NSFAD ’95The National

Symposium on Filipino Architecture and Design

“The justified access map of the Prehispanic house is the linear type. From the outside, one enters through the porch at the front of the house and then proceeds to the sleeping area. The kitchen outside is considered as a separate structure.”

The spatial composition of all the Spanish period houses were similar to the description by Jose (1992) of the 19th century convent, “For what better way was there to be closer to God than to live in a house similar to God’s messengers.”

When the Americans came, they found many items lacking in the bahay na bato. For one, they looked for proper bathrooms. Secondly, they wanted bigger bedrooms and smaller social areas.

“We got from Europe our penchant for chandeliers, and swags in windows, our preference for heavy upholstery and bright colors in furniture, and our need to put up pictures on walls. An average house in a subdivision can be seen with carved front door, a chandelier

In both living and dining room, carved dining chair and head boards. On top of tables and on shelves, one can expect some crystal pieces, floral arrangement, bric a brac of all sorts or ceramic figurines.”

“The Americans gave us an awareness for function in the home so they told us to build proper bathrooms, a working kitchen and built-in storage for clothes in bigger bedrooms. There was a change to our approach to natural lighting and ventilation.”