The Insular Ice and Cold Storage Plant also known simply as the Insular Ice Plant was an

ice Ice is water frozen into a solid state, typically forming at or below temperatures of 0 degrees Celsius or Depending on the presence of impurities such as particles of soil or bubbles of air, it can appear transparent or a more or less opaq ...

production and storage facility in

Ermita Ermita is a district in Manila, Philippines. Located at the central part of the city, the district is a significant center of finance, education, culture, and commerce. Ermita serves as the civic center of the city, bearing the seat of city g ...

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. It was said that the facility was leased or operated between 1933 up until 1943 by

San Miguel Brewery San Miguel Brewery Inc. is a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation and jointly owned with Kirin Holdings Co. Ltd. The company is the Philippines’ largest brewery with a market share of over 95% as of 2008. The company also operates in China a ...

, which had acquired "Oriental Brewery and Ice Co." from Hong Kong back in 1919. It was the oldest ice manufacturing plant in

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

History

The Insular Ice Plant was built in 1902 at near the southern end of the Puente Colgante (later

Quezon Bridge Quezon Bridge is a combined arch and prestressed concrete girder bridge crossing the Pasig River between Quezon Boulevard in Quiapo and Padre Burgos Avenue in Ermita in Manila, Philippines. Quezon Bridge was built to take the much greater and ...

). The

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...

approved the construction of the plant to "provide supplies comfort" to

US troops The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

. The facility is one of the first permanent structure by the Americans during the American administration of the Philippines. It was later severely damaged due to the Battle for Manila of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, leaving the tall smoke stack. The Insular Ice Plant was later dismantled in the 1980s to make way for the construction of the viaduct of the

Manila Light Rail Transit System Line 1 The Light Rail Transit Line 1, commonly referred to as LRT Line 1 or LRT-1, is a light rapid transit system line in Metro Manila, Philippines, operated by Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) and owned by the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA ...

. Currently the lot is occupied by the Liwasang Bonifacio station of the

Pasig River Ferry Service The Pasig River Ferry Service (PRFS) is a public water bus service based in Metro Manila, the Philippines. It is currently the only water-based transportation service in Metro Manila that cruises the length of the Pasig River and Marikina River, ...

, and a bus terminal.

Architecture

The Insular Ice Plant was designed by American architect, Edgar K. Bourne, who was also the head of the Bureau of Architecture as per the

Philippine Commission The Philippine Commission was the name of two bodies, both appointed by the president of the United States, to assist with governing the Philippines. The first Philippine Commission, also known as the Schurman Commission, was appointed by Preside ...

during that time. The facility was designed as a Mission Revivalist brick structure with a ten-story high smoke stack which made it a city landmark.

References

{{reflist Industrial buildings completed in 1902 Buildings and structures demolished in the 1980s Former buildings and structures in Manila Demolished buildings and structures in the Philippines

History

Architecture

See also

References