Philippine Architecture

Differentiate!
Philippine Architecture

It is a reflection of the history and heritage of the

country. The most prominent historic construction in
the archipelago are based on a mix of Indian,
Japanese, Chinese, Indigenous Austronesian,
American, and Spanish influences.
Periods of Philippine Architecture

Pre-colonial
Spanish Colonial
American colonial
Post War
Pre-colonial

The pre-colonial architecture of the Philippines consisted of

the Nipa hut made from natural materials but there are some
traces of large-scale construction before the Spanish
colonizers came but not well documented. An example of
this is the pre colonial walled city of Manila although later
after the Spanish colonization, dismantled by the Spaniards
and rebuilt as Intramuros.
Bahay-kubo
Bahay-kubo

The Bahay Kubo is one of the most illustrative and

recognized icons of the Philippines.
The name of the primitive Nipa hut is actually based on the
Spanish phrase Cubo, meaning cube, probably because of its
rectangular or cubed appearance and Bahay is the Filipino
word for house.
Bahay-kubo

 Fabricated with the ever dependable bamboo or kawayan and banded together by
tree strings with dried coconut leaves or cogon grass. Walls are made of nipa
leaves or bamboo slats and the floor is made of finely split resilient bamboo. The
typical structure is raised with thick bamboo poles, one to two meters above the
ground, depending on the area where the shelter is constructed, providing the
inhabitants a safe shelter from wild animals, snakes and protecting them against
torrential rains and floods. Bamboo is strong, lightweight and flexible; it has
diverse, functional and traditional uses. It holds and mirrors much of the
Philippine culture and it is part of many ceremonies, beliefs and traditions.
Spanish Colonial

 During the 300 years of Spanish colonization, the Philippine

architecture was dominated by the Spanish influences. During this
period, Intramuros, the walled city of Manila was built with its walls,
houses, churches and fortress. The Agustinian friars built a large
numbers of great churches all over the Philippine Islands. During this
period, the traditional Filipino “Bahay na bato” style for large houses
emerged. These were large houses built of stone and wood combining
Filipino, Spanish, and Chinese Style elements
Bahay na bato
Bahay na bato

Bahay na bato or the stone house served as the model for

townhouses from the 19th century until World War II for
many Filipino families, especially the mid-elite. The bahay
na bato's original Spanish architectural design was
repurposed to suit the Philippine climate using original
building materials, in particular construction ideas from the
bahay kubo.
Bahay na bato

It is an updated version of the traditional bahay kubo. Its

design has evolved throughout the ages, but still maintains
the bahay kubo's architectural basis which corresponds to
the tropical climate, stormy season, and earthquake-prone
environment of the whole archipelago of the Philippines and
fuses it with the influence of Spanish colonizers and Chinese
traders.
American Colonial

After the Spanish-American war, the architecture of the

Philippines was dominated by the American style. In this
period, the plan for the modern city of Manila was designed,
with a large number of neo-classical architecture and art
deco buildings by famous American and Filipino troops in
1945, large portions if Intramuros and Manila was destroyed.
American Colonial

 The American tradition in Philippine architecture covers the period

from 1898 to the present, and encompasses all architectural styles,
such as the European styles, which came into the Philippines during
the American colonial period. This tradition is represented by
churches, schoolhouses, hospitals, government office buildings,
commercial office buildings, department stores, hotels, movie houses,
theaters, clubhouses, supermarkets, sports facilities, bridges, malls,
and high-rise buildings.
Buildings
Post war

Implementing modernism through the utilization of

reinforced concrete, steel and glass, the predominance of
cubic forms, geometric shapes and Cartesian grids, and the
absence of applied decorations.