Osaka Bazaar
Before World War II, the Philippines had the largest community of Japanese immigrants in Southeast Asia. However, not much is known about this heritage in the Philippines due to its sensitive and painful history. One…
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Metal Roofs vs. Roof shingles
These two roofing materials are the crowning glory of every home. What is the difference between them? For starters, a shingle roof is a roof composed of individual overlapping elements. These are typically flat and…
Dos Aguas vs. Quatro Aguas Roof
In Filipino construction, there are terms so common that it has surpassed generations, from the Spanish-speaking elders to the everyday construction personnel working on roofing. These are the Dos Aguas and Quatro Aguas Roofs. A…
Nailing Bamboo Poles vs. Tying Bamboo Poles
Did you know that you shouldnât nail two bamboo poles together? In some construction, we see this way of joining uncut bamboo poles together in typical huts in the Philippines. We often see that these…
Changing Perspectives: Why architects should learn from the barrios
Filipina Architect of the Month: Mary Catherine Diaz For Filipina architects like Cat Diaz, the cities must learn from the barrios, and not the other way around. Itâs a controversial statement, coming from someone who…
Balay Ukit
Balay Ukit is a kind of transom tracery unique to the Philippines and found in pre-WWII ancestral homes. The term was coined in the book âBalay Ukit: Tropical Architecture in Pre-WWII Filipino Housesâ by Maria…
Public schools and Gabaldons
If you spent your early education in public schools, chances are youâre school looked a certain way. Thereâs a name for this kind of schoolbuilding: the Gabaldon. Among the byproducts of American colonial rule during…
What is an Ah Tay Bed and How is it Related to the Cebuano Word âGi-Atayâ?
So, I came across this very interesting post on facebook by the Max Limpag, a journalist and blogger in Cebu City. It talked about how the word Gi-atay was from the Ah tay bed. So,in…
Silongs and Sigbins: The Philippine ground floor Hallow space and its mythological connections
If youâre a Filipino, chances are you may have lived in a house that had a portion called the âsilong.â Homes in the Philippines have a hollow portion at the lower level used to store…
Four FASCINATING ARCHITECTURE FEATURES OF THE Lepa, The Sama Bajao Laut or the Philippine Seadwellerâs Houseboat
If you are a Filipino, it is very likely that you have already come across the Bajau in the streets begging for food or selling used clothes. But did you know that originally they are…