Carlos A. Santos-Viola

Who was Carlos A. Santos-Viola?

Carlos Antonio Santos-Viola was an architect in the Philippines. He is best known for designing and building churches for the Iglesia ni Cristo religious group.

Carlos was born Carlos Santos-Viola y Antonio in San Miguel, Bulacan and one of six children to Melecio de Guzman Santos and Miguela Magpitang Antonio.

Starting from San Miguel Elementary School, Carlos moved on to the Ateneo de Manila to finish his high school education. While in Ateneo he joined the school band, and was quite active in basketball. Santos-Viola was one of the very first graduates of the College of Architecture of the University of Santo Tomas in 1935. During this time the professors then were outstanding architects and engineers of the period, such as Tomas Arguelles, Tomas Mapua, Juan F. Nakpil, Fernando H. Ocampo, and Andres Luna de San Pedro.

Santos-Viola worked in the office of Juan Nakpil after graduating. There he met Juan's youngest sister, Caridad, his future wife and mother to his children: Rosario, Milagros, Paz, Lourdes and Carlos Jr.

Shortly after World War II, he decided to open his own office in partnership with Alfredo J. Luz. In 1955, both parted ways and practiced separately.