Machuca Tile, Inc.
With bright hopes...
For the millenium...
Machuca Tile, Inc...
Is honored to be...
As always...
At your service...
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Machuca Tile Inc.
since 1900
imitated..never equalled..
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In the late 1900's, during the colonial period, Don Jose Machuca y Romero founded what was and still is the premier producer of Mediterranean design cement tiles in the Philippines. The fabrica was in the genteel district of San Miguel beside the Pasig, dominated by the General's Palace in Malacañang. Don Pepe, the son of Don Jose Machuca y Romero, established Mosaicos Machuca at the ancestral house in Calle Tanduay in San Miguel.
The pioneering outfit specialized in cement tiles with Mediterranean motifs which were called "baldozas mosaicos" as well as granolithic sculptured fountains, ballisters, statuary & benches. Mosaicos Machuca, as it was originally called is the oldest tile manufacturing business in the Philippines, and has pioneered the wet and dry process of making Mediterranean design cement tiles.
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Machuca Tile, Inc. paved some of the most famous churches in the Philippines, as well as the homes of some of the country's most illustrious families. The tile that used to be known as baldoza came to be known as Machuca Tile after its manufacturer. The showroom was moved in 1993 to its present location at General Solano St. in San Miguel, Manila and is still in the hands of the Machuca family, albeit, the third generation, and is presently managed by Mrs. Elvira P. Machuca.
Known for quality craftsmanship in the Philippines, Machuca Tile projects include:
to name, but an impressive few.
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The company has always prided itself on the exceptional quality of the tiles handmade by the most skilled workers in the trade. The image on the left is Doña Juana Machuca y Arrieta, the wife of Don Jose Machuca y Sanchez with their son Luisito (whose wife is the present manager, Mrs. Vivian P. Machuca).
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In an era where the soundbites barely reaching our shores where belle epoque, Theodore Roosevelt, one Spanish gentleman by the name of Don Jose Machuca y Romeo founded what was and still is the premiere producer of Mediterranean tiles in the country. The fabrica was in the genteel district of San Miguel beside the Pasig, dominated by the General's Palace in Malacañang.
A Supreme Court Justice for what was then the audencia, Don Pepe - as he was called - could be a deadringer for Admiral George Dewey, with a more European carriage. Don Pepe established Mosaicos Machuca at the ancestral house in Calle Tanduay in San Miguel. The pioneering outfit specialized in cement tiles with Mediterranean motifs which were called baldoza mosaicos as well as granolithic sculptured fountains, statuary and benches.
Mosaicos Machuca -- as it was originally called -- is the oldest tile manufacturing business in the Philippines and has pioneered the wet and dry process of making Mediterranean design cement tiles.
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Machuca has paved some of the most famous churches as well as the most illustrious homes of the country.
The company has always prided itself on the exceptional quality of its tiles, handmade by the most highly skilled workers in the trade. Presently managed by Vivian P. Machuca, wife of the patriarch's son Luisito, the company has, aside from its gallery of exquisite designs, adapted to the needs of contemporary designs in the use of pastels as well as the traditional earth tone palette. The tiles are not baked, as Machuca still employs what has always been the traditional method of producing tiles.
The look is not stilumated. "These are handmade tiles" explains Vivian. "Thus, the tiles are cured." And for that timeless Machuca look, "We use Lansco powder (which we get directly) from Spain." Machuca also has a driveway tile design which is quite unlike the standard tiles available in the market; and the company is still one of the few who creat granolithic benches.
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Such was the popularity of the ubiquitous baldoza tile that, like some of the famous brand name products such as Colgate, Coke, Xerox, and Kodak, baldoza became a synonymous to Machuca tile after its manufacturer. Machuca's antique look remains popular, what with a century long parade of floor and wall tile trends. Eventually, the company changed its name to Machuca Tile, Inc.
Today, the showroom at its new location at 867 General Solano Street, San Miguel, Manila is still in the hands of the Machuca family, albeit, the third generation.
Baldozas mosaicos, as Machuca's tile were formally valled, prominently figured in the houses at the turn of the 19th century, Machuca's more historic projects include San Vicente de Paul (designed by Andres Luna de San Pedro), the San Sebastian Church Sacristy, San Beda, and the Colegio de San Agustin.
More recent commercial projects include the Alabang Town Center, Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort and Hacienda Luisita. Other projects include Max's Chicken, Cabalen, Rustan's Shangri-La, Patis Tesoro's atelier, and the New Jai Alai.
For the ancestral residence of former President Jose Laurel in Paco, Manila, a political landmark from the 1930s to the 1950s, Machuca tiles graced not only the floors but also a wishing well surfaced with baldozas mosaicos.
For the fortress-like home of former CCP Artistic Director Nicanor Tiongson, checkerboard Machuca floors add to the Pinoy flavor of the interiors.
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Two popular nineties homes attest to the ubiquitousness of Machuca tiles.
In the country home of ad executive Tonton Santos. Machuca tiles (in a combination with Vigan tiles) form steps leading to the second floor, the effect of which adds to the Etruscan feel of the "distressed" butter yellow-plus moss green and black walls.
Tile sizes are a standard 8"x8" (20mm x 20mm). Tile designs are either continuous ribbonlike (bands), or in enclosed spaces (panels) or in unlimited flat patterns. The fret and the star are frequently used -- as a frame and detail respectively -- in tile design.
In the residence of fashion designer Lulu Tan Gan, Machuca tiles hold their own so elegantly even in a Modernist, albeit Minimalist setting: tiles on the sun basket living room, the treads of the stairs (combined with narra risers and nosings) and the bedroom (combined with clay tiles and narra strips).
Both Tan Gan and the architect favor the inherent qualities of baldozas mosaicos -- the colors don't have a uniform effect for that natural and aged look.
In 1989, Machuca tiles were extensively used by Architect Augusto Villalon and interior designer Josephine Labrador Hermano's joint effort, the Pavilion Restaurant of the multi-awarded Alegre Beach Resort in Cebu.
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The tiles rustic look, derived from the Mediterranean flooring motifs, are characterized by intricate border motifs and colors with a handbrushed quality and muted colors of antiquity with vibrant and sophisticated palettes. Particularly appealing are the aqueous blues, greens and fruit colors.
The company welcomes special designs -- from landscape architects, interior designers, architects and other practitioners in the field -- in almost any color combination imaginable.
Today, the Centennial year has passed and the Millennium's eve has turned, and the year 2000 remains a significant year for Machuca.
"It is our (own) centennial" Vivian proudly declares.
Thus in this new age of websites and cloning, the handicrafted elegance of Machuca is here to stay. Vivian greets the new era on a bright note: "We hope that we can still be serving the country for another century."
Not just another century, here's another millenium of fine design! --- D&A Magazine 2000
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Click on the tile for full screen size.
Click on the frames' edges to browse through. Click the image for full screen size.
"Please wait for all the images to load for finer visuals.
The company welcomes custom designing/special designs from Landscape Architects, Interior Designers, Architects, & other practitioners in the field, in almost any color combination. Tiles are a standard 8" x 8" (20cm x 20cm) & orders take three weeks to produce.
Email: machucatile_yahoo.com
735-1837
Office Numbers: 735-1797
735-4914
Fax Number: 735-1757
Factory Number: 823-3178
Office Address:
Ground Floor, J y J Condominium, #867 General Solano Street, San Miguel, Manila
Factory Address:
Lot 17 Marian Park, Road I, East Service Road, South Superhighway, Parañaque
