Philippine architecture

Pre- Spanish era

Content
1. Climate
2. History
3. Materials
4. Architectural character
5. Pre-Spanish architecture of Luzon
• Bontoc
• Ifugao
• Isneg / Apayao
• Ivatan
• Kalinga
• Kankanai
6. Pre-Spanish architecture of Visayas
• Mangyan
• Tagbanua
7. Pre-Spanish architecture of Mindanao
• Badiao
• Manobo
• Maranao
• Samal
• Tausug
• T’boli
• Yakan
8. Nipa hut

CLIMATE
The provinces in the lowlands near the sea are hotter compared to the highlands.
During the months of March to June is the dry season and July to October is the
wet/rainy season; the rest of the months is the mixture of both.
Houses were built in accordance with the temperature and the weather condition.
HISTORY

Immigrants of Malay origin

Food gatherers and hunters
3000 BC joined by advance agricultural race from Indonesia
Barangays as Tribal System

Converted to Islam in 1300 AD

Trade center of the orient

MATERIALS
Bamboo
Nipa

Cogon grass
Rattan
Guijo tree

Yakal tree

Architectural character

Tropical Architecture
Open and transparent
Light

Pre-Spanish Architecture of Luzon

Bontoc (Fayu)
Location:

• Mountain area of Cordillera

• House within a house
• Shelter for rice, chicken, pigs, and people
Plan

• square in plan and is designed to facilitate various activities

• Granary (falig)- area of 2 sqm is elevated on 4 posts of about 5 ft high
• Fireplace is located at the rear left corner
 • On the ground floor the following areas are arranged from the doorway to the
rear as follows:
a. Left side of the main entrance is rice threshing room of about 5 sqft in area
and sunk about a foot into the ground. Found at the center of this room is
mortar used for threshing rice
b. At the right side of the entrance is a bench 4 ft wide 12 ft long and 1 ft high
where basket, utensils and other tools are placed. Chickens are kept
underneath this bench
c. Adjacent to the threshing room is the kitchen (tungko). With an area of 5 sqft.
It is provided with 3 concave stove stones hacked by low stone wall, wooden
shelves, and water jars.
d. Across the only entrance, at the rear side of the house is the ang-an, which is
used for sleeping and storage. This is the only room with wooden flooring and
ceiling.

Structural

• Four corner posts and the side walls are built as supports to the roof
• Front and side walls are made of wood connected to the posts
• Rear wall is made of stone and mud
• Roof framing is made up of a ridge post which is supported by two queen posts
• Queen posts are made to rest on a central horizontal beam
• Other horizontal beams are provided to support the upper rafters

Decorative Elements

• The sleeping compartment is provided with wooden boards or sleeping benches

3-0" x 4-0" in size.
• The board is slightly inclined on one end to allow the sleepers head to be
elevated. On the other end is a pole where the sleeper can rest his feet.
• Fire can be provided under this pole when the need for warmth arises in the
occupant.

Bontoc house of Cordillera Mountains

Ifugao
Location:

• Mountains of Cordillera
• Built on rice terraces near a spring or grove entry faces down slope
Plan:

• Enclosed structure which is square in plan

• Rests 2.00 high on four tree trunks as columns
• Contains a single room having an area of 4x5m
• Interior space is used for cooking and sleeping
• Fireplace is located at the far-right hand corner of the house
• Shelves above the fireplace are provided for the storage of palay and firewood
• Floor is about 1.50 to 2,00 above the ground made of wooden planks resting on
solid floor joists which overhang the floor
Structural

• Posts are buried into a hole dug about half meter into the ground and are further
secured by means of stones placed on each hole
• Floor girders are carved with mortises on both ends to fit into the pointed upper
end of the posts which act as the tenons
• Lower part of the wallboards are mortised into the floor joists while the upper part
are rabetted above into a transverse beam
• Roof is pyramidal covered with reed and grass
• Roof framing is made up of rafters resting on a brace above and which in turn is
supported by a kingpost.
• At the apex of the roof, the grass covering is made loose in order to allow the
escape of smoke coming from the kitchen area.

Decorative Elements

• Carabao's skulls and pig's jaws are used as indication of status and keeping
peace with the gods
• Ambubulan figure form placed on top of the roof is used as a protection against
evil spirits and lightning and as a sign of asking a favour from the god kabunyan
• These symbolic items rather than the size of his house are used as indications of
the ifugao's wealth.

Ifugao house of Cordillera Mountains

Isneg/ Apayao

Location:

• Mountain of Apayao and the Northern end of Cordillera

 • Home of the Isneg boat people; pyramidal or hipped roof; annex on one or both
ends; removable sidings for special occasion

Plan

• Elevated at approximately 1.50 above the ground

• a single-room rectangular structure designed with three levels
• lowest level: datag or xassaran, located at the center of the room
• immediate level: ramuyon, occupy three sides of the floor proper
• highest level: tarakip, located on the remaining side of the house is an extension
• 15 posts of heavy hardwood are used as supports
• Posts are distributed in the following manner:
• Sinit posts - 6 of this support the datag and two support the tarakip
• Adixi posts - 6 of this support the roof
• Atobrobo - a single post supporting the ridgepole
• There are no fixed window openings since wall construction system allow
occupants to remove few wallboards in case air is needed for the interior.

Isneg of Apayao Mountain and Northern part of Cordillera

Ivatan

Location:

• Slope of cliffs and villages built along the sides and tops of rocky hills of Batanes
Island

Plan

• stand directly on the ground to withstand strong winds or typhoons

• made up of two houses - the rakuh (big house) consists of the living room and
sleeping quarters and the kusina (kitchen)
• Structural
• The walls, made of lime and stone, is sometimes embedded with wooden
reinforcements to resist the effect of a strong earthquake. The reinforcements run
from the base up to the roof frame.
• Doors and windows are provided in the rakuh house but the wall facing the
direction of the strongest winds are left solidly closed.

Kalinga
Location:

• Steep Mountain slope of the Cordillera

Plan:

• rectangular or octagonal form

• octagonal shaped house is called binayon or finatyon
• living area is elevated at 1.20 meters
• Attic is located underneath the roof which is also used as granary
• elevated fireplace is found at the left rear side
• flooring of the elevated portions of the house is made of removable reed mats
resting on floor joists

Structural

• total of 12 posts used as supports to the binayon house

• square central portion of the house is defined and supported by four posts while
the other eight posts are distributed on the four corners
• The lower part of the wall is made of plaited bamboo or Sawali which rises up to
the floor level, while the upper portion up to the eaves are made of wooden
boards rabetted to the exterior floor
• the approach to the house is through a ladder which leads to a narrow platform at
the front

Mangyan

Location:

• Mountainside or hillside of Mindoro

Plan:
 • communal house is elevated from the ground at 1.50 meters to the surrounding
platform
• one-room structure measures 6.00 x 10.00 and is rectangular in plan
• Palaganan passageway at the central part of the house leading from the main
door
• Visitors may sleep along the palaganan but most of the time this is used as an
extra storage space for the families
• Individual families are not separated from one another by partitions. Rather, their
space allotment is defined by a mat spread on the floor and by their individual
fireplaces.

Structural

• walls are made of the bark of trees and are constructed a meter or less above
the floor
• Opening allows the occupants to observe the exterior without being seen from
the outside
• covered by a gabled roof with cogon grass thatching
• Roof eaves project 1.00 meter beyond the wall for protection against the cold
wind
• There are no windows. Openings are provided through the space between the
flooring and the underneath surface of the wall.

Tagbanua

Location:

• Coastal and Near-Coastal plains and valleys of Central Palawan

Plan

• Elevated on stilts about 8'-0" high

• usually made of eight levels
 • Each level corresponds to certain function such as entrance, cooking or hearth,
dining, sleeping and various levels for storage
• The highest level usually contains storage space for pillows and blankets

Structural

• Since there are various floor levels partitions are unnecessary

• The entire house do not have windows

Badjao

Location:

• Mindanao and Sulu Region

Plan

• Ladder serve as wash area

• Mirror symbolize the number of children
• Considered houseboats

Badjao Houses of Mindanao

Manobo

Location:

• Lowland of Agusan, Bukidnon, Davao, Misamis Oriental, Cotabato

Plan

• Flooring is made of withered bark of the mahogany tree or split bamboo

• No decorations at all in the Manobo house because the Manobos stay outdoors
most of the time
• Four or more corner posts are used as main supports to the house
 • The main house is covered with sun-dried cogon grass gabled roof shaped like
an inverted V
• The roof for the kitchen is considerably lower than that of the main roof and is
placed at right angles to the main house
• The only entrance to the house is located at the kitchen area. The ladder is made
of the trunk of the tree cut with notches to serve as its steps.

Maranao Torogan

Location:

• Hills, along the river, road or lakeshore of Mindanao

• An ancestral house for the datu and his family

Special Parts:

• Tapaan - found at the Kitchen, made of plaited bamboo used for smoking fish
and meat.
• Kodal or the carabao corral - found underneath the kitchen
• Gibon or Paga - rooms not exposed to visitors; used as hiding place for the
datu's daughter
• Lamin - a tower atop the brogan where the princess and her ladies in waiting
hide during occasions
• Panggao - datu's ceremonial bed

Structural

• The torogan house is constructed by first putting up the center post called
rapuwilih followed by four corner posts called lukud.
• Flouse posts are made from bunga wood and are placed on top of large stones
for protection against the devastating effect of earthquakes
• floor beams are supported by 25 thick posts
 • end beams are called panolong and are ornately carved with piako (fern-like) or
naga (dragon-like) motifs
• Walls are made of gisuk wooden panels carved with ornate okir designs

Maranao houses of Mindanao

Samal

• Location: Coastal waters of Jolo

• Plan
• consisting of one or more small rooms and a kitchen are built partially above the
ground and water on wooden posts
• Structural
• Stilts are usually made of bamboo poles while walls are made of wooden boards
or sawali
• Roof thatching is held securely by placing flattened bamboo spaced far apart
over it

Samal houses of Jolo

Tausug

Location:

• Coastal water of Tapul, Siasi, Basilan, Malaysian, Borneo, Tawi-Tawi,

Zamboanga del Sur, Cotabato
• Bay-smug - their native name for traditional Tausug house

Plan

• Elevated above the ground, it consists of the following parts : entrance porch or
salos, sleeping quarters and kitchen
• Panran - an open extended platform used as a family area The kitchen, whose
flooring is a foot lower than that of the main house, is a separate area linked to
 the main house by a bridge made of bamboo or wooden planks • flooring of the
house is made of thin strips of bamboo material
• Bilik - sleeping area
• Found at the roof top is the tajuk pusung. It is a wood carving in the form of the
manuk manuk bird showing a stylized head and neck of a rooster or a stylized
design of a naga dragon

Structural

• sleeping area or the bilik is the only room in the house proper and is supported
by 9 posts while the porch and the kusina are supported by separate posts
• posts are made of heavy timber or bamboo
• Except for the center post, all posts rise up to the roof
• Wooden floor beams or hanglad attached to the posts together with other smaller
beams support the floor joists
• Beams and girders are joined together either by joints or by tying both members
with hijuk vines or lagtang and haun vines
• Walls are made of split bamboo or woven coconut palms wall does not reach up
to the roof. An opening of about 0.45 meters is provided for ventilation

Tausug house of Mindanao

T'Boli

Location:

• Hilltops and mountaintops in the Lake Sebu area in Cotabato

Plan

• house is built on 6-0" high stilts, built with various levels

• with an approximate area of 900 to 1,350 sq. ft.
• Lowa - it is the central space used as sleeping area for overnight guests. It has
an area of 15e-0" x 20'-0" and 8" lower than the areas alongside it.
 • Blaba - it is the side area, usually 6'-0" wide, used as working and conversational
space.
• Desyung - this is located opposite the lowa and the blaba. This is regarded as
the area of honor because here the head of the house entertains guests and
performs rites under a curtained canopy.
• Dofil - located on both sides of the desyung and sometimes elevated at a height
of 3'-0" over the iowa, this is the sleeping quarters for the wives and children of
the headman.
• Bakdol - this is the entrance to the house
• Kohu - this is the hearth made of beaten-earth floor. It has a shelf where pots and
pans, baskets and other utensils are kept.
• Dol - this is an area used for the kohu and stair landing.
• Fato Hu - located at the rearmost part of the house, it is the utility area.
• Kotel - a detached structure located some few feet away from the house which
functions as a toilet

Structural
• Bamboo is generally used for the house posts
• Walls are made of sawali or woven bamboo strips
• The low biaba wall is hinged to the floor at its lower side so that it can be opened
towards the outside in case an extended floor area is needed
• The dofils are separated from one another by means of a sawali wall which
extends up to the roof.

Yakan
Location:
• Mountainous interior of Basilan
Plan
• Elevated 2 to 3 meters above the ground
• single-room structure rectangular in plan with approximately 50 to 100 sq. mts.
floor area
• does not have partitions
• kitchen is used as the family's dining area
• porch is used for entertaining guests and as a resting place for the household
 • In the Living room, one will find a cloth-weaving Loom located near the door
which leads to the porch outside

Structural
• Posts are made of sturdy wood onto which floor beams are attached
• walls are made of sawali or horizontal wooden boards or bamboo poles attached
to one another by rattan lashings
• Roof eaves overhang the wall at .50 meters
• Doors are oriented towards the east for prosperity while few and small windows
are provided because of the belief that bad spirits cannot pass through the small
openings quite easily. A small window is often provided at the end wall opposite
the kitchen.

NIPA HUT (BAHAY-KUBO)

• An indigenous house used relatively all over the Philippines before the
Spaniards.
• Traditionally made of Bamboo tied together covered with thatched roof of
Anahaw Leaves or Nipa
• Originally, the bahay kubo is a one-room dwelling structure with porch provided
on all sides of the house. Then, the bahay kubo graduated into a more
sophisticated type of dwelling
Parts
• Bulgan - is the area reserved for entertaining guests
• Silid - is a private room used for sleeping
• Paglutuan or gilir - is the kitchen or cooking area
• Silong - is the space found underneath the house used as a storage space for
the farming and fishing implements and also for the animals kept
• Parts of the Kitchen
• Dapogan - is a table on top of which is the river stone, shoe shaped stove or
kalan.
• Ban gahan - this was later called ban gguera or banggerahan and is used as a
place for drying and storing pots and pans, drinking glasses, plates and other
kitchen utensils.
• Batakui - this is the unroofed area where water jars (used for drinking, washing
and bathing) are kept.