Technopark.  The new campus will include academic buildings, research centers, modern dormitory facilities and staff housing. It will seek to establish a strong collaboration with neighboring industries, as well as regional research centers.

Aiming to become the leading research center in Asia and the Asia-Pacific region, the DLSU-STC will try to have a high concentration of top students and outstanding faculty on its roster.

“Our refocusing on faculty development in the next five years should result in a harvest of young gifted scholars, who will produce research that are transformative and relevant,” Erguiza said.

“This will support our community of scholars in their

pursuit of … research projects, which shall contribute to the fulfillment of our vision-mission to be a learner-centered research university for the … next century,” he added.

The surrounding area of DLSU-STC is bustling with commercial and leisure activities. This urban/suburban mix is expected to provide the momentum and incentive for the migration to the complex.

As part of its culminating activity, DLSU also launched its newly upgraded website, www.dlsu.edu.ph. A cultural show, “Cultura Verde,” was presented which showcased student-artists from all 16 Lasallian schools. It was followed by the concert “Lasallianation,” which celebrated DLSU’s goals toward national development. A fireworks display ended the celebration.