Filipino Concept

of Space
Traditions, Beliefs, and Practices in the
Filipino Built Environment
FILIPINO BELIEFS
Traditionally accepted ideas and practices of Filipino cultures
concerning architectural design, construction, and their
associated uses and behaviors

Often based on experience and historical memory

ATHEORY1 I AR. ANGELUS MARIA P. SALES

CHOOSING A LOT
Triangular lots are unlucky.
Lots where the frontage has the smaller dimension compared
to the rear (korteng supot) is considered to be lucky.
Residential lots facing east are considered to be lucky.
Lots on high ground are lucky.
Lots that face a street perpendicularly (tumbok) are unlucky.

LUCKY
LUCKY
ATHEORY1 I AR. ANGELUS MARIA P. SALES
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Orienting the structure to face the east is the best; avoid trees
that will block the morning sun.
Main exterior stairways should be oriented either facing the
east, facing a nearby mountain, facing upstream of a river, or
parallel to the shoreline of the sea.
Areas under stairways should not be used as passageways.
The number of steps in a flight of stairs must fall on the count
of oro (gold) or plata (silver), never mata (death)

ATHEORY1 I AR. ANGELUS MARIA P. SALES

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Flooring strips on the second floor should not be collinear to
the run of the stairway.
Bathrooms and toilets should not be located over the kitchen
or dining room.
Septic vaults should not be located under the roof of the
house or garage.
Roofs, or dominant portions of the roof, should not slant
towards the front of the lot as much as possible.

ATHEORY1 I AR. ANGELUS MARIA P. SALES

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Doors should not face each other.
Main doors should not face where the sun sets.
Bedroom doors should not face the foot or head of the bed.
Bedrooms should always be higher than the living room.

UNLUCKY

ATHEORY1 I AR. ANGELUS MARIA P. SALES

CONSTRUCTION
Break ground on a Monday and when the moon is
growing in size.
Do not break ground in February.
Initial concrete pouring should be done when the moon is
growing in size or the full moon.
Place coins or religious medals in the foundations for
prosperity and protection before pouring the concrete.

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MOVING- IN
Do not move in on a Tuesday or Friday (sorrowful mysteries
of the rosary) or the thirteenth of the month.
Religious items should be the first things to be brought
into the house.
Symbols of prosperity (water, rice, salt) should be
brought in next.
Money should only be brought in last.
During the house blessing, make sure that coins are
thrown into the house from the main doorway.

ATHEORY1 I AR. ANGELUS MARIA P. SALES

POP QUIZ!

ATHEORY1 I AR. ANGELUS MARIA P. SALES

POP QUIZ!!!

What is considered a lucky element in

Filipino beliefs?

A. east wind
B. crescent moon
C. dominant roof slope
D. morning sun

ATHEORY1 I AR. ANGELUS MARIA P. SALES

POP QUIZ!!!

What is considered a lucky element in

Filipino beliefs?

A. east wind
B. crescent moon
C. dominant roof slope
D. morning sun

ATHEORY1 I AR. ANGELUS MARIA P. SALES

 End of Lecture
Thank You!

ATHEORY1 I AR. ANGELUS MARIA P. SALES

THIS PRESENTATION WAS TAKEN FROM PROF. EMILI

O U.
OZAETA'S CDEP HOA & TOA LECTUR
E