HOME

PROFILE
PROJECTS
BLOG
PRESS

CONTACT
CONNECT

BAHAY KUBO, KAHIT MUNTI

April 25, 2015
Text by Nikki Boncan-Buensalido, Photo byBoom Boncan, as seen in Urban Monoogues v2.0,
Business Mirror

An old Filipino childrens song, known by most local households inspired me to write this article. Its
lyrics start off like this: Bahay Kubo, kahit munti, ang halaman doon ay sari sari. Simply
translated, There is a Nipa Hut, although very small, there are various plants that grow around it .
And then it goes on to enumerate various vegetables that grow around the Bahay Kubo. The
Bahay Kubo has been the subject of folk songs, legends, short stories and of childrens drawings. I
was one of those children that drew the Philippine countryside with two mountains and the setting
sun in between them as a backdrop to a rice field (with a scarecrow) and a small bahay kubo on
one side. Growing up, the bahay kubo was all too familiar with me as wed visit provinces and sleep
in one of those. During my university years, it was a topic wed dissect throughout my History of
Philippine Architecture subject. Up until today, a visit to our tourist destinations and provinces will
not be complete without a sighting of a cluster of these houses. Even at the onset of modernity,
these Nipa Huts still serve as a take off point and is truly a part and parcel of Philippine
Architecture and Design. The Bahay Kubo remains to be one of the most common examples of

Philippine Architecture and a lot of architects have pitched designs on their take of The Modern
Bahay Kubo. In retrospect, what makes the Filipino Bahay Kubo so unique in our tropical country
and what are the useful principles extracted to come up with a Modern Bahay Kubo? Let me share
with you some of these ideas:

This image was the inspiration for this article. This is a Bamboo House in Palawan at the Palawan Council for
Sustainable Development. A model unit for the Zero Carbon Resort, this was a result from of the winning design
participated by architects from Green Architecture Advocacy Philippines.

1.

Passive Cooling

Living in a tropical country has its pros and cons. We have extreme heat and humidity and strong
winds especially during the peak of the monsoon seasons. Our architecture has to deal with these
types of extreme conditions too. Passive Cooling is harnessing these types of energy to work for the
house by means of design and construction methodologies rather than using energy from artificial
appliances. The Bahay Kubo exemplifies this through the presence of wide windows from strategic
locations of the house for natural ventilation. Other fenestrations that allow wind to flow through the
house are over-sized windows, ventanillas or louvers, and an exhaust route for hot air at the top of
the ceiling to name a few. Furthermore, wide eaves and overhangs provide shading for the entire
house as well as its surroundings. Proper orientation of the house to open up to the wind directions
(Amihan and Habagat) may also be helpful when site allows. When this is achieved, heat is

deflected away from the house but light is still welcomed. The same principles can be applied to a
modern house and I promise you, you will also get the same wind flow and heat protection.
2.

On Stilts

Conditions in the Philippines also range from rainy and sunny. Lifting up the house on stilts is also
beneficial not only to allow wind to enter and circulate from under the house but also to protect the
house from floods. In the case of the Modern Bahay Kubo, if the house is raised on stilts, the lower
floor acts as a social space for family and friends to come together forming an interstitial space. In
the older times, this space also served as the extension of the family space or a storage for livestock
or harvest. Moreover, a house on stilts also reduces the building foot print and has a very minimal
ground disturbance during construction.
3.

Sustainable Materials for a Sustainable Environment

Building materials also play an important role in the construction of a bahay kubo. These include
bamboo, sawali, anahaw, rattan, among others. Bamboo is actually a type of grass with utmost
strength and flexibility. It is also one of the fastest growing plants in the world, hence its
sustainability. A typical Bahay Kubo is 80-90% bamboo. The leaves act as cladding for the ceiling
and the roof. Concrete may also be used but only recommended for the foundations of the house
and so that insects are not able to eat into the houses foundations. Today, the Modern bahay kubo
uses more modern materials that are still sustainable and environment friendly. Certain materials
are also certified to be sustainable as they are eco-friendly or made from recycled products, or those
with low volatile compounds, etc.
4.

The Family as a single unit

A unique trait amongst Filipinos is that we consider the family as a single social unit rather than an
individual as one unit. The family plays an important role in Filipino society. This is something
designers and planners must never forget. The spaces inside the typical bahay kubo are limited but
big enough to accommodate a whole family living together. The social space adapts to the Filipino
family values of being together and sharing their lives with one another. The idea of a family as a
single unit dictates that the common spaces of the house are bigger than i.e. their rooms. Usually,
the bigger rooms are the dining areas (Filipinos consider eating as a hobby and a past time) or
Family areas. This is also evident in the Modern Bahay Kubo. Filipinos love to entertain and have
friends and extended families over thus, spaces have to be designed to accommodate large or small
groups and spaces have to be able to open up to each other. One might notice that the dining room
opens up to the living area and the living area may open up to the garden or an outdoor patio. Heck,

in a traditional bahay kubo, the community lives so close to each other that they share their big
common space with their neighbors opening the house not only to their family, but also to the
community. Thats is how social Filipinos can get.
There are still a lot more principles I can extract from a small bahay kubo but I will stop here and
leave the rest to the imagination. The Bahay Kubo is not just a small house, it is a home, that is full
of history and in it lives the heart of the family. It is very functional given the limited material choices
in the provinces but with the right choice of materials and the right construction methodology, the
bahay kubo can withstand the strong storms and remain standing. Its elements are sustainable and
its principles are still extracted, studied and translated into modern day thinking.
Bahay Kubo, kahit munti, ang halaman doon ay sari-sari (Even if the bahay kubo is small,)
it is still used for so many purposes with each space designed and well-thought of. The concept of
the bahay kubo will never die, it is just transformed into something modern perhaps due to the rise of
more modern materials but its soul will always be there in the hearts and minds of each and every
Filipino young or old.

Filed under: Architecture, Travelogue, Uncategorized, Urban Monologues

SHARE

1 COMMENT

Philip
January 12, 2016 at 7:35 am |
Reply

did you know the Bahay kubo is the original eco house? Read full article
herehttps://www.propertyasia.ph/newsroom/2015/08/19/did-you-know-the-bahay-kubo-is-the-

original-ecohouse/

LEAVE A REPLY
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Name *

Email *

Website

Comment

Post Comment

ABOUT BUENSALIDO+ARCHITECTS
Buensalido Architects is an architectural, interior, and urban design laboratory solely committed to creating
original, avant-garde, innovative, and progressive solutions.

We started in 2006, with the commitment to introduce fresh, bold, and innovative concepts to Philippine design
setting.

View our Projects

CATEGORIES

Architecture
Interior Desgn
Interior Design
Press
Project Progress
Travelogue
Uncategorized
Urban Monologues

POPULAR POSTS

A Symphony of Steel and Stone : The Getty Center

The Mystery of Stonehenge
San Vicente

S House in Urban Zone

THE STORY OF THE THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

SEARCH

Go

Copyright 2015 Buensalido + Architects

Unit 405, 4th flr.,
106 Perea st.,
Greenbelt Mansions
Makati City
1226 Philippines
Telephone +632.478.3445
E-mail [email protected]
With by Vgrafiks

Beautiful Hotels Villas

Home

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Buensalido Architects | The Most Beautiful House on the Face

of the Earth Design Competition

We Filipinos are very participatory in nature. Contrary to Westerners who embody individualism, we
always want to be associated with or be part of a group. Since our idea of a single unit is our family, we
naturally develop an attitude of constant social interaction. Being able to interact with other people
provides a sense of belonging which in turn increases self fulfilment and self satisfaction of each Filipino.

We also would like have a say in any endeavour we do. This is evident in the design of jeepneys and
tricycles wherein each one ends up unique depending on what and how much borloloys the owner
would like to adorn his vehicle with. Filipino Cuisine is also a strong example of our participatory nature.
We always have a hand as to how we will experience the food served to us because it is always up to us
how much sauce or condiments we want to mix with our silog, adobo, sinigang or kare-kare. This idea is
reflected even in traditional architecture. Houses of the datus were defined according to how much
decoration there was at the exterior of their house.

The social nature of Filipinos is also evident in the local architecture. The traditional bahay kubos or even
the Ifugao houses were composed of one flexible room where all the activities are done thus allowing the
family to be in constant interaction with each other. The bahay-na-bato had an open plan that encouraged
interaction as well. These big spaces could be divided or doubled up by sliding doors, giving the owner
the freedom of how he could experience the space he could make it intimate or very spacious simply by
moving the partitions accordingly.
The design problem is to create the most beautiful house on the face of the earth (pinakamagandang
bahay sa balat ng lupa). Since the idea of beauty is subjective and is different for each person, the
participatory principle is applied to the design of the proposed house. Through a secondary skin which is
structurally detached from the houses main structure, the owner will be able to personalize his house
according to his taste, by choosing the shape, material, and configuration that he deems best for him.

Though freedom is given to the owner as to how he will create his idea of a beautiful house, the quality of
design should still be controlled. This is why a catalogue-concept was employed. Before the purchase of
lot or the construction of his house, a catalogue will be presented to the owner which will delineate
choices of shapes, materials, and even the scenarios of future expansions so that they can already
prepare his starter home for growth.
Location: University
of
the
Philippines,
DIliman,
Quezon
City,
Philippines
Architect: Buensalido
Architects

Arch.
Jason
Buensalido
Competition name: And Pinakamagandang Bahay sa Balat ng Lupa Competition (The Most Beautiful
House
on
the
Face
of
the
Earth
Deisgn
Competition)
Type: National
Competition
Result: First
Place
Year: 2009
Floor
Area: 45
sq.m.
Photographer: Jason Buensalido

Posted by beautiful villa Hotel at 3:22 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
Labels: Beautiful House

No comments:
Post a Comment
Newer PostOlder PostHome
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
Labels

Amazing Houses (5)

Bathroom design ideas (1)
Beach House (3)
Beautiful Sofas (2)
Beautiful 3D Interior House (1)
Beautiful garden (5)
Beautiful garden Design(2)
beautiful gardens (4)
Beautiful home designs(4)
Beautiful Homes (2)
Beautiful House (8)
Beautiful house design (8)
Beautiful house designs(2)
Beautiful house garden (3)
Beautiful Villa and hotel(1)
Beautiful Village Home (1)
Bedrooms Design (1)
Bedrooms Design Ideas(2)
Billiard Room Designs (1)
Chinese Garden (1)
Chinese Garden Design(1)
Chinese Gardens (2)
design (2)
Garden design (2)
Garden Design Ideas (3)
Garden shopping (1)
gardening (4)
Gardens (1)
Gardens in France (1)
Happy Home (1)
Happy house (1)
Home decor (2)
Home Sale (1)
Home Selle (1)
house Garden (4)

House Design (2)

houses (6)
houses design (2)
Interior Design (1)
Japanese Garden (1)
Perfect Bedroom (1)
Rome (1)
Small Gardens (3)
Stone Garden (1)
vegetable garden (1)
vegetable garden ideas(1)
water garden (6)
Followers

Simple template. Powered by Blogger.

Atong, pasabi naman Kay mama Na pakitawagan pag Ibig. Na late yung pag padala ng pera pambayad Sa bahay, pa
ask Kamo pano magbayad for this month of may. Tumalbog ata check namin Sa pag Ibig ngayong may