Traditional houses in rural areas are nipa huts constructed of bamboo and roofed with leaves from palm trees or corrugated metal. But whatever it is, how simple or elegant it may be, a Filipino shelter started with this simple designed house- the Bahay Kubo. Some of these dwellings were adapted from the design in other countries. These days, there are many kinds and types of dwellings that can be found in the philippines. Newer buildings in Manila range from standard multistory offices to Western-style gated housing areas for the affluent, to tenements and shacks. Areas of Manila destroyed during World War II have been restored to their historical Spanish appearance. Towns destroyed during the liberation campaign in World War II, especially in central and northern Luzon, were rebuilt using wood. Seaports and government centers had a larger proportion of Spanish buildings with wide verandas and tiled roofs. It is difficult to imagine how the indigenous population in the seventeenth century was able to build them. The churches are large and different from traditional construction. Spanish brick churches built during the colonial era dominate the towns.

Two of my favorite bahay-na-bato are Casa Vyzantina and Casa Luna.The architecture of the Philippines shows Spanish influence. Called Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, this place combines culture, history and beach life. Some famous bahay-na-bato In the Philippines, there is a place where old bahay-na-bato from all over the Philippines’ many islands can be found re-built and refurbished into its former glory. This feature thus makes the house flexible enough to accommodate various numbers of people at one time, be it in one or more rooms. These doors make one whole floor of the house seem a lot bigger and more spacious when kept open, as in one grand hall. Massive double doors also connect rooms to each other. Here, the window sill holds two to three sliding shutters: wooden jalousies, capiz or oyster shell shutters and sometimes, glass-paned shutters (Perez, 2007). Other interesting features of the bahay-na-bato include a window system that runs along the volada. There’s the zaguan, the spacious entrance hall that also serves as a storeroom the caida or the living room the dining area the kitchen the azotea, which is a roof terrace and the volada, a gallery that serves to insulate the other rooms from the sun’s heat. ” The house’s stone material and its various rooms signify Spanish influences.

In particular, these events were in 1834, when Manila began to take part in international trade and in 1869 when the Philippines’ elite, especially those in the provinces, began to enjoy a fruits of an increased trade and agricultural production through the opening of the Suez Canal.įrom the Philippine side, the bahay-na-bato takes the best features of its traditional bahay kubo (nipa hut), with its “steep hip roof, elevated quarters, post-and-lintel construction, and maximized ventilation features (Perez, 2007). World events helped spark the idea for the bahay-na-bato’s creation. This house reflects Spain’s deep influence in the Philippines, and how the Philippines has made use of this influence to create something original and suitable for the Philippine setting.

Bahay na bato