If you’ve ever heard someone mention ‘nagbubuntis’ in a construction setup, chances are it doesn’t have to do with female reproduction. The term refers to a column or a slab that is weak in formworks and somehow bulges to resemble… you’ve guessed it… pregnancy. This is a typical construction term that Filipino workers use on site. What is its technical term? The technical term for such a defect is called…
By Ar. Gloryrose Dy Metilla Paints are very important elements of architecture because of their capacity to set the tone, literally. Some psychologists even argue that color determines the mood of certain spaces. In architecture, paint brands affect this further, and we can say that from experience. Some brands are more vibrant than others while other brands do have that more subdued hue that other people love. We asked some…
It is time for us to feature a very important booklet that could change how we see cities. This booklet is called the Heritage Urban Landscape Toolkit. This published brochure “New life for historic cities: The historic urban landscape approach explained” introduces the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape, which was adopted on 10 November 2011 by the 36th session of UNESCO’s General Conference, and how to apply the Historic…
TAO architects with residents of Manicani Island in Guiuan, Eastern Samar after undergoing a participatory design workshop for the development of a barangay evacuation center. If it’s any indication, beneficiaries of TAO Pilipinas projects are pleasantly surprised after finding out that women make up most of the shelter-oriented non-government organization. That in itself is its own bane and boon. It’s good because it inspires; it’s bad, since there’s still the…
Look it up on Flood Maps apps The quickest and easiest way to find out if your property is prone to flooding is to check a flood risk map. In the Philippines, we have flood risk maps made by different agencies. The UP Project Noah app is one of the most reliable apps to show flood prone areas although it is not the most stable. Check them out at http://noah.up.edu.ph/ …
Present almost everywhere in Philippine urban and cultural landscapes, the carinderia is a local food stop that regularly cooks meals at affordable prices. In early illustrations, the pre-colonial carinderia structure consisted of a display area for the food, the small usually roadside kiosk conveniently shaded under thatched roofing. More modern carinderias are fixtures in marketplaces. This structure’s etymology is still disputed; however, it’s not as unlikely. The word carinderia came…
Malls are a symbol of Philippine postmodern culture for retail, shopping and extravaganza. But did you know that the term mall was not really used to pertain to a huge building with lots of shops back in the day? In the 1700s, the mall was meant for a place where people played a game called pall-mall. This game was similar to croquet. The pall-mall was played in a rectangular grass…
We often see different types of arches in entrances of institutional buildings or in partition walls of residences. We see these arches in Philippines Government buildings. The most common arches would be the round and the segmented arch. The round arch is a continuous curve. It traces its history during the Roman era. The masonry support is usually curved at the top which makes the entire component curve. On the…
Filipina Architect interviews Arch. Tricia Sardinia, Managing Director, Architects Exchange (AEX) Oftentimes the science in architecture overshadows its own art. Structures are built out of a need to create. At times, the practice can be counterproductive; in worst cases, destructive. But what happens when it is architecture that answers a basic human desire: food. This desire to incorporate design in sustainable praxis has become a mantra for architects like Tricia…
This is every architect’s dilemma: Being asked for cheap or free architectural design. Most architects get insulted by this scenario but do not know how to respond to it. I interviewed Principal and Managing Partner of Asian Architects and Former Chairman, Green Architecture Advocacy Philippines, FUAP, APEC Architect, Associate of AIA, Ar. Mike Guerrero and he has shared some valuable things on how to respond to clients who want a cheap design or…
