Torogan

 One of the three types of Maranao houses. The Torogan house is very ornated and a very
remarkable housing and was a symbol of high status, built by the slaves of the datu in the
1800s. Usually resided by the sultan or datu. The Maranao also known as ”People of the
Lake” and their life is centered on “Lake Lanao” which is the largest lake in Mindanao.
Torogan is also the community's venue for important social events such as weddings,
thanksgiving, wakes aside from cultural rituals and spiritual-related activities.

Source: The Torogan House. [Photograph]. Field chronicles.

https://fieldchronicles.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/maranao-torogan-an-ethnographic-
perspective/allan-torogan-026/

Plan
 There are no partitions inside the torogan house except for a small room called lamin with
okir carvings, usually reserved for the datu’s daughter.
Okir carving

 The window of the Torogan House are slits and richly framed in wood panels with okir
designs.
 Its dominant feature is the unique floor end beams, known as panolongs, which have
butterfly-shaped projections and are carved alternately with the traditional Maranao
symbols of niaga or naga (serpent or dragon) and pako rabong armalis (asymmetrical
growing fern)

Panolong
  Distinct high pitch gable roof. Thin at the apex and gracefully flaring down the eaves.

Materials
 A Torogan is elevated above the ground by its columns cut from trees of huge girth. Its walls
are covered with plywood sticks and the roof thatched with dried coconut leaves.
 The walls made of “gisuk” & wall studs called “tartek” hold the walling planks or the
“dingending”. The carved center beam inside the house called the “tinai-a-walay” supports
the king post of the roof.
 “Barimbingan” planks make up the “lantay” (flooring) held together by wooden floor joists
called “dolog”. The wooden staircase or “towak” as well as its stringer board screams of the
folk motif okir carvings.

Analysis of The Architectural Design in response to climatic condition

 High pitched roofs make it so that hot air rises with also the roofing material serving as an
insulator for the heat, large windows and openings making the dwelling have a more cooling
effect.
 Natural wood materials helps to keep the dwelling cooler.
 Elevated construction with huge columns making it a more disaster resilient structure.