The Insular Ice and Cold Storage Plant also known simply as the Insular Ice Plant was an ice production and storage facility in

Ermita Ermita is a district in central Manila, Philippines. It is a significant center of finance, education, culture, and commerce. Ermita serves as the civic center of Manila, bearing the seat of city government and a large portion of the area's e ...

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

. It was said that the facility was leased or operated between 1933 up until 1943 by San Miguel Brewery, 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 is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...

History

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

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

approved the construction of the plant to "provide supplies comfort" to US troops. 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 (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, 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. 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 transport, 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 a ...

, 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 Pre ...

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