After several years of gaining experience in private construction, higher education, and government service, I reached a point where I felt ready to build something of my own. The years leading to 1982 had prepared me technically and professionally, but perhaps more importantly, they had taught me how to work with people, earn their confidence, and manage increasingly complex projects.
Looking back today, founding RG Chan & Associates was not a sudden decision. It was the natural culmination of everything I had learned along the way.
Starting an Architectural Practice in Baguio City
Before establishing my own architectural practice, I entered another significant chapter in my career as Principal Partner of Chan–Puzon Associates, together with my good friend, Architect Edmund Puzon. More than four decades later, I am grateful that our friendship has endured the passage of time.
Our partnership was built on complementary strengths. Edmund took the lead in public relations and business development, securing many of our commissions through his extensive Manila network. I, in turn, brought in our Baguio projects, and supervised our three-person drafting team, ensuring that our working drawings, specifications, and project documents were produced accurately, efficiently, and to the highest professional standards.
Our practice handled a diverse portfolio that included private residences, commercial developments, subdivision projects, and numerous design proposals in both Baguio and Metro Manila. The variety and pace of the work challenged us to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining consistency in quality and attention to detail.
Those years proved to be invaluable preparation for the future. They strengthened my confidence in leading design teams, managing complex project workloads, and upholding the professional standards that would later become the foundation of RG Chan & Associates.
Discovering Computer Technology Before CAD
One experience during my partnership with Edmund would unexpectedly shape the future of my architectural practice.
Our office acquired what was probably one of the first personal computers used by an architectural firm in Baguio City—a Vector computer, then distributed locally through Alemars Bookstore in Manila.
By today's standards, the machine was remarkably primitive. It relied on two 5¼-inch floppy disk drives: one to boot the Disk Operating System (DOS) and the other to load the application in use. At the time, our computing needs were modest, limited to word processing and spreadsheet work, with a dot-matrix printer producing our first computer-generated documents.
Architectural drawings, however, were still created entirely by hand on drafting tables. Computers had not yet entered the world of architectural drafting.
Even then, I sensed that digital technology would eventually transform the profession. Although Computer-Aided Design (CAD) was still years from becoming practical, that early encounter with personal computing awakened a curiosity that has stayed with me throughout my career. It inspired me to embrace each new technological advancement—from CAD and Building Information Modeling (BIM) to today's artificial intelligence—not as a replacement for architectural judgment, but as a tool for delivering better design and better service to my clients.
Establishing RG Chan & Associates in Baguio City
In March 1982, Edmund and I amicably decided to pursue separate professional paths.
I established RG Chan & Associates at the UB Commerce Building along General Luna Road in Baguio City. The office was modest, but it represented something much larger—a commitment to build an architectural practice founded on professional integrity, thoughtful design, and lasting client relationships.
Like every new firm, the early years demanded perseverance. Many projects remained proposals that were never built, but each commission strengthened our portfolio and expanded our reputation.
Every drawing became another opportunity to demonstrate competence and earn trust.
The First Projects That Built Our Reputation
My first completed commission was the Victoria Shoppesville Building, developed for the Heirs of Ang Beng. Conveniently, the project site was only a short walk from my office, allowing me to monitor its construction and progress almost daily.
Soon afterward, an unexpected encounter would profoundly influence the future of my practice.
One day, a gentleman named Peter Ng walked into my office seeking architectural services. What began as a professional engagement gradually evolved into one of the longest and most rewarding client relationships of my career.
Over the decades that followed, Peter entrusted me with a series of significant commissions, including Hotel Supreme Phase One in 1986 and its expansion in 1989, Hotel Supreme Phase Two in 1992, and eventually the Hotel Supreme Convention Plaza in 1998. Along the way, our professional relationship grew into a lasting friendship that continues to this day. Looking back, I consider Peter not only one of my most valued clients, but also one of the people who helped shape the growth of RG Chan & Associates.
Another memorable client was Johnny Ku, owner of Big K Super J Corporation. Having known my older brothers, Romeo and Bon, Johnny immediately placed his trust in me. In 1994, RG Chan & Associates was commissioned to design and supervise the construction of the Baguio Palace Hotel, followed later by its expansion. His untimely passing, in 2019, reminded me that the most enduring professional relationships are often built on mutual trust, respect, and friendship. In architecture, buildings may stand for generations, but it is the people behind them who leave the deepest and most lasting impressions.
Building Trust Within the Community
Looking back on those formative years, I often notice an interesting pattern.
Many of my earliest clients bore Chinese surnames. Whether this was the result of coincidence, shared cultural familiarity, or simply fortunate timing, I have often wondered whether being among the few architects of Chinese heritage practicing in Baguio at the time helped establish an initial sense of familiarity and trust within the local Chinese-Filipino business community.
Whatever the reason, I have always believed that while a name may open a door, it is competence, integrity, and consistent service that keep it open. Clients may give you an opportunity, but only professionalism and results earn their confidence over time.
That conviction has guided me since the day I founded RG Chan & Associates, and it remains one of the core principles of our practice today.
A Practice Built on Relationships and Professional Acumen
Founding RG Chan & Associates in 1982 marked the beginning of a professional journey that has now spanned more than four decades.
Over those years, architecture has undergone a remarkable transformation. Drafting boards have given way to Building Information Modeling (BIM), manual calculations have evolved into digital workflows, and today, artificial intelligence is reshaping the profession. While the tools have changed dramatically, the principles that guided my practice from the very beginning have remained constant.
In that modest office along General Luna Road, I established a simple philosophy: serve every client with integrity, never stop learning, embrace new technology, and remember that architecture is ultimately about people.
Those values have guided RG Chan & Associates since 1982 and continue to shape every project, every client relationship, and every professional decision. Looking back, I realize that the true measure of an architectural practice is found not only in the buildings it creates, but also in the trust it earns and the lives it touches.
