Philippines: Early Dwellings

• Pleistocene period - earliest cave dwellers
• Tabon Cave, Palawan - oldest cave periodically lived in by prehistoric people
• Important artifacts: Manunggol Jar
• Aeta's Pinanahang - practical, no walls, fits the lifestyle of the people despite being simple
• Manunggol Jar - sculpture of two human figures on a boat: a symbol of journey to the afterlife, repository of human remains
• LUNGIB/KWEBA- Used natural landscapes as their dwellings and house
• PINANAHANG / LEAN-TO (Negritos)

  ● “The windscreen is designed to take away the adverse of effects of wind, besides giving shade from the sun” - Klassen, 2010

  ●  Negritos one of the first dwellers in the country; nomadic; depends on the sustainability of the food supply; adapted to the nomadic lifestyle

  ●  A-frame wood frame, one side is one cover of vegetative material

  ●  Temporary

  ●  Since nomadic, they can just keep the parts then carry it to the next place

  ●  Simple structure structure

  ●  Not fully covered

  ●  One-sided cover
• DAO HUT (Aetas)

  ●  Still a wooden A-frame

  ●  More definite interior space compared to the pinanahang

  ●  Similar to the prehistoric dwellings in the west

  
• ARBOREAL DWELLINGS / MANOBO TREE HOUSE OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO

  ●  Made use of plants and trees to serve as the foundation for the dwellings

  ●  Typical tree houses had two separate abodes: the daytime abode was built on the ground, while the smaller night abode (alligang) was on the top of the tree

  ●  Manobos and other tribes fit on the issues of these tribes (defensive)

  ●  Safe, clear view of their surroundings

  
• BALANGAY (boathouse)

  ●  Approx. 25 meters in length

  ●  Incorporated into sea transportation

  ●  boat used by sea-faring communities 

  ●  Carry more than one family

  ●  Nomadic lifestyle

  ●  Also known as the Butuan boat

  ●  Considered as the first wooden watercraft in Southeast Asia tracing back to 320 AD

  ●  A type of plank boat adjoined by a carved-out plank edged through pins and dowels; wooden joints (no metallic hardware used)

  ●  Eventually there was an emergent need of permanency

  ●  Brought about by the practice of agriculture

  
• Bahay Kubo is considered the "origin" of Philippine domestic architecture
• The house was a common dwelling type in the lowland and coastal areas during the pre-Hispanic period
• It is not considered original "Filipino Architecture" but rather part of the broader architecture in the Philippines
• The Austronesian influence from the Western Pacific to present-day Indonesia and the Indian Ocean can be seen in the design of Bahay Kubo
• "Bahay" means house in Tagalog, while "kubo" is derived from the Spanish word "cubo" meaning cube, reflecting the shape of the main house
• Bahay Kubo is referenced as "Vernacular Architecture" and the people who made it were self-trained
• Structural characteristics of Bahay Kubo:
• It is raised above the ground to protect the dwellers from the dampness and humidity of the earth
• It has three distinct horizontal divisions:

  • Stilts/posts often covered or enclosed with bamboo latticework for usable space underneath the house
  • One-room upper living unit
  • Steep roof
• Characteristics of Bahay Kubo:
• Stilts are a common feature
• Earlier versions had a common interior space
• Materials used in Bahay Kubo:
• It is made of indigenous materials such as Nipa Palm leaves, cogon, bamboo, and rattan
• Nipa Palm leaves are the most extensive palm in the world and are used for roofing because they repel water better than cogon
• Bamboo is a key structural element, usually used as whole bamboo or tree branches, with 5 species used for commercial purposes and the most preferable being Kawayan Tinik and Kawayan Kiling
• Rattan is used for joint systems, wall covering, and furniture in Bahay Kubo
• Bamboo strips and palm leaves are used for walls in Bahay Kubo
• VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

  • Something produced from indigenous processes
  • There is no sophisticated equipment used in construction
  • People who made it are self-trained
  • Output made out of need
• REGIONAL HOUSES IN THE PHILIPPINES

  ●  Inspired by the Nipa Hut

  ●  Design depends on the location and climate of the region

  ●  Devoid of partitions but was flexible when it came to functions
• Sagada House, also known as "tinokbob house," is directly built on the ground by the Igorots
• One of the earliest houses constructed in Sagada
• Ground space is used for eating, sleeping, cooking, and working
• Elevated central structure is used as a granary only
• Windowless with a thick steep roof intended to withstand cold weather
• Known for its pyramid roof which dominates the entire massing of the dwelling
• Three main components of Sagada House:

  • Stone pavement/floor
  • House cage represented by the Agamang
  • Pyramidal roof
• Site of Sagada House:

  • Cordillera region is land-locked and mountainous
  • Cool climate
  • Higher elevation
• Sagada House has two parts:

  • Main house
  • Agamang:
  • Storage for rice
  • Elevated to avoid the humidity of the soil
  • Avoid vermins
• Materials used in Sagada House:

  • Thatch (cogon)
  • Wood