Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is a 400-hectare seaside estate at Bagac, 150 kilometres north of Manila near Bataan's provincial capital of Balanga. Ringed by pristine green hills and rice fields, the estate holds an unusual collection that is both controversial and commendable.
Rather than demolishing the beautiful heritage buildings sitting on construction sites of high-rise condominiums, Manila property developer Jerry Acuzar dismantled and transported them for preservation in his home province.
The Philippines have almost no legal protection for heritage structures on privately owned land. Often, removal is the only hope
Since 2006, the collection has grown and now comprises 40 houses and buildings - a unique repository of the Philippines' Spanish-period architecture - and some examples of its indigenous buildings. Rebuilt in a recreated township setting with period street lighting and public squares, these buildings evoke a quieter 19th-century ambience.
But there is great controversy involved in moving a building away from its original location, society and history. In heritage conservation, the ideal setting for a renovated structure is within its original place.
According to the Burra Charter, the internationally recognised principles for cultural heritage protection, "places of cultural significance enrich people's lives, often providing a deep and inspirational sense of connection to community and landscape, to the past and to lived experiences". Importantly, "the physical location of a place is part of its cultural significance. A building, work or other component of a place should remain in its historical location. Relocation is generally unacceptable unless this is the sole practical means of ensuring its survival."
In Hong Kong, the relocation of Murray House from Admiralty and Blake Pier from Central to the Stanley waterfront are examples of preservation by removal. This problematic but practical solution has become occasionally necessary in the face of Hong Kong's constant urban redevelopment.