PUZZLE MANSION: Gina Gil-Lacuna Now Doing the World Biggest Puzzle

PUZZLE MANSION: Gina Gil-Lacuna Now Doing the World Biggest Puzzle 

Our kababayan Gina Gil-Lacuna, 61 years old, a retired businesswoman, a good mother, a good wife, a high school graduate, a traveler, a passionate puzzle queen and puzzle collector. She is the record holder of the largest collection of Jigsaw puzzle in the world numbering to 1,028 puzzles in the Guinness book of World Records. 

The size of her collection eclipsed the old record held by Brazil’s Luiza Figueiredo, who reigned for two years. Gina Gil- Lacuna surpassed the record previously held by the Brazilian woman five fold. Ms. Gina Gil-Lacuna was officially certified by Guinness World Records Adjudicator Seyda Subasi Gemici of Turkey last November 29, 2012. She houses her collections at her Puzzle Mansion in Tagaytay City. 

The picture above is Keith Haring Double Retrospect set, believed to be the biggest in existence today and guess what? This is an upcoming addition to Gina Gil-Lacuna's collection. 

Gina Gil-Lacuna is currently doing this giant jigsaw puzzle, which is almost 32,000-piece puzzle measuring 17 feet tall and 6 feet wide. It features a retrospective with 32 individual, brightly-colored images of Keith Haring's artwork. It is labeled as the world's biggest jigsaw puzzle. It got a staggering 32,256 pieces, weighs 42 pounds and comes in at 17′ x 6′ when assembled!  Gina Gil-Lacuna shared to us that she allots three to four hours each day to work on her puzzle.  Gina Gil-Lacuna was very keen to finish this giant puzzle by July 31, 2013 because she wants to enter this puzzle to the Guinness Book of World Record. 

Lacuna had six (6) sheets of 4 X 8 plywood and a stand ready since piecing together this huge jigsaw puzzle will be a painstaking work. It consists of just six colors plus black and white, adding to the already incredible challenge.

The 32,000 pieces build into a retrospective of artwork by American artist Keith Haring (1958-1990). Each of the 32 different images shows one of Haring's quirky illustrations, inspired by the cartooning skills he learnt from his father. Haring, believe that art should be available to everyone, and many of his works were created for charities, hospitals, children's day care centers and orphanages.  

Gina Gil-Lacuna started doing puzzles 27 years ago which she bought in Hong Kong. Lacuna solved the 5000-piece Disney set for her son, Gino, then 2 yrs. old. “Doing puzzles is not easy, that’s why I don’t get any help!”quips Gina Gil-Lacuna.

All of Gina Gil-Lacuna's on-going and completed puzzles are housed at the Puzzle Mansion in Tagaytay. 

Her puzzle collection ranges from mural-sized classic paintings and custom-made photos to toy-like wooden figures and miniature replicas of cities.

Mrs.Gina Gil-Lacuna is confident that she will retain the Guinness book of World Records title because she still have around 700 puzzles still in boxes yet to be put together to be added to her collection. 

She encourages other puzzle enthusiasts, young and old to join the said hobby either for home decorative purposes, brain exercise or for family bonding for everyone to enjoy.

Her puzzle pieces are vast and varied from ordinary flat puzzle pieces to globe puzzle 2D to 3D. And from puzzle converted personal photos to naked wooden puzzle pieces, you name it she got it.

Guests must learn to maneuver the Puzzle Mansion steep slope both in entering and going out of the Puzzle Mansion premises. They have a fun sticker with a slogan: "I have survived the Puzzle Mansion slope".

There are food stalls where one can buy mostly Filipino fare and newly harvested fruits and vegetables, kebab, pasalubong items like shirts, caps, puzzle, oil and coconut cream pie for the Puzzle Mansion guests who came to view her puzzle collections. She'll be opening a restaurant inside the Puzzle Mansion premises soon.

Puzzle Mansion 

Cuadra Street, Brgy Asisan Tagaytay City 4120

(02) 425 5195