Chu, Kathryn Alexandra V.

March 20, 2015

Indian Architecture

“Second Degree Axis Mundi”

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Studying the concept of Axis Mundi somehow enabled me to observe South East

Asian Architecture in a fresh and interesting point of view. It somehow explained how and

why the architecture of South East Asia is configured as what they are throughout the course

of history. The presence or application of the concept of Axis Mundi suddenly became the

first idea that I wish to analyze and investigate in a certain Asian architecture especially in the

Philippines.

Reading back, we found out how Axis Mundi is roughly defined as a connection or

transition between the heavens and earth, a portal, a center -an idea of cosmology. Basically, a

concept of order and origin relating one’s self and the universe. It is often used as a notion or

unifying concept to bring together the characteristics as well as the layout of spaces and

archetypes of South East Asia. Although this might be the case, I would say that “unifying” is

too big of a word for Axis Mundi with regards to its influence in South East Asia in general

as its gravity of application or manifestation varies to quite some degree per nation in this

region.

Generally, the Axis Mundi gave birth to the notion that one’s importance or closeness

to the gods or heavens is defined through their proximity to the sky. Meaning, height as

means of expressing hierarchy or sacred importance. It has developed the thought that one

“achieves” or is elevated spiritually in life as one ascends from the lower to the higher. Thus

defining the concept of pagodas, Ziggurats, stupas and temples. All of these structures are
considered as “holy” or sacred and are defined as such through their height and location.

These structures now become pillars and symbols of starting points or centers of a certain

larger organization. Take for example the Angkor Wat, it is laid out in such a way that roads

and structures branch out from the main temple and surround its perimeter. Angkor Wat is

also configured to be symmetrical, again because of the Axis Mundi. In addition to this,

courtyards are also manifestations of Axis Mundi as they symbolize or highlight the

“heavens” as they are open spaces. Most structures mentioned above aims to manifest the

characteristic of a “sacred mountain” which serves as centers.

On the Philippine context, we can compare this to how vernacular houses or villages

were laid out in plan. We recall that these villages often have this “origin house” or perhaps a

monument or marker located at the “apparent” navel of their whole village -a manifestation

of order and perhaps therefore of Axis Mundi. Another comparable architectural concept to

the Axis Mundi in Philippine architecture is the way they elevate structures they deem sacred,

for example, their rice granaries. Some would also say that torogan houses also manifest the

“world pillar” or “center pillar” through their extensively steep roofs. For this, I quite

disagree because I know that these steep roofs are of deeper Filipino context (i.e sea faring

and boat making context.) Which leads me to think that there are architectural concepts or

ideas we tie in too much with the Axis Mundi idea, which is why we also tend to end up

“over-analyzing” these elements.

Unlike Indonesia and Cambodia, we do not have massive plans laid out in an

explicitly World Pillar/ Axis Mundi concept. What we do have in Philippine Architecture

(especially Vernacular) is a sense of order, ”center/origin points” and elevation of structures

as hierarchy. That being said, I want to emphasize the Philippines only embodies a “second-

degree notion” of Axis Mundi.