The beauty of Philippine architecture reflects its history and culture. It is a blend of indigenous, Chinese, Spanish, American, and Asian influences with a mixture of Western-style buildings. The residences of its various communities, the churches and mosques they have constructed, and the structures built to suit the geophysical conditions, progress requirements, and the people’s ambitions.
The current Philippine architecture is an outcome of authentic growth that has enriched the reception of numerous influences. It began with the impact of the Malay brothers and continued to the Spanish colonial, American Commonwealth, and modern times. The Philippines is now a unique architectural melting pot with an occidental touch.
The Fusion And History Of Philippine Architecture
Leandro Locsin, the late national architect, once stated that Philippine architecture was elusive because it fully benefits from modern technology but is still a mixture of different foreign influences over the centuries. These include the Philippine culture of the Malay and vestiges from earlier Hindu tendencies, more than 300 years under Spanish dominance, almost 50 years of American control, and the Arab and Chinese influence through commerce and trade throughout the centuries. The result may have been a hybrid. It is an entirely new configuration that may include a remembrance or frame of the past but modified or articulated in terms of its importance today.
The Philippine’s architectural landscape features a contrast between small, traditional huts made of wood, bamboo, and nipa and the large Spanish colonial churches and convents with their heavy “earthquake-proof” baroque style; American mission-style architecture and the buildings of commerce in the 20th century; and the modern, but still evolving, concrete and glass structures of today’s cities.
Tribal And Cultural Fidelity
The construction of rural native huts has not changed much over the centuries. While the design is different from region to region, the most common feature is a steep roof that covers a living space of one or two rooms. These roofs can be raised on stilts or posts one to two meters above the ground or shallow water. Some huts include balconies. Split bamboo floors allow dirt and food scraps for pigs and chickens to pass through. Tenants use the space below the hut as storage or a workshop. It also allows air to circulate, protects the inhabitants from snakes and rodents, and protects against insects, floods, and other threats. Corrugated galvanized iron eventually replaced modern-day roofs, which are more expensive but last longer. However, the metal roofing component would make the house interior hotter to live in and seemingly unappealing on the exterior.
Bahay-Kubo (cube house or nipa hut) is a traditional Filipino house found in the lowlands. The original nipa house was a single-room dwelling. It gradually evolved into a two-story structure with concrete floors, wooden slats, and iron sheet roofing.
In contrast, affluent Filipinos built fine houses in the 19th century. They used brick or solid stone foundations with an overhanging wooden upper story adorned by balustrades.
Environmental Conditions In Various Regions
Good examples of early Philippine architecture are the Rizal house in Calamba and Laguna and the Luna house at Badoc, Ilocos Norte. The best Spanish quarters are still in existence in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, and Taal in Batangas. There are also notable old houses in Ilo-ilo, Cebu, and Manila.
In other regions of the Philippines, other than the lowland Bahay Kubo, have distinct styles of tribal architecture. This influence results from culture and, in some instances, climate and environment. Despite indigenous materials, houses constructed in the Cordillera Mountains’ upland areas are more secure.
The lowland Bahay Kubo has ventilation on all sides. However, mountain huts like binangiyan in Kankanay, fayu in Bontoc, binayon in Kalinga, bale in Ifugao, and others are more well-insulated with natural materials. Maranao’s torogan is a royal residence and has elaborate ornamentation. The relatively isolated areas of the Batanes Islands in the Philippines are typically windy. This condition has led to unique traditional Philippine architecture in the area. The Ivatan’s rakuh has a solid foundation to withstand the typhoons that frequent the site. A meter-thick rubble work and a dense thatch roof form this native house.
Colonial Forces In Philippine Architecture
Antillian architecture was introduced to the world by the Spaniards, who arrived in 1571. Although not designed for the hot tropics, European architecture was adapted to a unique Filipino style via Acapulco in Mexico. This style is rooted in Central America rather than Spain. After establishing the conquest of the islands, religious structures were necessary to establish Christianization and support the growing number of religious organizations.
Even though they are not as striking as those found in Europe and Latin America, the Philippine architecture in colonial churches have a unique sense of their own. The Ilocos Regions are home to some of the most well-preserved colonial churches in the nation. They also include Batangas, Laguna,the Visayan Islands, Panay, Cebu, and Bohol. Anonymous friar architects often designed these colonial churches and constructed them between 1600-1750. The proponents first assembled many of these religious structures with bamboo and nipa. But the friars realized that they needed more elegant buildings to instill awe and caution against the alarming threat of earthquake and fire. They built massive structures, regardless of technical and material limitations, taking many years or even decades to construct. These structures have survived until today.
Formalizing Workmanship and Methodologies
Master-builders from China and the Philippines eventually took over the friars’ work. Sometimes, these craftsmen left their mark in the decorative motifs. These included tropical vegetation by Filipinos and lions or dragons by Chinese.
Built with an adjoining convento (priest house and office), the churches also had an attached or detached belfry (as in the Ilocos Region, where the belfry was constructed a few meters from the church structure to prevent it from collapsing in earthquakes) and walled forecourt. Three-story tall belfry afforded a great view of the sea and surrounding land. Watching over enemies used the more elevated advantage.
The style and amount of exterior and interior decoration in each church are diverse. Many churches have an intricately carved façade and reredos that form the backdrop for the altar. Some churches remain original today, while others have suffered from tasteless renovations. Early proponents built many churches on the foundations of earlier ones through successive restorations and renovations.
Defensive Planning As Part Of Philippine Architecture
Military architecture was also a part of the Spanish colonial period, as seen in the numerous fortifications built throughout the archipelago. In Manila, Intramuros is the most important. Intramuros, which means “inside the walls”, is a defense network that includes raveling and bulwarks to defend the Spanish city against attack. Fort Santiago, named after Spain’s patron saint, is the leading military outpost.
The Celebrated Bahay Na Bato In The Philippines
The Bahay na Bato, a typical Filipino noble house, is derivative of the characteristic Filipino hut. It uses more robust materials to build its core component and continues the principles of open ventilation and high apartments found in its predecessor.
The name means ‘Stone House’ in Tagalog and is mainly constructed out of stone rather than traditional bamboo. The Bahay na Bato was the first to develop commercial structures to serve the neighborhood.
Bahay Na Bato may alternatively comprise a stone or brick foundation and a hardwood upper level with a roof coated in clay tiles or galvanized steel in later years. Unique in architecture, the window opens from mid-level to floor and ceiling. These openings allow the tropical breeze to flow freely through the house, ventilating it. The piano noble, an upper level of the house, contains the most luxuriously furnished apartment sections. Situated just below, storage and carriage depots expanded at the ground floor.
Early Township Developments
The Spanish period also produced schools and hospitals. (Ateneo Municipality, University of Santo Tomas Colegio de Letran Hospital de San Juan de Dios, University of Santo Tomas). Although they were often attached to the church’s structure, they evolved after developing tropical baroque architecture.
The 1887 Philippine Revolution resulted in the country declaring independence from Spain. However, as part of the post-Spanish-American War settlement between Spain and the United States, power was transferred from Spain to the United States.
In 1898, the Americans arrived on the islands. The American arrival created a new breed of Philippine architecture. The establishment of civil government was one of America’s most important contributions to the country, resulting in government buildings’ construction, from the local level to the municipal. Every community was home to government houses. These government houses were designed most dignified and resembled Greek or Roman temples with porticoes, pediments, and other details.
The revival period, which was popular around the turn of the century, became the most prominent architectural term of the era, as seen in buildings such as the Government Post Office Building and the Legislative Houses.
The American regime also made education the main thrust of its policies. The University of the Philippines, recognized as one of the earliest and most prestigious state universities in Southeast Asia, opened as a public university in 1908.
The City Beautiful Movement
The military government established American rule in the islands and invited Daniel Burnham, a Chicago architect, and town planner, to help develop the city. He also found a summer capital in Baguio. Burnham’s arrival in Manila led to the creation of the Burnham Plan, which identified Manila as a unique European city in the tropical territories. He dutifully opposed the idea of developing local architecture according to the existing western style. As suggested, the type of architecture differs only slightly from the accustomed Philippine architecture simultaneously, as illustrated by The Manila Hotel. New structures maintained traditional motifs but were composed of more dependable materials like concrete. This type of Philippine architecture remained popular even after the turn of the 21st century.
Embracing The New Culture With Deep Traditions
This eclectic style, which combines historic techniques with modern ones, is also evident in many of the new commercial establishments in the area, such as the Regina Building on historic Escolta. Art Nouveau also emerged in the central business district (Uy-Chaco Building at Calle Rosario and Plaza Cervantes) and the stately homes of the wealthy (Casa de Aristonbautista in Calle Barbosa).
From the middle of the 20th century to the end of the Second World War, Art Deco was the bi-word for Philippine architecture. Works created during that time are Metropolitan Theatre at Plaza Aroceros and the Perez-Samanillo Building, Crystal Arcade, Capitol Theatre nestled along Escolta, State, Avenue Theatres, and Avenida Rizal and Lide and Times Theatres along Quezon Boulevard, and among others.
Rebuilding Philippine Architecture From The War To Modern Era
After the second world conflict, there was nothing left but destruction. There was a period of rebuilding. Modern Philippine architecture was born using the International Modern Style’s simple, straight lines as its primary mode of expression.
With the Filipinization in architecture, a new type of Philippine architecture was born by the 1970s. The resurgence of traditional elements served as the impetus for developing the Filipino style. The Bahay Kubo and the charming design of the Bahay na Bato became trendy architectural styles imitated and modified. This adaptation can be seen in Batasan Pambansa and BLISS Housing projects. In the 1980s, Post Modernism reshaped the country’s architectural style. This movement is a return to some degree of classical architecture’s romanticism.
Today, Philippine architecture thrives with the growth of the real estate industry, and the introduction of more high-quality architectural styles responding to the country’s opening to the rest of the globe.
