NATIVIDAD BUILDING (ESCOLTA SERIES)

Personally, I find the Natividad Building along Escolta cor. Tomas Pinpin Sts. one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture around these parts. There is a sense of modernity - and thus of universality - in its design. For those who haven't noticed, the front part of the building was used in the recent Nescafe advert where a man and a woman met under the rain. It was made to look like they met somewhere in a rainy Paris street. This pretty much confirms that many parts of Manila can lend themselves to themed shoot locations, allowing the audience to be transported to other places without knowing they've never left Manila at all.

During its heydey, the Insurance Commission found its home here. (Source: Honesto General). The building is still pretty much in the best of conditions. Together with the neighboring Calvo, the Natividad has been described as beaux-arts in its style, a style that began in France in the 1800s or thereabouts.

A most impressive facade. I hope they convert the rooms of this building into living spaces.