Patented in 1901 by Thomas J. Metzger, the Jalousie window is one of the most common and popular window types in modern buildings. These windows let wind come in while also protecting interiors from rainwater, making this type of window ideal for tropical areas like ours. It is also space saving and can allow natural light to come in. However, the windows have some problems in terms of leaks and…
For those who have walked the grounds of Silliman University, perhaps there have been many memories at the Silliman Hall worth hundreds or thousands of words. Built in the early 1900s, the Silliman Hall is a building inside the complex of Silliman University, Dumaguete City, Negros Orientatl. It was the first building to be built after the creation of the Silliman Institute in 1903. The building is known for its…
Starting 2017, the Davao City local government set up the Kadayawan Cultural Village at the Magsaysay Park to popularize the traditional houses in the ancestral domains of cultural communities. This way, visitors to the annual Kadayawan Festival could see and experience for themselves the traditional homes of the 11 tribes predominant in the city. For the first digital Kadayawan Festival, Filipina Architect features the 11 structures at the Kadayawan Cultural…
Despite its elegance, not much is written about the Batibot Chair, a Filipino counterpart of the Vienna Bentwood. Originally made from bent iron rods, the batibot lives up to its namesake, the etymology coming from a history of sturdiness and firmness. In fact, the word batibot apparently means small but hard and sturdy. This seat became popular in the late 1950s and 1960s in the Philippines, becoming part of the…
If you’ve ever wondered what typhoon resilience looks like, look to the Ivatan of Batanes and how their homes have been designed to withstand the strongest of elements. The traditional house of the Ivatan is called the Rakuh. It is the main house that serves as living quarters. Its ceiling is higher that could store jars, boats, and other household belongings. The house typically has two levels which are divided…
A roof is a roof, but for the Tausug traditional Bay Sinug, it is so much more. It is an expression via architecture, the roof not merely serving as protection from heat or rain. The Bay Sinug roof features horn-shaped finials called Tadjuk Pasung, an accent losing prominence in favor of the more modern galvanized roofing. According to some, the tadjuk pasung represents either the flight of bird or the…
