Every architect has a beginning. Mine did not start with blueprints or buildings, but with a childhood shaped by family, curiosity, and an early fascination with drawing. Looking back, many of the values that would later define my professional life were formed long before I entered architecture school. My early years taught me the importance of hard work, humility, and perseverance—qualities that have remained with me throughout more than five decades in the profession.
Growing Up in Baguio City's Chinatown
I was born in September 1952, the Year of the Dragon, in the Manzanillo area of Baguio City's Chinatown. During the 1950s, the neighborhood was a vibrant community where Filipino and Chinese traditions naturally blended together. It was an environment that fostered close family ties, respect for elders, and a strong work ethic.
My father, Paing Su Chan, was a full-blooded Chinese immigrant from Amoy, now known as Xiamen, in China. He was also known by the name Rafael Chan, making me, in a sense, his namesake. Like many immigrants of his generation, he came to the Philippines in search of opportunity, relying on determination, perseverance, and hard work to build a better life. My mother, Antonia Genove, hailed from Naguilian, La Union, bringing with her the warmth, resilience, and practical wisdom that have long characterized Ilocano families.
Together, they created a home grounded in discipline, integrity, and education.
Growing Up as a Chinese-Mestizo
Being half-Chinese and half-Filipino—a heritage commonly referred to as Chinese-mestizo—allowed me to appreciate two rich cultural traditions. From my father's side came the values of diligence, perseverance, and respect for learning. From my mother's family came kindness, humility, and a deep appreciation for community, relationships and thrift.
These complementary influences helped shape my character and later guided the way I approached both architecture and professional practice. Buildings, after all, are ultimately created for people, and understanding people begins with understanding one's own roots.
The Youngest of Eight Children
I was the youngest in a family of five brothers and three sisters, a position that naturally came with certain privileges. As the last born, I was often considered the family's favorite, receiving affection and encouragement from my parents and older siblings alike.
Growing up in a large household also taught me the importance of cooperation, patience, and shared responsibility. There was always someone to learn from, someone to admire, and someone willing to offer guidance. Looking back, those early family relationships became my first lessons in teamwork and leadership—qualities that would later prove invaluable in coordinating architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, and clients.
Discovering a Passion for Drawing
Among my earliest childhood memories is an enduring fascination with drawing.
Long before I understood what architecture truly was, I was constantly sketching. I can still vividly recall that one of my earliest drawings was of a robot I had seen in a movie—an image I reproduced repeatedly from memory. Drawing became more than a pastime; it was my way of making sense of the world around me. Even then, I was captivated by the way spaces were organized and how buildings came together.
At the time, I simply enjoyed putting pencil to paper. Watercolor still-life paintings also became one of my favorite pursuits. Only years later did I realize that those childhood sketches and paintings had quietly been guiding me toward my future vocation.
Looking back today, I can see that those simple works of art were perhaps the earliest signs that architecture would become my life's calling.
Foundations for a Lifetime
Every professional journey begins with experiences that seem ordinary at the time but later prove significant.
For me, those experiences included growing up in Baguio City's Chinatown, being raised in a loving Chinese-mestizo family, learning from seven older brothers and sisters, and discovering the simple joy of drawing. Together, they formed the foundation upon which my career—and much of my life—would eventually be built.
After more than fifty years as an architect, I remain deeply grateful for those early influences. They taught me that before one can design meaningful buildings, one must first develop character, curiosity, and compassion.
In many ways, every building I have designed can trace its origins back to those formative years, when a young boy with a pencil first began imagining the world not simply as it was, but as it could become.
