Tropical Living
CONTEMPORARY DREAM HOUSES IN THE PHILIPPINES
by Elizabeth V. Reyes
with Fernando Nakpil Zialcita and Paulo Alcazaren
photography by A. Chester Ong
PERIPLUS EDITIONS
Singapore • Hong Kong • Indonesia
Published by Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.
Copyright © 2000 Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.
All rights reserved
LCC Card No. 2001307442
ISBN: 978-1-4629-0659-8 (ebook)
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North America, Latin America & Europe
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Asia Pacific
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Japan
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Printed in Singapore
pb: 10 09 08 07 06 6 5 4 3 2 1
hc: 10 09 08 6 5 4 3 2 1
contents
6
Professor Fernando Zialcita introduces the contemporary Philippine architectural scene, highlighting local trends and indigenous crafts, the influence of modernism, and the innate aesthetic of the archipelago.
14
asian fusions & cross currents
Jaime Zobel Guesthouses
Escaño House
Miñana House
Fernando Zobel House
Ho House
Makapugay Compound
Yabut Compound
60
Hofileña House
Pleno House
Lazatin House
Concepcion House
d'Aboville House
Laperal House
92
Chan House
Velasco House
Eduque House
Roxas Triangle
Condo Calma House
Recio House
122
Diaz Beach House
Franco Delgado Beach House
Antipolo Artists Homes
Bolipata & Borlongan House
Johnson & Laudico Homes
Avellana Apartment
Roa House
Baylosis Apartment
Sandico-Ong House
168
Roxas House
Delgado Penthouse
Antonio House
Inigo Zobel House
194
Abaca, bamboo, baskets & vines, capiz, piña & philippine silk, ceramics, coconut crafts, contemporary furniture, rustic-eclectic collections, handwoven fabrics, organic lights, marble & stone, modern mixed media, rattan & cane, wood art.
224
a different tropical style
The Republic of the Philippines shares with Indonesia the distinction of being the largest tropical archipelagos in the world. It has 7,100 islands, which range from small coral atolls to huge islands with deep forests and towering volcanoes. Wherever one travels in this beguiling land, there is always the promise of a breezy tropical scene; and there is always a new beach, with swaying palm trees and clear blue skies, where warm waves break and slide over the sands.
In tune with the country and climate is a relaxed, contemporary architectural style. Homes are tropical, exotic, romantic; there is a prodigious use of light and space; breezes flow through rooms, cooling and caressing occupants. A permanent feature is the lanai, a type of verandah that has wide eaves to shelter the interior from the sun and is open to the elements on at least three sides, thus ensuring the free flow of cooling breezes. In many cases it acts as an alternative to the more formal dining room. It is the place to lounge in, to relax in, to take in the scents of a tropical garden.
Filipino house design also reflects other features of the environment, such as the sea or the forests. For centuries, the capiz shell, a bivalve flatter than the oyster and more translucent when cleaned, has been used as the tiny panes of traditional wooden grid-windows. In modern design, capiz shell finds new applications, such as in lightboxes, picture