HISTORY OF

ARCHITECTURE 4
PHILIPPINE ARCHITECTURE

Week 1: CLASS RULES & INTRODUCTION OF PHILIPPINE ARCHITECTURE

LECTURE BY: AR. MARIA CHARLOTTE M. ONA, uap

PHILIPPINES INTRODUCTION

According to an The first The traditional Philippines is About 44% of

old scientific inhabitants of classification of rich in natural the land area
theory, the the Philippines climate in the is resources that
is covered
Philippines was were immigrants based on four are yet largely
once a part of of Malayan undeveloped as
with forests.
climatic.
the Asian origin. They compared to
continent during were primitive other Asian
the pre-historic people, with no countries.
times. knowledge of
agriculture, who
lived by hunting
and fruit
gathering.
EARLY PERIOD
PRE-SPANISH ERA (8TH-15TH CENTURY)

Architecture in the Pre-Spanish era was

expressed in the bahay-kubo style of dwellings,
which was cool and cozy and well adapted to
tropical climate. Even before the Spanish
colonial period, the Filipino lived in permanent
homes and wore clothes and ornamental
handicrafts. Their houses were constructed of
wood, bamboo and leaves (nipa shingles). They
were grouped into Barangays along riverbanks.
 EARLY PERIOD
HOUSE EARLY FORMS
LUNGIB / KWEBA / CAVE
1
A natural chamber on the side of a hill utilized as one of the
earliest forms of dwelling. The Tabon cave in the southwest of
Palawan is one of the oldest and largest caves with an
approximate length of 41 mts and opening 8 mts in height and
16 mts in width.
TREE HOUSE
A single room house of light materials that are 2
either integrally built on high trees or above a
tree stump serving as the house’s main support.

Tree Dwellers in the Philippines:

• Gaddang and Kalinga of Luzon
• Manobos and Mandaya of Mindanao
• Moros of Lake Lanao
• Negritos of Bukidnon and North Central
Mindanao
• Bagobo of Davao
 EARLY PERIOD
HOUSE EARLY FORMS
BALANGAY
3
An impressive boat, approximately 25 meters in length and
carbon-dated to 320 AD, that was built entirely of wood and
used for seafaring by the ancient Kingdom of Butuan

PINANAHANG / LEAN TO
4
A form of dwelling common to the Negritos. The
lean-to is a single pitched structure of grass of
thatch on wood branches framing with the lower
end resting on the ground and the upper end
supported by wood posts.
 EARLY PERIOD
PRE-SPANISH ERA (8TH-15TH CENTURY)
NIPA HUT
Locally called “BAHAY KUBO” meaning, “CUBE HOUSE”

1
In the lowland areas, the nipa houses has at least three
different versions: Ilocos, Central Luzon and Southern Luzon.

2
In the lowland areas, the nipa houses has at least three different
versions: Ilocos, Central Luzon and Southern Luzon.
3
The characteristic shape of the tree is that of the classic Malay Nipa House with the pitched
roof with wide overhang wide windows, light walls above stilts and front and back porches.

4
Structures at this stahe wer built without nails, lashing of rattan or
strip of bamboo were used.
BAHAY KUBO
 The lean to roof
BAHAY KUBO The framework.

The washing area

The kitchen counter

The cooking area

The railing The “main” house

The underneath of the house

The access
 The thatched roof
BAHAY KUBO
The floor

The secondary beam

The wall
The main beam The post
The floor joist
Next meeting discussions:

Different
indigenous
houses of the
Philippines