Brief History of the College of Engineering and Architecture

In 1953, the first year Basic Engineering class opened in a room atop the Silver Shop of the Saint Louis Center elementary building. There were only two regular instructors then so other instructors from the departments of Education, Commerce and Liberal Arts were called in to help. The Department of Engineering was supervised by Rev. Dr. Gerard Decaestecker, then Rector of Saint Louis College. In 1955, Engr. Juanito Ferrer took over as the Dean.

The department was transferred to the Antipolo building along Session Road where BS Electrical Engineering was formally offered and eventually officially recognized in 1958. More engineering courses were opened, such as BS Chemistry and BS Chemical Engineering, both getting recognition in 1962.

In 1959, Engr. Lucio Gallardo became the dean for three regular years. When Engr. Arnulfo Nadela assumed office as dean in 1962, BS Industrial Engineering was offered and recognized in 1965. After his term, Engr. Porfirio Llanes served until 1979.

It was during the term of Engr. Llanes that more courses were opened to such as BS Geodetic Engineering in 1968, BS Electronics and Communication in 1974, and BS Mining Engineering in 1976. These courses were recognized in 1969, 1979 and 1980, respectively.

The boom in the enrolment in the College of Engineering called for the construction of more classrooms. From atop the Silver Shop to the Antipolo building on Session Road, to Boys' High School along General Luna road, and later to the Diego Silang building. Today the College of Engineering is housed in a seven-storey building called the Otto Hahn building which was inaugurated in 1970.