Project Title: The Flow of Time: CDO’s Art Deco City Museum
Architect: Aimeelou Jean M. Demetrio
Location: Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines
Typology: Adaptive Reuse, Museum, Cultural Heritage
Status: Conceptual Visualization / Proposed
Project Description
Located in the urban core of Cagayan de Oro, Philippines, The Flow of Time presents a compelling example of adaptive reuse and heritage conservation through the transformation of a 1920s-era waterworks tank into a vertically organized, Art Deco-style city museum. Spearheaded by architect Aimeelou Jean M. Demetrio, the project repositions an obsolete piece of public infrastructure as a multi-level civic and cultural space rooted in both local history and architectural continuity.
Originally constructed as part of the city’s water distribution system, the cylindrical concrete tank has been reinterpreted not simply as a structure for preservation, but as a spatial anchor for storytelling and civic memory. Through a careful insertion of contemporary museum functions into the existing form, the design maintains the integrity of the historic industrial typology while introducing new layers of cultural relevance.
Architectural Strategy
The project’s core strategy revolves around vertical curation and spatial sequencing. Each of the four levels is designed to represent a chapter in the city’s development, arranged in an ascending narrative that metaphorically mirrors the movement of water and the passage of time:
- Ground Level: Reception and orientation area introducing the history of the tank and framing the museum’s concept.
- Second Level: Gallery on CDO’s natural history and ethnolinguistic diversity, incorporating fluid circulation and localized exhibit design.
- Third Level: Dedicated to Filomena M. Bautista’s legacy, this level explores the city’s civic and artistic heritage through curated artifacts and archival materials.
- Fourth Level: Film archive and exhibition space highlighting the city’s past leaders and landmark political movements.
The architectural language draws heavily from the Art Deco style, a reference to the era of the tank’s original construction. Decorative metalwork, geometric symmetry, and railings inspired by 1920s design contribute not only to aesthetic continuity but also to a sense of historic rootedness. The design respects the cylindrical form and introduces an inner vertical core wrapped with layered exhibits and lighting elements, transforming the void into a living spine of memory.
Material and Detail
Metal grilles, textured wall finishes, and curved wood flooring establish a tactile material palette that balances heritage reference with modern use. The intervention showcases a restrained use of new materials that complement, rather than overshadow, the structure’s original character. Lighting is handled with intentional softness, highlighting key narratives without disrupting the immersive atmosphere.
The railing system—a key visual and safety element—was custom-designed to echo traditional Art Deco motifs while responding to contemporary building standards. The staircases, which spiral around the central shaft, foster a continuous engagement with the tank, reinforcing the museum’s core metaphor of movement, flow, and layered time.
Cultural and Urban Impact
Rather than viewing adaptive reuse as a compromise, the project frames it as an opportunity for civic reinvention. By preserving the tank’s industrial language and integrating it into a public museum, the project becomes a statement on cultural continuity and urban sustainability.
The museum anchors its programming in local context, with an emphasis on ethnolinguistic identity, environmental awareness, and civic leadership. In doing so, it not only provides a platform for education and reflection but also contributes to the revitalization of the surrounding urban fabric.
It demonstrates how even small-scale interventions, when conceptually strong and community-driven, can shift narratives of development and memory. The project reframes heritage not as a frozen past, but as an active dialogue with place, people, and identity.
The Flow of Time challenges conventional notions of what civic architecture can be. It bridges industrial heritage and cultural storytelling, while providing a visually compelling and historically grounded space for reflection, education, and community gathering. Through its sensitive approach to adaptive reuse, it exemplifies how existing infrastructure can be repurposed into architecture that breathes—both in form and in meaning.