Following our posts about verandahs, balconies, and terraces, let’s talk about the patio and the deck. Again, these things are not the same. As outdoor spaces, they may seem alike, but they are actually different. The Patio is a paved outdoor area of a house which is used for dining or recreational purposes. In Spanish,…
Nipa Roof Shingles are made from Nypa Fruticans, or nipa palms, which are not only abundant but also cost-effective in terms of indigenous construction materials. Nypa Fruticans grow beside the sea, in tidal flats or brackish swamps. They are often found in the Philippines and in many other parts of the Pacific and Southeast Asia.…
People refer to a building where they get a doctor’s diagnosis or health checked as a hospital but it is actually called a Medical Arts Building. Not many people know the difference. The Medical Arts Building, also called Medical Office Building or Medical Arts Center or Medical Arts Tower of a Hospital, is the building…
Are familiar with this chair’s name? This is called a Butaka, a piece of furniture that is respite, birthing clinic, and time machine rolled into one stylish yet functional piece in traditional Filipino homes. The Butaka is a handcrafted chair usually the size of 70cm x 57cm x 118cm and made of Narra hardwood. Its…
The history of the Kapiya can be traced back to the Spanish Colonial Era, where the simple piece of furniture evolved alongside the Philippines’ own history. What Cebuanos call ‘bangko’ is known as the kapiya, which traces its roots in the country’s spiritual influence by Spain. The Filipino Kapiya is a kind of a settee…
Let’s try the difference between these four different things: the stairs, ladder, steps, and stepladder. These may be divided into two sets of classifications, depending on whether they are moveable or fixed. The ladder and stepladder are moveable equipment, while the stairs and steps are fixed to the building. A ladder has a series of…
It’s one of those things we think we already understand, because we’ve heard about it most of our lives. At times, we tease our friends with big houses to invite us to their “mansion.” But what really is a mansion? Mansions in modern-day pertain to houses usually 460 square meters and above, with luxurious components.…
When we think about Bungalows, the image of the one-story house with verandahs comes to mind. But like any other kind of house, there are different kinds of Bungalows and two of which are the craftsman style and the prairie style. The Craftsman Bungalow is the most common bungalow design. It is characterized by roof…
Although we see these glass panels in old houses and some contemporary revival, there is not much written about this architectural gem. These classical glass panels are often found in Spanish Colonial heritage houses in windows and dividers and are often with capiz windows. The Ylang-Ylang/Sampaguita Glass is a type of pressed glass with motifs…
Bamboo Roof Shingles are one of the primary derivatives for nipa thatched roofs in vernacular rural housing in the Philippines. Bamboo Roof Shingles are a kind of roofing in rural homes in the Philippines that makes use of materials that are readily abundant in nature. In this kind of shelter roofing, spliced buho bamboo or…
