“Calle de Escolta: Sa Mata ng Kolonyang Español” - an Archival Exhibition

The exhibition “Calle de Escolta:Sa Mata ng Kolonyang Español (Calle de Escolta: Through the Eyes of the Spanish Colony)” will run from November 22 to 29 at the historic First United Building in Escolta, Manila. Organized by the Heritage Conservation Society, the exhibit revisits the Spanish colonial vision of urban planning and heritage along one of Manila’s most iconic streets. The project was borne out of a Creative Europe grant our Departments PhD-student, James Clifford Viloria received in 2024 to conduct archival research in Spain. Drawing from materials housed at the Archivo Nacional de España, the exhibition presents rare maps, council reports, and archival documents that reveal how Spanish colonial planning shaped Escolta’s spatial and cultural identity. Escolta, located within Binondo, a district in Manila known to be the oldest Chinatown in the world, stands as a layered site of commerce, migration, and transformation. It is also the focal point of James Clifford Viloria's doctoral dissertation, which explores urban heritage and the evolving narratives of Manila’s historical districts. Through Calle de Escolta: Sa Mata ng Kolonyang Español, visitors are invited to reflect on how colonial legacies continue to shape the visual and spatial character of the city bridging past and present through archival memory and critical storytelling.