Posted on: February 2, 2021 Posted by: Yas D. Ocampo Comments: 0

TAO Pilipinas and their architecture advocacy

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…

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Posted on: January 26, 2021 Posted by: Arch. Gloryrose Dy-Metilla Comments: 0

How to know if your area is flood-prone

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/ …

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Posted on: January 26, 2021 Posted by: Arch. Gloryrose Dy-Metilla Comments: 0

Carinderia

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…

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Posted on: January 26, 2021 Posted by: Arch. Gloryrose Dy-Metilla Comments: 0

Mall

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…

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Posted on: January 26, 2021 Posted by: Arch. Gloryrose Dy-Metilla Comments: 0

Round Arch vs. Segmented Arch

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…

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Posted on: December 11, 2020 Posted by: Yas D. Ocampo Comments: 0

Pandemic architecture and food security

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…

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Posted on: November 10, 2020 Posted by: Arch. Gloryrose Dy-Metilla Comments: 0

How to respond to clients who want cheap or free design

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…

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Posted on: October 29, 2020 Posted by: Arch. Gloryrose Dy-Metilla Comments: 0

Drywall and concrete walls

Drywall and concrete walls are two different walls of a building. They are seldom interchanged but there is also a question about what is a drywall in the first place. A dry wall is a wall composed of plasterboard, wallboard, sheet rock, gypsum board, buster board, custard board, or gypsum pane and all the other boards manufactured. It is set up using either wood frames or wall studs. You can…

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Posted on: October 29, 2020 Posted by: Arch. Gloryrose Dy-Metilla Comments: 0

Panolong

Panolongs are end beams of a Torogan, a traditional royalty house of the Maranao. It is the most distinctive feature of the royalty houses because it protrudes in front of the house and on the sides making the royalty house an architectural marvel. There are usually seven panolongs around the Torogan, five in front and two at the back. They have intricately carved okir, the naga or serpent like carving…

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Posted on: October 29, 2020 Posted by: Arch. Gloryrose Dy-Metilla Comments: 0

Breeze Blocks

Breeze blocks blend stability, capacity for natural lighting, and ventilation, all in one.  These architectural screen blocks are walls or fences specifically designed to let structures and areas maintain ventilation, despite their solid form. Essentially, any structure can breathe with these walls letting air pass through instead of around or against it.  Breeze blocks are commonly used in residential buildings and commercial buildings.  These decorative concrete blocks made their way…

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