Today, it is evident that the Philippines’ culture and history remain to and through

architectural heritages in various dwellings such as those of the people,

churches, and mosques, and in preserved well-known buildings and structures in
the country. Architecture in the Philippines results from the natural growth with
the absorption of the pre-colonial influences which began with the Malay
brothers, to the Spanish Colonial period, the American Commonwealth period,
and the modern contemporary times. As a result, the Philippines has become an
architectural melting pot – uniquely Filipino with the touch of the occidental
(Noche, nd.). The progress of Philippine Architecture does not only depend on
the influences left behind by our ancestors but it is also a response to the ever-
changing environment and the needs imposed by the challenges found in the
growing community. Factors such as the geography and climate of the Philippine
archipelago demand people to be more creative, sustainable, and resilient in the
need for shelter.

According to Vijaykumar, et. al., (2014), cultural aspects can both challenge and
benefit the design processes. In the study, the authors conducted a workshop
with a mixed-cultural group – of German and Indian engineers – to work on a
design for the intercultural development of a sample product proceeding to the
process stage which is followed by its development and prototype. The findings
suggest that their cultural differences mostly influenced their communication
through language, and teamwork but also led to various creative solutions. The
result of the experiment shows that there are numerous ways that cultural
considerations influence the design process. First, cultures differ in emphasizing
what is called as necessary and esteemed as required or a requirement.
Secondly, these differences affect how people with different cultures work
together to be comfortable with one another. Therefore, having said these, the
impact of having various perspectives, and brainstorming ideas from cross-
cultural teams has led to a better understanding and more creative results that
exceeded what was expected from the experiment.