RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

WEEK No. 1

PHILIPPINE ARCHITECTURE

1. HOUSE STRUCTURE
2. RELIGIOUS STRUCTURES
3. FORTIFICATIONS
4. RICE TERRACES

Overview

Architecture exists to create the physical environment in which people live,

but architecture is more than just the built environment, it's also a part of our culture. It
stands as a representation of how we see ourselves, as well as how we see the world.

In this module, students will be able to learn about the History of Architecture in the
Philippines from the primitives up to the present. And they will be able to understand
and appreciate the structures that affects our lives in a broader cultural context.

Study Guide

This module is intended to enhance and complete the course and help deepen your
thinking and understanding about the architecture in the Philippines. This module has
parts which are the learning outcomes, the main topic of the module, exercises or
activities, assignments and assessments that will be your guide to better understand
the course.
Throughout this module, you will do certain activities that will show your understanding
on the subject matter.

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 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

Learning Outcomes

1. Define Philippine Architecture

2. Identify the component styles of Philippine Architecture
3. Explain the influences that shaped the three periods of Architecture
4. Relate the design styles of Philippine, Pre-Spanish and Spanish periods into actual
architectural spaces.
5. Integrate the definition, component styles, influences to space, and the application of
the styles to actual structures in a Case Study.

PHILIPPINE ARCHITECTURE

INFLUENCES
GEOGRAPY AND GEOLOGY

• Archipelago of 7100 island

• 3 main islands: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao
• Southeast Asia, Pacific Ocean
• Strategic position – in the path of Far East trade.

• Volcanoes, mountain, seas

• Forests: Molave, guijo, yakal, narra, pine, bamboo, coconut, palm, cogon,
grass, rattan, nipa.
• Clay, limestone, adobe, marble, gypsum, granite, coral stone
• Metals
CLIMATE

• FIRST TYPE:
Two pronounced seasons:
Dry- from November to April
Wet – during the rest of the year
• SECOND TYPE
No dry season; very pronounced maximum rain period from November
to January.
• THIRD TYPE
Seasons are not very pronounced, relatively dry from November to April
and wet during the rest of the year.
• FOURTH TYPE
Rainfall more or less evenly distributed throughout the year.

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Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

HISTORY
PRE-COLONIAL
- Immigrants of Malayan origin, primitive food gatherers and hunters.
- In 3000 BC, joined by more advanced race from Indonesia.
- Barangays as tribal system
SPANISH RULE
- 1521 Ferdinand Magellan landed
- 1564 Miguel Lopez de Legaspi brought Christianity
- Nationalist movement by Jose Rizal, unsuccessful revolt by Aguinaldo
AMERICAN RULE
- Islands ceded to America, as a result of war with USA
- Fighting, self-government
JAPANESE INVASION
- December 1941 launched a surprise attack on the Philippines.
- Puppet government
- Liberation by Gen. Mc Arthur in July 1945
RELIGION
- Roman Catholic
- Christians
- Islam
- Protestants
- Aglipayan
- Iglesia ni Kristo

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Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
HOUSE STRUCTURES
BAHAY KUBO
A common type of dwelling in lowland and coastal areas during the Pre-
Hispanic Philippines. “Bahay” is a tagalog word for house while “kubo” is from the
Spanish “cubo”, meaning cube.

Bahay Kubo is a one-room house, raised above the ground to protect the
dwellers from the dampness and humidity of the earth.

PARTS OF BAHAY KUBO

▪ PASIBI – lean-to roof; A single slope extension of a gable or a hip type roof.
▪ BALANGKAS – framework; The skeletal structural element of a roof or wall,
assembled or fitted together to handle the exterior elements or finishes.
▪ BANGUERAHAN – An elevated counter made of bamboo strips usually
projecting beyond the kitchen wall which is used to store food and kitchen
utensils.
▪ BATALAN – washing area; A small space adjacent to the cooking area with a
service door leading outside. It is used for washing hands and feet, bathing kids
and washing pots and dishes.
▪ ABUHAN – cooking area; An elevated earthen fireplace with a stone stove for
cooking and layers of open shelves for drying firewood and smoking fish.
▪ BULWAGAN – main house; The main section of the house used as living,
dining and sleeping areas.
▪ SAGANG – railing; A waist-level railing, made using bamboo, used as an
enclosed and protected porch area.
▪ HAGDAN – stair; The main access to the house with the entire framework
made from bamboo or combined with wood.
▪ SILONG – underneath the house; An enclosed/open space under the house
where harvests are stored, tools and equipment are kept, and livestock
(chicken, pigs and goats) are tended.

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Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

▪ BUBONG – roof; The steep thatch roof made from either bamboo cogon grass,
anahaw leaves or nipa shingles as protection and shade from the sun and
torrential rains.
▪ SAHIG – flooring; Bamboo strips laid perpendicular to the floor joists either
closely laid or with ample spaces allowing natural air to enter through the floor.
▪ DING DING – wall; Finished walls assembled on the ground and tightly secured
using rattan strips on the bamboo wall studs.
▪ YAWI – main beam; A whole bamboo, horizontally laid to define the perimeter
of the house and tied firmly on each post with rattan strips.
▪ HALIGI – post; The whole bamboo, vertically set up to support the floor and
roof members. A post buried on the ground is called binaon (buried) and a post
set up above a stone slab is referred to as pinatong (placed on).
▪ PATUKURAN – secondary beam; A whole bamboo laid over the main beam
(yawi) to carry the floor joist (soleras).
▪ SOLERAS – floor joist; A whole bamboo laid parallel with each other of about
12 to 15 inches over the secondary beam (patukuran) as support for the
flooring.
▪ GILILAN - floor sill; A whole bamboo laid around the perimeter of the house
used to hold and support the walls.

BAHAY NA BATO
A housing prototype which combined elements of the indigenous and
Hispanic building traditions to prevent the dangers posed by fire,
earthquakes and cyclones.

Arquitectura mestiza, a new hybrid type of construction combining wood

and stone.

CHARACTERISTIC OF A BAHAY NA BATO

▪ Generally has two storeys, at times three.

▪ The ground floor is made of cut stone or brick, the upper of wood.
▪ Windows: ground floor, grillworks; second floor, sliding shutters with
capiz shells or glass panels.
▪ Capped by a high hip roof with a 45-degree-angle pitch.

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Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

PARTS OF BAHAY NA BATO

GROUND FLOOR
▪ COCHERA – driveway or garage
▪ ZAGUAN – vestibule or storage; usually for the
caroza.
▪ ENTRESUELO – mezzanine area, for offices or
servants’ quarters.
▪ CUADRA – horse stables.
▪ ESCALERA – wooden staircase.

SECOND FLOOR
▪ CAIDA OR ANTE-SALA – interior
overhanging veranda; most immediate room from
the stairs.
▪ SALA – living room
▪ LATRINA – toilet
▪ COMEDOR – dining area
▪ AZOTEA – outdoor terrace, located
beside a balon or over an aljibe (water cistern)
▪ CUARTO – bedroom
▪ GALERIA VOLADA OR CORREDOR –
flying wooden gallery.
▪ ORATORIO – praying area.
▪ COLLADO – wooden framework on top
of partitions.
▪ PASAMANO – window sill
▪ VENTANILLAS – vents beneath the
window sill which reach to the floor,
▪ BARANDILLAS – wooden balusters.

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Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

RELIGIOUS STRUCTURE

CHURCHES
An edifice or place of Christian worship.

PARTS OF A CHURCH

▪ KAMPANARYO – campanario, belltower; A tower that is either attached or

at a distance from the church; supports one or more bells.
▪ PATYO NG SIMBAHAN – plaza iglesia, church plaza; The huge open space
in front of the church intended for religious activities or ceremonies.
▪ KUMBENTO – convent, convent; A building, either attached or beside a church
that serves as residence of the parish priest.
▪ BAPTISTERYO – baptistery; An independent structure or a space near the
church’s entrance, or at the first level of the bell tower, which is dedicated for
baptism
▪ ALTAR MAYOR – Main altar
▪ SAGRARIO – Tabernacle
▪ PULPITO – Pulpit
▪ RETABLO – elaborately ornamented altar screen.
▪ SACRISTIA – where the priest and his assistants put on their robes before the
mass
▪ CORO – choir loft
▪ TRIBUNAS – screened gallery.

IGLESIA NI CRISTO

Iglesia ni Cristo church buildings primarily serve

as places of worship and are used for other
religious functions.

Anthropologist Fernando Nakpil-Zialcita, said

that INC churches can be uniquely identified for
“its exuberant use of fanciful forms and
ornaments”.

The INC Central Temple which opened in July

27, 1984, can accommodate up to 7,000 persons. The Central Temple features
octagonal spires, “fine latticework” and ribbed windows.

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Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

MOSQUES

A spiritual sanctuary for Muslim worship

primarily governed by liturgical axis towards
Mecca.

The vernacular mosques of the Philippines

used to be the hut-style and the pagoda-style,
which were very common until the late 19th
century. Most of the mosques in the Philippines
today have common Islamic architectures
imported from Arabia merged with modern style.

PARTS OF A MOSQUE

▪ CIRCULAR MINARET – A tall tower with a circular base, attached to a mosque

and with stairs that lead towards the balcony or balconies where the muezzin
calls the faithful into prayer.
▪ OCTAHEDRAL BASE OF MINARET – The minaret’s base having eight sides
or faces.
▪ MIRHAB – prayer niche; A niche inside a mosque that indicates the direction
of Mecca.
▪ KIBLAH – qiblah; The prime orientation in Mosque Architecture which shows
the axis of prayer towards Mecca.
▪ MUSALLA – sanctuary; A space used for communal worship for men and
women.
▪ HILAL – star and crescent moon; An emblem of the Islamic world placed at the
topmost portion of the onion dome roof.
▪ ONION DOME ROOF – A bulbous ogee-shaped dome resembling an onion.
▪ MINARET – From the Arabic “manara” meaning “giving off light”, a tall, slender
tower of a mosque where the call to prayer is pronounced.

FORTIFICATIONS

A defensive military work, constructed for the purpose of strengthening a position.

Characterized by heavy stone walls, moats, and grid road layouts. Bastions, keeps
and watch towers were also built to cover blind spots.

PARTS OF A FORT

▪ CORTINAS – thick perimeter walls

▪ BASTIONES OR BALUARTES – four-sided bulwarks skirting the cortinas on
both ends.
▪ FOSO – moat
▪ CASAMATAS – stone embrasures where artilleries were propped up.

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Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

EXAMPLES OF A FORT

▪ KUTA – cognate with the Malay kota which has the modern meaning “city”.
These structures were usually made of stone and wood and were surrounded
by trench networks.

Kuta were notably used by Muslims for defense against foreign invaders.

Notable Kuta:

• KOTA SELUDONG – the foundation of the city of Manila

• COTABATO – “stone fort”; a stone fortification in Mindanao
• KOTA SUG/ JOLO – the capital and seat of the Sultanate of Sulu;
converted into a walled city by the Spanish upon occupation in the 1870s

▪ IGOROT FORTS

The Igorot built forts made op stone walls that averaged several meters in width
and about two to three times the width in height around 2000 BC

▪ IDJANG

Rock-hewn fortresses of Batanes. The Ivatan built idjang which were a type of
citadel on hills and elevated areas. These structures were designed so that the
entrance was only accessible by the use of rope ladder which was only lowered
for villagers to the disadvantage of the enemies.

▪ INTRAMUROS

The walled city of Manila. The historic city was once a home to many colonial
churches, schools, convents, government buildings and residences.

Many of these products of Spanish architecture were destroyed during World

War II. Of all the buildings within the 67-acre city, only one, the San Agustin
Church survived the war.

▪ FORT SANTIAGO

Defensive fortress established in 1571 by the Spanish conquistador Miguel

Lopez de Legazpi. It was the citadel of Intramuros, built on the site of the palace
and of Rajah Sulayman.

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Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

RICE TERRACES

These rice terraces illustrate the ability of human culture to adapt to new social and
climate pressures as well as to implement and develop new ideas and technologies.
They also epitomize a harmonic, sustainable relationship between humans and their
environment.

The structures’ original builders used stone and mud walls to carefully carve and
construct terraces that could hold flooded pond fields for the cultivation of rice.

ZONING OF THE IFUGAO RICE TERRACES

▪ BABLE – village; The settlement of an Ifugao community, usually comprised

of house (bale/fale) and granary, built in an area that cannot be irrigated and
not following a regular pattern or straight line.
▪ BALE/FALE – house; A single-room structure that serves as living quarters of
an Ifugao family.
▪ ALANG – granary; A building intended primarily as storehouse for harvested
rice grains
▪ INALAHAN – public forest; A forest that serves as hunting ground and source
of wood for construction.
▪ HINAOB – forest adopted by terrace communities; The forest adopted and
protected by the people owning the rice filed terraces as it is the source of water
for the rice field.
▪ UMA/KAINGIN – swidden farm; A swidden farm cultivated through a rotation
of users.
▪ PAYO – stonewalled terrace pond- field; A series of stone-walled structures,
usually 3.00 meters in height, built in a hillside, primarily used as rice fields.
▪ LATANGAN – residential area; The area below the rice terraces intended as
place of residence.
▪ MAGULON – grassland; The area occupied chiefly by forage plants especially
grasses.

PARTS OF RICE TERRACES

▪ BAWANG – enclosed pond field surface; The area enclosed by each terraces
dike that primarily functions to cultivate rice.
▪ PUMPUDUNGAN – property marker; A marker that is intended to identify the
limit of one’s property, especially in a rice field.
▪ INADO – vegetable mulch mounds; An earthen mound intended for cultivating
vegetables.
▪ TAU – fish sump; A low portion in an enclosed pond-field that is usually stocked
with mudfish.
▪ BANONG – dike/pond-field rim; The topmost pert of the retaining wall (topeng)
that is relatively flat and used both as a path walk and water confinement at the
pond-field.
▪ TOPENG – stone retaining wall; Quarried angular broken stones laid in slight
angle, one above the other, to serve as terrace walling.
▪ LOBONG – water; The irrigated water from the forest naturally distributed to
every rice field to foster rice growth.

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▪ GUHENG – spillway; A water outlet constructed at the retaining wall, just above
the required water level of the pond-field, as means of passage for surplus
water as well as a drainage conduit.
▪ LOYU – worked pond field soil; The soil that is ploughed, planted with rice, and
provided with proper water irrigation.
▪ HAGUNTAL – hard earth fill; Earth soil with pieces of crushed stones or rocks
that serve as pond-field soil bedding.
▪ ADOG – rough gravel fill; Small pieces of rock or gravel that work both as
support for the artificial pond-field.
▪ GONAD – foundation stone; Huge boulders that serve as foundation of the
terraces.
▪ AHBUBUL – submerged water source; The natural source of water for the
pond-field coming from the ground.
▪ ANUL – drainage conduit; An artificial stone conduit for distributing and
draining excess water constructed based on the natural topography of the land.
▪ GANGAL – course fill/small stones; The space in a stonewalled terrace
composed of small, broken stones laid directly on the hill’s bedrock.
▪ ALDOH – second course walling stone; The second layer of stones of the
terraces resting above the “gonad” or foundation stones.
▪ DOPLAH – bedrock/original valley-floor earth; Refers to the natural mountain
slope or terrain that serves as the terrace’s foundation bed.

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Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

Guided Exercises / Learning Activities

Upon learning the topics of Philippine Architecture about House structures, Religious
Structures, Fortifications and Rice Terraces, you are tasked to research one example
from the topic that we have discussed.

The student must provide a picture or a drawing of a particular example you picked
and the following details on the exercise given.

• Name of the Structure

• Parts and Characteristic of the Structure

Kindly put in on a Short Bond paper in PDF format. Also do not forget to put your name
(Surname, First Name, MI), section and subject code.

Assessment

PARAMETERS GRADING
Content and Details
Content is very informative and 50%
accurate. Output has adequate details
Presentation
Originality of presented material and 30%
interpretation

Organization and Creativity

Output is well organized and perform 20%
the activity in a creative manner.

TOTAL 100%

References

• Architectural Character and the History of Architecture

Salvan, G.S (2005): Goodwill Trading Co., Inc.

• Diksiyonaryong Biswal ng Arkitekturang Filipino

Fernandez, R.D.A (2015): University of Santo Tomas Publishing

• Philippine Architecture
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_of_the_Philippines#:~:text=The%20archi
tecture%20of%20the%20Philippines,%2C%20Spanish%2C%20and%20American%20a
rchitectures.

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