PRE-COLONIAL AND SPANISH COLONIAL

Before the Philippines was found and invaded by the Spaniards, at that era we already have the Pre-colonial architecture.

 During that era, the usual form of the houses is the Bahay Kubo which is composed of indigenous materials and it has open space. Their way of the living was based on their daily work routine, it was peaceful and simple. And they also produce and invent something in order to survive. What I like in this era, the creativity of the Filipinos, the way they think in simple ways can change their living. 




But it all change when a Magellan accidentally found the island of Cebu. And that is the beginning of their invasion here in the Philippines. They introduce European architecture, but they also adapt some changes when it comes of the structures that they produce. At first they also use the native materials that was commonly use in constructing the houses and after sometime they learn the use of the stone as the lower level while they use wood at the upper level of the house. It’s like the combination of the two cultures. And it resulted as the Casa or Bahay na Bato.at that time they call their houses CASA DE ___, which means the house of “the surname of the owner”. They made the Bahay Na Bato more permanent house and it was strongly built structure, not like the Bahay Kubo, can be easily destroyed by the calamities.

While we were discussing the Spaniard Colonial Architecture, I just remembered our trip during my 1st year in Architecture, we go on an exposure trip in Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte, which we visit the famous Heritage Village in Vigan. 

This is an example showing of the ancestral houses during the Spanish Colonial.  

Now at this era of the Spanish colonial, they way the Filipinos lives become complex and also religious. There is a lot of changes of the way they plan their houses  and it also show know the hierarchy of the one who is living in the house.

This is the Main Entrance- ENTRESUELO.

In here we can see the main door that it has a small door at its right , this is were the person will enter and the whole door is for the entrance ant exit of the carriages and floats. Even know it is evident to our modern time , we can still see it in some gates of the houses here in the Philippines. 

This is the window and under that is the Ventalina - which is a small opening, so that the air can enter the house. 

VOLADA is a servants passage way in the house

in our modern term it was the service elevator know.

And in the bedroom or CUARTO in their headboard of the bed, their was a carved of the family symbol or the story of their family 

I admit that the Spaniards really helps us to increase our knowledge of the ways in living. Thanks to them we live a comfortable life. everything that we us at that time we do it manually and by the years pass we enhance that to what we are know using. 

and also during this period we learn about religion, about the Jesus Christ 

and it also the start of learning , by constructing a school and the churches even their is a political issues that is happening at that time we still gain something new. 

PRE-COLONIAL AND SPANISH COLONIAL

Before the Philippines was found and invaded by the Spaniards, at that era we already have the Pre-colonial architecture.

 During that era, the usual form of the houses is the Bahay Kubo which is composed of indigenous materials and it has open space. Their way of the living was based on their daily work routine, it was peaceful and simple. And they also produce and invent something in order to survive. What I like in this era, the creativity of the Filipinos, the way they think in simple ways can change their living. 




But it all change when a Magellan accidentally found the island of Cebu. And that is the beginning of their invasion here in the Philippines. They introduce European architecture, but they also adapt some changes when it comes of the structures that they produce. At first they also use the native materials that was commonly use in constructing the houses and after sometime they learn the use of the stone as the lower level while they use wood at the upper level of the house. It’s like the combination of the two cultures. And it resulted as the Casa or Bahay na Bato.at that time they call their houses CASA DE ___, which means the house of “the surname of the owner”. They made the Bahay Na Bato more permanent house and it was strongly built structure, not like the Bahay Kubo, can be easily destroyed by the calamities.

While we were discussing the Spaniard Colonial Architecture, I just remembered our trip during my 1st year in Architecture, we go on an exposure trip in Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte, which we visit the famous Heritage Village in Vigan. 

This is an example showing of the ancestral houses during the Spanish Colonial.  

Now at this era of the Spanish colonial, they way the Filipinos lives become complex and also religious. There is a lot of changes of the way they plan their houses  and it also show know the hierarchy of the one who is living in the house.

This is the Main Entrance- ENTRESUELO.

In here we can see the main door that it has a small door at its right , this is were the person will enter and the whole door is for the entrance ant exit of the carriages and floats. Even know it is evident to our modern time , we can still see it in some gates of the houses here in the Philippines. 

This is the window and under that is the Ventalina - which is a small opening, so that the air can enter the house. 

VOLADA is a servants passage way in the house

in our modern term it was the service elevator know.

And in the bedroom or CUARTO in their headboard of the bed, their was a carved of the family symbol or the story of their family 

I admit that the Spaniards really helps us to increase our knowledge of the ways in living. Thanks to them we live a comfortable life. everything that we us at that time we do it manually and by the years pass we enhance that to what we are know using. 

and also during this period we learn about religion, about the Jesus Christ 

and it also the start of learning , by constructing a school and the churches even their is a political issues that is happening at that time we still gain something new. 

BAHAY KUBO

In the Philippines, the Bahay Kubo is known to be our National shelter. It was a very simple shelter yet very well planned. The early Filipino’s at that time they need to build a shelter that can protect them from natural calamities and can live for a period of time. In order to build their shelters they only used the abundant materials that can be seen in their surroundings. The way they constructed their shelter, when we look at it at outside it was nothing special but when we look at it inside the way they planned their spaces, they consider their day-to-day life. And also in the Bahay Kubo, it shows one of the characteristic of a Filipino, the hospitality. Because of opines of the space it translate to hospitality of a Filipino.

                  What I realized in the Bahay Kubo, it shows the simplicity of living of the early Filipino’s at that time.  They used the space the way they do their daily routine to survive in day-to-day activities. And comparing the Bahay Kubo today, I my say that the way we plan or houses is like the Bahay Kubo, we plan our houses what we need but the difference is that we are more complex and we have lots of demands in building our houses. The Bahay Kubo still exists in the modern day but we can only see it at the distant provinces. It still shows the simplicity of a Filipino.

What I love in the Bahay Kubo is the function and how they come up of multipurpose rooms. The simplicity of it, we can compare it in our Modern architecture style and it also shows minimalistic.

My concept for my Bahay Kubo is a “bayong” what I like in the bayong is the woven buri leaves. The craftsmanship and the creativeness in the bayong can also be seen in the Bahay kubo and it also has a great function to the user and it shows the hardworking of a Filipino. My idea of Bahay Kubo is not to be a place to live, I was thinking of a place where everyone can enjoy and create new things.  So I was thinking of making an art center that is inspired from Bahay Kubo. 

TREEHOUSE V.1

Did you ever dreamed to have a tree house while you were a kid? Me? Yes, it’s my dream to have a tree house in our backyard, where I can play and hang out with my friends. But it never happens, because we don’t have a mature and strong tree that can handle a tree house.

But during my 2^nd year as an Architecture student in DLS-CSB, we have a design subject we called it ARCDES1 “Architectural Design 1”. It’s only our 2^nd meeting in the class and we were tasked to design and create a model of a Tree house. After the announcement of our next tasked, I was so excited to design my dream structure. So I quickly think of my inspiration for my tree house. I go to internet to do some research, searching for what could be my inspiration. After a long time of staring at the computer thinking what could it be my concept in my structure, I saw a picture of a snake wrapped around a tree. And then a light bulb pop out in my mind, I say to myself “Ah! This is it, this I will use as my concept in my tree house”.  

After that, I do quick sketches that share same characteristics of a snake in my tree house. But after I found what would be my concept, my next dilemma is what would be the function of my tree house. I don’t like literal house, so I came up of a café and hangout place for relaxing.

My inspiration is the California Red- sided Garter Snake is a colorful snake in North American. This is what I want to be my color in my tree house of its bright color it stands out in the color of the nature and it pops out.

Above are my sketches of my first version of my tree house. This is the sketches that I have done in class

And at home I plan my design. You can see below my sketch in my tree house

I will be using three mature trees as the fundamental support.

The way the path way it was synchronized by the movement of a desert snake a side movement.

It was shape of a snake at the tip or head, I was planning to elevate it a little and my café will be dividing into three parts

               

Philippine Architecture

At this term, for our fourth and last History class in Architecture we will focus on Philippine Architecture.

 At the very first meeting we were asked if Philippine Architecture exist. To be honest, ever since I was young I’ve known that the Philippines have different influences that affects our culture and our lifestyle. So when this question was asked, I have an answer that playing inside my mind. At first I think Philippine architecture has their own style but not in architectural way what I’m trying to say is that our lifestyle is the reflection of our culture. It reflects our food, cooperative endeavor or “bayanihan”, our hospitality and our colorful culture.

 Filipino FOOD

This is the jeepney it was originally from the US army’ jeep but it was transform. And it became a colorful decoration.

This is the vinta found in Zamboanga.

And this is the Pahiyas festival in Lucban Qeuzon. They decorated and covered their houses with colorful rice paper.

       This where I based my answer, that we have our own style.

       Know it was clear to me that Philippine Architecture was the evolution of different invasions of Spanish, American, Japanese and Chinese.  This invasion is the result of different influences that affect our lifestyle. This influence was supported by Filipino culture. And the even I learn the existence of Philippine architecture I still believed the bahay kubo is the best example of it.

As an architecture student, I truly appreciate the Philippine Architecture. Especially when we have educational trips, we went to Ilocos, Corregidor but unfortunately I didn’t join the trip and last Bicol this is the entire trip we went through during our 1^st year. This trip helps us to open our mind the existence of Philippine Architecture at this time I have doubt of its existence. But when I become 2^nd year this is the only time that I agree of its existence   

Our historical structures are the treasure of our country. It’s become the collection of the past. When we see something that becomes part of our history we picture our ancestors living at that era. It tells us the story of their daily life.

During my first two weeks in HSTARC4, we had a trivia quiz bee all about Filipino places and buildings. In this quiz bee it becomes a learning experience and also we become familiar to our important and historical places and buildings in the Philippines.

At our first quiz bee the topic is about the oldest in the Philippines. In here I realized that I have so many things to learn in my own country before I look in other country.

Most old places can be found in the region of Cebu. But the most that caught my attention is the Maharlika Highway, I’ve never thought there is an exciting highway that can across the whole Philippines, it start at Laoag City to Zamboanga City at south. This is the longest Highway in the Philippines. And also I also didn’t know that the Philippines have a title in the world, the Araneta Coliseum is the first largest indoor facility in Asia. When I hear about it, it feels great that we have something that only in the Philippines has.

But as we explore and learn so many things, I feel bad in our country because of our selfish desires and not knowing how much important this historical places and structure, we destroyed our national treasure that only here in the Philippines can be found. I hope the government while support to take care and preserve our own treasures.