HOA314N

History of Architecture 4
Activity 2: VERNACULAR HOUSES

Submitted by:

Gongora, Mark Niel R.

BS Architecture 03
VERNACULAR HOUSE ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURAL DECORATIVE FEATURES
FEATURES FEATURES
MOUNTAIN PROVINCE HOUSE
1. Ifugao House -The Ifugao houses are - Posts made of wood - carabao’s skulls and pig’s jaws are
small but well used as indication of status and
constructed, standing - The four wooden keeping peace with the gods.
upon four or more posts that rest upon
posts, which are the pavement and -Ambubulan figure form placed on top
sometimes quaintly support two wooden of the roof is used as a protection
carved, and are girders, which also against evil spirits and lightning and as
invariably provided supports three a sign of asking a favour from the god
with projecting wooden transverse Kabunyan.
shoulders to prevent joists.
rats and other small -These symbolic items rather than the
animals from gaining - The floor joists, floor size of his house are used as
entrance into the silts, vertical studs and induations of the Ifugao’s wealth.
house. horizontal beams rests
on the post and
- Walls made with girders at about head
wooden panels. level from a cage.

- Stilts, Square or -The steeply pitched

rectangular in plan. pyramidal roof is
covered with thick
-The Ifugao house is layers of thatch or
sturdily crafted of cogon, this insulates
timber from the house from the
amugawan trees heat of the sun and
raised on four posts, from the torrential
which was buried 50 rail.
centimeters below the
ground and locked in
with stones.

2.  Isneg/ Apayao -pyramidal or hipped -Fifteen posts of heavy -There are no fixed window openings
roof hardwood are used as since wall construction system allow
supports occupants to remove few wailboards
-annex on one or both in case air is needed for the interior.
ends -Posts are distributed
in the following
-removable sidings for manner:
special occasion -Sinit posts - six of
these support the
-Elevated at data g and two
approximately 1.50 support the tarakip
above the ground 
-Adixi posts - six of
-a single-room these support the
rectangular structure roof 
designed with three -Atobrobo - a single
levels  post supporting the
-lowest level: datag or ridgepole
xassaran, located at
the center of the
room

-immediate level:
 ramuyon, occupy
three sides of the
floor proper (the
lowest level)

-highest level: tarakip,

located on the
remaining side of the
house is an extension
3. Kalinga -rectangular or -total of 12 posts used
octagonal form as supports to the
binayon house.
-octagonal shaped
house is called. -square central
portion of the house is
binayon or finatyon defined and
-living area is elevated supported by four
at 1.20 meters. posts while the other
eight posts are
-Attic is located distributed on the
underneath the roof four corners.
which is also used as
granary. -The lower part of the
wall is made of plaited
-elevated fireplace is bamboo or Sawali
found at the left rear which rises up to the
side. floor level, while the
upper portion up to
-flooring of the the eaves are made of
elevated portions of wooden boards
the house is made of rabetted to the
removable reed mats exterior floor.
resting on floor joists.
SULU AND MINDANAO HOUSES
1. Manobo -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
2. Maranao Torogan -Tapaan – found at -The torogan house is -Walls are made of gisuk wooden
the Kitchen, made of constructed by first panels carved with ornate okir designs.
plaited bamboo used putting up the center
for smoking fish and post called rapuwilih
meat. followed by four
corner posts called
-Kodal or the carabao lukud.
corral – found
underneath the -Flouse posts are
Kitchen made from bunga
wood and are placed
-Gibon or Paga - on top of large stones
rooms not exposed to for protection against
visitors; used as hiding the devastating effect
place for the datu’s of earthquakes
daughter
-floor beams are
-Lamin - a tower atop supported by 25 thick
the brogan where the posts
princess and her
ladies in waiting hide -end beams are called
during occasions panolong and are
ornately carved with
-Panggao – datu’s piako (fern-like) or
ceremonial bed naga (dragon-like)
motifs
3. Samal -consisting of one or -Stilts are usually
more small rooms and made of bamboo
a kitchen are built poles while walls are
partially above the made of wooden
ground and water on boards or sawali
wooden posts
-Roof thatching is held
securely by placing
flattened bamboo
spaced far apart over
it
4. Tausug -Elevated above the -sleeping area or the --Walls are made of split bamboo or
Bay-smug – their ground, it consists of bilik is the only room woven coconut palms wall does not
native name for the following parts: in the house proper reach up to the roof. An opening of
traditional Tausug entrance porch or and is supported by 9 about 0.45 meters is provided for
house salos, sleeping posts while the porch ventilation
quarters and kitchen and the kusina are
supported by separate
-Panran – an open posts
extended platform
used as a family area -posts are made of
heavy timber or
-The kitchen, whose bamboo
flooring is a foot lower
than that of the main -Except for the center
house, is a separate post, all posts rise up
area linked to the to the roof
 main house by a
bridge made of -Wooden floor beams
bamboo or wooden or hanglad attached to
planks the posts together
with other smaller
-flooring of the house beams support the
is made of thin strips floor joists
of bamboo material
-Beams and girders
-Bilik – sleeping area are joined together
either by joints or by
-Found at the roof top tying both members
is the tajuk pusung. It with hijuk vines or
is a wood carving in lagtang and haun
the form of the manuk vines
manuk bird showing a
stylized head and neck
of a rooster or a
stylized design of a
naga dragon

5. T’Boli -house is built on 6-O” -Bamboo is generally -Walls are made of sawali or woven
high stilts, built with used for the house bamboo strips
various levels posts

-with an approximate -Walls are made of

area of 900 to 1,350 sawali or woven
sq. ft. bamboo strips

-Lowa - it is the -The low biaba wall is

central space used as hinged to the floor at
sleeping area for its lower side so that it
overnight guests. It can be opened
has an area of 15e-O” towards the outside in
x 20’-0” and 8” lower case an extended floor
than the areas area is needed
alongside it.
-The dofils are
BIaba - it is the side separated from one
area, usually 6’-O” another by means of a
wide, used as working sawali wall which
and conversational extends up to the
space. roof.

-Desyung - this is
located opposite the
Iowa 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’-O” 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

6. Yakan -Elevated 2 to 3 -Posts are made of -Doors are oriented towards the east
meters above the sturdy wood onto for prosperity while few and small
ground which floor beams are windows are provided because of the
attached belief that bad spirits cannot pass
-single-room structure through the small openings quite
rectangular in plan -walls are made of easily. A small window is often
with approximately 50 sawali or horizontal provided at the end wall opposite the
to 100 sq. mts. floor wooden boards or kitchen.
area bamboo poles
attached to one
-does not have another by rattan
partitions lashings

-kitchen is used as the -Roof eaves overhang

family’s dining area the wall at .50 meters

-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

How does vernacular architecture influenced the styles architects design today?  Cite features that
were present then that are still present today.

Vernacular architecture, the simplest form of addressing human needs. Due to recent rises in
energy costs, the trend has sensibly swung the other way. Architects are embracing regionalism and
cultural building traditions, given that these structures have proven to be energy efficient and altogether
sustainable. In this time of rapid technological advancement and urbanization, there is still much to be
learned from the traditional knowledge of vernacular construction. These low-tech methods of
creating housing which is perfectly adapted to its locale are brilliant, for the reason that these are the
principles which are more often ignored.

Max’s Restaurant, Quezon City by Francisco

Fajardo, built in the 1960s (Image courtesy of
Joseph Baron Sawit and Bobby Simborio)

The Philippine Pavilion by Otillo Arellano at the

1964 New York
World’s Fair (Image courtesy of the UP College of
Architecture)
National Arts Center in Mt. Makiling, Laguna by
Leandro Locsin, built in 1976 (Photographed by
Akio Kawasumi, from The Architecture of Leandro
V. Locsin)

Transfiguration Chapel, Malaybalay, Bukidnon by

Leandro Locsin, constructed mid-1990s
(Photographed by Dominic Galicia)

San Miguel Corporation Headquarters, Ortigas

Center, Pasig by Manuel Jr., Jose and Francisco
Mañosa, constructed in the 1980s (Photographed
by Paulo Alcazaren)