AR 344

FOLK ARCHITECTURE
KRISTINE MAE PALAO

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 4 (PHILIPPINE ARCHITECTURE)

 I- INTRODUCTION

The history and culture of the Philippines are reflected in its architectural heritage, in
the dwellings of its various peoples, in mosques and churches, and in buildings that
have risen in response to the demands of progress and the aspirations of a people.
Houses and monuments from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi do not only represent different
cultures and periods in Philippine history; they also constitute the Filipino’s creative
response to the problems posed by the geography and climate of the archipelago.

This research shows the different styles that emerge in a particular period. Also this
will provide as a guideline to study the Folk Architecture. This research will show the
different building that were built in the different era and also shows the differences of
each building in each period. You may learn also the different construction material
that was used and the different constructive principle and the construction
technologies. This research will differentiate one architectural style from the other. This
applies to a range of styles of recently built structures and space which are optimized
for current use.
 II- Content
a. Definition of Terms

• Folk architecture- is a term often used to draw a distinction between popular or

landmark architecture and is nearly synonymous with the terms "vernacular
architecture" and "traditional architecture." Therefore, folk architecture includes
those dwellings, places of worship, barns, and other structures that are designed
and built without the assistance of formally schooled and professionally trained
architects.
• Vernacular architecture is a category of architecture based on localized needs
and construction materials, and reflecting local traditions. It tends to evolve over
time to reflect the environmental, cultural, technological, and historical context
in which it exists. While often not thoroughly and academically planned, this kind
of architecture played and still plays a major role in the history
of architecture and design, especially in local branches. A definition of
"vernacular" with regard to building may be given "in terms of process - how it is
'designed' and built. When building tradesmen [such as carpenters and
bricklayers] are used for construction of most dwellings, we may arbitrarily say
that primitive building gives way to preindustrial vernacular.
• Ethnic architecture in the Philippines refers to different forms of folk and
vernacular architecture found among the different ethnolinguistic communities
in the country.
• These forms include dwellings, whether permanent or makeshift, granaries,
fortifications, places of worship, and other temporary structures. Ethnic
architecture is created by the different ethnolinguistic communities in the
Philippines, from lowland communities to communities in the Cordilleras, the
Visayan islands, Mindanao, and other adjacent islands.

b. Types of Folk Architecture

• Primitive Architecture
The earliest shelters of human beings were probably not built by them. They
simply found these shelters or found themselves in them. It was nature which fashioned
hollows on cliffs and mountainsides that offered protection from heat, rain, and wind. In
Angono, Rizal, evidence of ancient cave dwellers exists in carved figures on cave walls,
the earliest known Philippine mural. The Tabon Cave in Palawan yielded the earliest-
known remains of human beings in the Philippines.
Tabon Cave in Palawan

• Tree Houses
It is peculiar to the Mamanua and the Semang occasionally to build huts on trees. In
the case of the Semang this type of structure did not originate with the tribe, but was
copied from the Malay. The Mamanua use this type of dwelling in the remote interior of
the provinces of Surigao and Agusan, and it may be a variant of the high-stilted
Manobo houses. Among both peoples - Mamanua and Semang - the main object is
protection. Tree houses are built to keep safe from enemies and wild animals. Ladders
were hoisted in at night.

Tree House of Bagobo

Tribe. Mindanao
Island, Philippines

• Negrito Hut in Northern Luzon

The lean is to covered with cogon grass.

Supporting Frame of a Negrito Hut in Northern Luzon

• Ifugao House

Ifugao Village East of Banaue

This typical Ifugao village in the terraced valley of Kinakin, east of Banaue, shows that
only terrain which cannot be used as rice fields serves as site for small clusters of
settlements close to the fields.

Rice Terraces at Banaue

Like the Temple of Borobudur, the rice terraces were built on a hill. The purpose
was of course different, but the shape is strikingly similar.
Structural Frame of the lfugao House
A. tukud (ground post)
B. halipan (disk)
C. kuling (girderl
D. mundilig (end floor joist)
E. gawaan (center floor joist)
F. bagad (wall post)
G. hagpo t floor sill!
H. dotal (floor boards)
I. pundapulan {boards for fireplace)
J. wanan (upper tie beam)
K. huklub (lower tie beam)
L. gaob (wall board)
M. pamadingan (elongated wall boards)
N. bughol (roof rafters)
O. pumpitolan (central tie beam)
P. taknang (queen posts)
Q. ambubulan (top tie beams)
Transverse Section of the lfugao House
A. tukud (ground post)
B. halipan (disk)
C. kuling (girder)
D. mundilig (end floor joist)
E. wanan (upper tie beam)
F. huklub tiowertie beam)
G. pamadingan (elongated wall board)
H. taknang (queen post)
I. ambubulan (top tie beam)
J. bubong f grass cover at ridge)
K. ibat (bamboo sticks)
L. patie (shelf)
The lfugao House
The wide overhanging roof
leaves a minimum of the wall surface
exposed to the elements. Its pyramidal
shape has perhaps inspired buildings
such as the National Arts Center of the
Philippines in Laguna by Locsin.
The edges of the pyramid are softened
by the organic roofing material.

Floor Details of the lfugao House

E. gawaan (center floor joist)
F. bagad (wall postl
G. hagpo (floor sill!
H. dotal (floor boards)
I. pundapulan (boards for fireplace)
K. huklub ( lowenie beam)

Structural Detailsofthe lfugao House

C kuling (girder!
D mundilig (end-floor joist}
F bagad (wall post)
J wanan (upper tie beam)

• Variations of the Model of the Southern Strain

 1. The Bontoc House
A further development of the Bauko house.
Four additional posts in the ground support
the lower edge of the roof. The posts also
serve as stiffeners for the wooden planks
that surroundthe lower floor.

2. Sagada house - found at locations which are 600 m higher than the Bontoc
house, represents a further step in making use of the ground floor by enclosing it
completely with a tight wooden wall (dingding). In the process of making this
further addition, the construction of the house was simplified. The flaring out o1
the rafters (bogso) is eliminated and they are now firmly supported by beams
(pitit) which rest on additional posts in the ground (tokod). The result is a house
within a house or a space within a space.

The Sagada House

A. dingding (lower wall boards)
B. bogso (rafter)
C. pitit (beam)
D. tokod (posts)
E. kiting (girder)
F. desa (floor joists)
G. kammanga (wall sills)
H. dingding (upper wall boards)
I. Ka-ogkog (central sill)
J. dawis (queen post)
K. pamobbongan (ridgepole)
L. todog (support for roof grass)
M. atep (roof grass)

3. Bokod house enlarges its space by adding more posts. girders, and joists as
support for the chamber above. The flaring out of the rafters (tikel) is now
enlarged and requires separate structural elements (sedngal). But the ends of
the rafters are not supported from the ground, as they are in the Sagada house
and, to some extent, In the Bontoc house.
The Bokod House
A. tikel (flared-out rafters)
B. sedngal (slanted support)
C. tokod (posts)
D. ballangan (girder)
E. sagpad (floor joists)
F. opop (lower wan sill)
G. dingding (wall boards)
H. kalasod (queen post)
I. bobongan (ridgepole)
 4. lsneg house of the northern- strain looks, indeed quite different from the
examples of the southern strain just discussed and yet, in the construction of the
basic elements, a strong similarity remains. In floor plan it is elongated rather than
square. The rafters (tadawag) are bent into a shape similar to a Gothic arch,
which makes transverse bracing above the chamber necessary (pantud, sokar).
Long girders (anidixian), sometimes up to 8 m long, carried by three posts (sinit),
support the fl oor joists (toldog) into which laths (talaxatag) are mortised. They
support the actual flooring (xassaran), a mat of bamboo grass or rattan. A
striking difference in the arrangement of the floor is the elevated low bench
(datag) near the outside wall, about 30 cm wide and 10 cm to 15 cm high. Two
sets of posts are used: the inner ones (sinit) support the main flooring and the
inner edge of the bench, the outer posts (adixi) support the roof and the outer
edge of the bench. The wall boards (dlndin) act, thereby, as a kind of curtain
wall and back rest of the bench. One gable end is normally closed by boards
except for a small triangular opening left to let out the smoke. The other gable
has a lean-to roof to cover a transverse platform. The long sides of the house
have three or four windows made possible simply by omitting some of the wall
boards. Permanent stairs or a ladder provides access to the house. Here again
response to different climatic conditions seems to be responsible for the chosen
variations of the model besides the general desire to have a larger and more
comfortable living space.

The lsneg House

A. tadawag (bent rafter)
B. pantud (vertical bracing)
C. sokar (horizontal bracing)
D. anidixiyan (girder)
E. sinit (inner post)
F. toldog (floor joist)
G. talaxatag (floor laths)
H. xassaran (flooring)
I. datag (low bench)
J. adixi (outer post)
K. dindin (wall boards)

5. Kalinga house of the Bangad area is famous for its octagonal floor plan. The
core of the house, similar to that of the lfugao house, consists of four posts (tuod),
two girders (soling) and three floor joists (fot-ang). Eight additional posts (tuod)
surround this basic structure, and form the corners of the octagon. The result is
again a house within a house or a space within a space, as in the Sagada house
of the southern strain. A cent rat portion of the floor of the Kalinga house is d
rapped, as it is in the lsneg house. The upper roof structure is supported by four
posts (paratok) which are mortised into the stringers (fuchis) resting on the floor
joists (fot-ang). Each pair of posts support a cross beam (fatangan). each cross
beam two queen posts (ta ray), which carry in turn four purl ins in the form of a
square (ati-atig).
The Kalinga House
A. tuod (inner posts)
B. soling (girder)
C. fot-ang (floor joist)
D. tuod (outer posts)
E. paratok (roof posts)
F. fuchis (floor stringer)
G. fatangan (cross beaml
H. ta ray (queen post}
I. ati-atig (purlins)
J. pongo (rafters)
K. pisipis (upper wall sill)
L. panabfongan (ridgepoles)
M. otop (grass thatching)

Section of the Kalinga House

In general I have kept close to the drawings supplied by Scott. In the longitudinal
section I have added two slanted lines to indicate the middle rafters of the sides which
support the ridgepoles.

• Vernacular Architecture in the Visayas

Exterior of a Caticugan Dwelling Negros Oriental
A. haligi (ground post)
B. bangon (girder)
C. hanlag (floor joists)
D. balakanan (sill)
E. patobo (wall posts)
F. kordezo (corner wall post)
G. sira or takop (window)
H. salog (floor)
I. brandilla (railing)
J. fenensa (lattice wall)
K. hagdanan (entrance ladder)
L. laying-layang (end rafter)
 M. bong bong (outer ridgepole)
N. da-og (ridge rafter)
O. atop (nipa roofing)
P. silik (roof ridge)
Q. sandayong (roof valley)

The Bahay Kubo

The authors of "Philippine Ancestral Houses" believe that Philippine domestic
architecture started with the bahay kubo, a nipa hut.
Nipa hut also known as bahay kubo, is an indigenous house used in the Philippines. The
native house has traditionally been constructed with bamboo tied together and
covered with a thatched roof using nipa/anahaw leaves. A nipa hut is an icon of
Philippine culture as it represents the Filipino value of BAYANIHAN, which refers to a spirit
of communal unity or effort to achieve a particular objective
NIPA HUTS –made of NIPA
PALM LEAVES, WOOD and
BAMBOO. Square shape and
about1 meter above ground.
Distinguishing feature: ONE
ROOM ONLY -used as dining
room, living room, bedroom
and receiving rooms.

Section of Larger Lowland Filipino Nipa House

A. haligi I posts)
B. bangon (double girders)
C. hanlag (double floor joists)
D. beam
E. plate
F. wall panel
G. katsaw (roof rafter)
H. palauran (roof laths)

Framework of larger lowland Filipino Nipa House

The tall supporting wooden posts which carry floor and roof frame are firmly embedded
in the ground. The wall panels are attached like curtain walls.
Floor Detail with Nilopit Walling
A. haligi (ground post)
B. bangon (girder)
C. hanlag (floor joist)
D. liligan (secondary floor joist)
E. rattan lashing
F. salog (bamboo flooring)
G. tarogo (supporting peg)
H. balakanan (wall sill)
I. patobo (wall post)
J. liligan (vertical wall stiffener)
K. logpit (horizontal wall stiffener)
L. nipa leaflets

Roof Details
A. ltatsao (roof rafter)
B. palauron (roof laths)
C. rattan lashing
D. buri midrib
E. nipa shingles
F. katsao (end rafter)
G. rattan lashing for end shingles

Nilopit Walling Details

A. patobo (wall post)
B. balakanan (wall sill)
C. logpit (horizontal stiffener)
D. liligan (vertical stiffener)
E. rattan lashing
F. nipa leaflets

Walling Details
Top: Exterior of nilogpit nipa walling
Bottom: Exterior of siklat bamboo walling
A. patobo (wall post)
B. balakanan (wall sill)
C. logpit (horizontal stiffener)
D. rattan lashing
E. liligan (vertical stiffener)
F. siklat (horizontal bamboo slats)
Walling Details
Top: Fenensa walling
Bottom: Sa-sa bamboo walling
A. patobo (wall post)
B. balakanan (wall sill)
C. logpit (horizontal stiffener)
D. flattened bamboo pole
 • Mindanao Vernacular Architecture
On hilltops and rolling land, the Tboli of southern Cotabato in Mindanao build
large one-room houses on stilts. The roof is of dried grass, the walls, of woven
bamboo, and the posts, of whole bamboo and, occasionally, tree stumps. The
central portion of the floor is slightly lower than the areas around it. The side sections
are for working or resting. At one end is the entrance and the fireplace, and at the
other is the place of honor for the head of the house. The interior of the Tboli house is
one example of a characteristic feature of Philippine houses-space surrounded by
space.

The Tboli of southern

Cotabato in Mindanao
build large
one-room houses on stilts.

Placement of Groundposts in the Tausug House

A. pipul (central post) - pusud (navel)
B. Hag ha dugu (corner post)- pigi' (right hip)
C. hag ha dugu (corner post) – (agaba or abaga (left shoulder)
D. hag ha dugu (corner post)- pigi' (left hip)
E. hag ha dugu (corner post) - agaba or abaga (right shoulder)
F. hag ha gitung (middle post) - gusuk (left rib)
G. hag ha gitung (middle post) - gusuk (right rib)
H. hag ha gitung I middle post) - liug (neck)
I. hag ha gitung (middle post} - hita' (groin)
J. length of the house
K. width of the house

Roof Structure of the Tausug House

A. hag (column)
B. ubung (tie beam or bottom chord)
C. pangtuud (king post)
D. jantan (rafter)
E. batang biyubungan (ridgebeam)
F. kasaw(purlin)

Roof Details of the Tausug House

A. ubung (bottom chord)
B. pangtuud (kingpost)
C. tiuk (bracket (support)
D. jantan (rafter, brace)
 E. batang biyubungan (ridge beam)
F. Kasaw(purlin)

Post-Lintel Connections in the Tausug House

A. hag (wooden or bamboo post)
B. tuka (non-continuous post)
C. patung (lintel or beam)
D. tingham (notch)
E. garing-garing (bracket)
F. lungag (hole in bamboo post)
G. bagun (vine lashing)

End Walt Detail of the Tausug House

A. liug ("neck" post)
B. ubung (bottom chord)
C. pangtuud (kingpost)
D. ukkil (carved decoration)
E. jantan (rafter. brace)
F. bantang, biyubungan (ridge beam)
G. kasaw (purlin)
H. tiyadtad (split bamboo)

Roof Details of the Tausug House

Top: The libut roof
Bottom: The sungan roof
A. hag (house posts)
B. vertical rectangular opening
C. sungan (triangular vertical opening)
D. tajuk pasung (roof gable decoration)

Roof Gable Decoration of tile Tausug House

Top: A manuk-manuk tajuk pasung. This style of roof decor, also known as
sari manok (bird), is found in houses in Kabbun, Maas, lndanan, Sulu.
Bottom: A naga tajuk pasung, also from Kabbun Maas, lndanan, Sulu. This style of roof
decor is known as the “dragon style."
Area Map of Barrio Luas, Parang, Sulu
A. Mosque (for Luas and Laum Suwa)
B. Barrio Luas
C. LaumSuwa
D. Mosque
E. Banio Nunukan
F. Wharf
G. Parang market center
H. Philippine Constabulary Camp
I. Poblacion Hall
J. Road to Jolo town
K. Cluster I
L. Cluster II
M. Cluster 111
N. Cluster IV

The Sama and the Badjao are people of the sea. The sea is their source of livelihood,
the link to other people, and the place for celebration. It is also home. The Sama build
their houses on stilts over the water, along the shore or farther out, grouped together in
villages, and connected by bridges and catwalks. Unlike the Sama house, the
Badjao landhouse stands alone on an expanse of water and is reached only by boat. It
is not joined by bridges or catwalks to the shore or to other houses. It is an island made
by humans.
The Sama and the Badjao
are people of the sea.

Houses take an entirely different form in the Batanes, the northernmost islands of
the archipelago. With the frequency of high winds and strong rain, the Batanes house is
built to hug the ground. Thick stone walls and a thick grass roof withstand the severest
storm. The roof is supported by posts encased in the stone walls. Stone and mortar
construction was introduced in the Batanes islands during the Spanish regime.
Batanes, the northernmost
islands of the
archipelago
 III- REFERENCES

BOOK SOURCE PHOTO OF

REFERENCES
• ARCHITECTURE Internet
IN THE PHILIPPINES www.scribd.com
Filipino Building in a cross- cultural context
by WINAND KLASSEN
Copyright © 1986
University of San Carlos
ISBN 971-100-048-2 pb
ISBN 971-100-049-0 hb
Printed by Clavano Printers
Cebu City, Philippines
http://nlpdl.nlp.gov.ph:9000/shares/finders/C Internet
C01/NLP00VM052mcd/v2/v1.pdf
http://www.slideshare.net/chengbesa/philip Internet
pines-architecture
http://www.slideshare.net/MarcyTrinidad/ear Internet
ly-filipino-in-the-prehispanic-period-slide-
share
http://philippineculture.ph/filer/Ethnic- Internet
architecture-v2.pdf