How China and Italy are helping restore the CCP’s brutalist beauty.
The glow-up is real, and it’s carved in stone.
As part of the ongoing rehabilitation of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Main Building, its iconic travertine facade is getting a meticulous, globe-spanning upgrade.
According to the “CCP Backstage Pass,” the agency’s official newsletter, the journey of each slab is nothing short of impressive: sourced as raw blocks from Italian quarries, processed into precision-cut slabs in China, and finally shipped to the Philippines for finishing touches in Novaliches, Quezon City.
The dry-lay discipline
At the Guanco Warehouse, each piece is carefully cut, dried, filled, sanded, and polished—step by step—until it achieves that signature smooth, uniform finish.
Before installation, panels go through a “dry-lay” process, where they’re arranged side by side to ensure perfect alignment in veining, tone, and texture.
As the CCP Main Building prepares to reopen later this year, the renewed facade promises not just a fresh look but a tribute to craftsmanship that spans continents.
Because when it comes to a national cultural icon, details aren’t just details—they’re the main event.
Sourced from Italy and processed in China and Quezon City, the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ new travertine facade is nearing completion as the iconic building prepares for its 2026 reopening.
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