IVATAN ARCHITECTURE

Batanes
BATANES
Location
Batanes, northernmost province of the Philippines
composed of
• Sabtang, main island
• Batan and
• Itbayat,
Rugged terrain, few flatland, coastalareas
Climate:
• Strong typhoon
• Earthquake
• Cooler temperature
The average yearly temperature is 26.0 °C (78.8 °F),
and the average monthly temperature ranges from
22.0 °C (71.6 °F) in January to 28.5 °C (83.3 °F) in
July, similar to that of Southern Taiwan.
The Ivantan were from Malayo-
Austronesian ethnolinguistic
group native migrated to the
northern part of the Philippines
via Taiwan

Dialect- use of “v”

Vakul- raincape
Economic activities Socio-political
•Fishing, farming,
•Housing design affected by climate, •Headed by a village chief-mangpus
economic, social

•Mapolon- the district

•Kumaidian- the community
IVATAN HOUSES
Ivatan dwellings similar to Lanyu architecture of
Taiwan

Austronesian architecture light weight

construction that are influenced by the
environmental condition of the area

Use of vernacular materials

Thatched cogon –roof
Coral stone –walls
Wood for interior
 Lagatiti
• Lagatiti
• a makeshift type of shelter resembling an ethnic lean-to
and commonly used as a temporary shed in farmlands
It is just over 4 square meters in floor area. It has a two-
slope roof with one slope that is touching the ground and
the other being a lot shorter almost resembling a roof
eaveThe roof is made of thatch or any type of broad grass
leaves. Reeds or long branches placed above and below
keeping the thatch in place. Tree trunks are driven into the
ground to serve as posts to support the roof assembly--
perimeter posts are one and a half meters high.
It has a very low ceiling that forces a person to be
constantly seated or squatted while inside. It has thatch
walls on three sides with the sloping roof functioning as
the wall for the remaining side due to this space is
reduced
Niriñdiñ
•found only in the Island of Itbayat. It is a
slightly varied version of the Jinjin.
• functions as a house than a temporary
shelter; it is built using more durable
materials. The walls are made of wood planks
and clad with cogon at the exterior.
•the use of wood planks for the wall is a
necessary protective measure against the
wind. The same for the floor.
In contrast with the swing-out type panels
used in the Jinjin (or all the other house
types), the Niriiñdiñ is the only one that uses
sliding panels.
Mayhurahed
• Improved version of Jinjin and the
Niriñdiñ. A low base called hurrahed
consisting of mud and stone is
integrated at the lower section of the
wall. Thus the name Mayhurahed or
may hurahed, meaning “with stone
base”.
•The stone base serves a more
important function during rains which
is to divert the water around the house
Jinjin details
Maintenance Plan for Heritage Houses of Batanes, Philippines
http://rizal.lib.admu.edu.ph/conf2005/conf/ARCH.%20JOSE%2
0IGNACIO%20PAPER%20FOR%20ATENEO.pdf