TITLE: CRITICAL ANALYSIS: Filipino Housing Typology (A Subjective Architectural Expression of

Opinion through Writing and Visualization Methods

BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THE ENDEAVOR BY THE AUTHOR/STUDENT:

Introduced during the American colonial period, bungalows are the most common type of house
in the Philippines. They are described as low-rise homes sporting a pitched roof and a horizontal
shape. The roof is typically made of galvanized iron, while the walls are made of concrete.
Bungalows have a yard, or garden, or covered car port, if not all three. (Top-Notch, 2016).

The bungalow is popular in urban areas, as it is less expensive and easier to build than a multi-
story home. With caring for elders significant in Filipino culture, it is ideal for with senior residents
who have an aversion for walking up and down lengthy flights of steps (Top-Notch, 2016).

Perhaps the one house design that many Filipinos are familiar with, the term “bungalow” comes
from Bengali that roughly translates to “house in the Bengal style. This particular architectural
style has a second floor built into a sloping roof, and is quite common in gated communities, or
subdivisions in the Philippines (Manila Standard, 2017).

NAME OF HOUSING TYPE: 1960’s Typical Bungalow Housing

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: (Brief Narrative)

Bungalows of the middle class occupied lot area of 200 to 400 square meters. A typical dwelling
had a carport, living and dining area, a kitchen, two to three bedrooms, a small garden in front of
the house, and a service area at the rear (G. Lico, 2013).

In the 1960, more upper-class bungalow were built in villages developed by the Ayalas in Makati
area, such as Forbes Park and Magallanes Villages. The sprawling domiciles in these subdivisions
stood on 1,000-2,000 square meter-lots, which contained gardens, swimming pools, garages, and
maid’s quarter. The bungalow’s stylistic permutations ere numerous but its manifestation in
Philippine residential architecture had problems related to ventilation brought about by the gross
duplication of American bungalow that dispensed climate-insensitive features, such as butterfly
roofs, narrow eaves, false chimneys, low ceilings, and glass picture windows (G. Lico, 2013)

PLACE OF ORIGIN:

PRESENTATION OF NARRATIVE AND TECHNICAL DRAWINGS, PLANS, DETAILS ETC.:

(SHOWCASING THE CHOSEN HOUSING SAMPLE)

ARCHITECTURAL CONTEXTS:

PROMINENT BUILDING MATERIALS

 Reinforced Concrete
 Hollow block for exterior walls and interior partitions
  Concrete for slab
 Adobe walls
 Cement- asbestos
 Wooden framework to insulate the heat
 Flexible fiber
 Voladas for window

STRUCTURAL AND BUILDING METHODS

 HOUSE PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS:

 Distribution-Refers to the placement, location and arrangement of each room in
relation with each other like between kitchen and dining which primarily requires
accessibility on food servicing. These areas are interrelated and should not be far
from each other.
 Circulation-Like roads and highways, traffic is also present inside the building
that must be considered in planning. Circulation and movements of the occupants
inside the building should not be hampered by any obstacles nor be detoured as a
result of poor planning.
 Light and ventilation-There is no substitute for a good daylight and fresh
natural air entering and circulating inside the building. Artificial lighting and
ventilation is very costly.
 Sizes, areas and shapes-All design are intended for human use and therefore
should be planned according to human scale. Good design always provide ample
areas to accommodate furniture, appliances, and other related facilities including
the most critical and important lanes or pathways for routinely movements inside
the house. The shape as to plan and elevations should be strictly functional, not
fancy in character.
 Orientation-Refers to the position and direction of the sunrise and sunset
including the prevailing wind directions in the area. A brief nap or rest at mid day
or in the afternoon is normally done in the bedroom. Thus, bedroom should not
be oriented facing the afternoon sun. The kitchen, laundry and bathroom is better
oriented west for sunlight kills many types of bacteria.
 Zoning Laws-The zoning ordinance should be consulted first before
deciding on the final site of the house or building. You might be
constructing your residential house on an industrial or commercial zone.
 Height-A moderate high ceiling allows fresh air circulations, comfortable
atmosphere, ad preserved aesthetic value of the room. Room with low
ceiling has warm atmosphere that requires artificial ventilation.
 Electrical layout-The location of convenience outlet should be planned
simultaneously with the appliances to be placed on. The extension wire
for appliances is the most unsightly obstacle in the room due to improper
location of convenience outlet. A satisfactory electrical layout and
installation is when you avail of its services without the need of an
extension cord. The location and accessibility of light switches is another
 thing of important consideration. It should be installed near the door of
every room for convenience in switching-in and switching-off when
entering and leaving the room respectively.
 Location of doors-When a door becomes an obstacle creating
inconveniences to the occupant that is the time we realized the mistake of
not analyzing its proper position from early stage of planning.

SPATIAL USAGE AND TRANSLATION (Floor plans and Sections)

 Carport
 Living area
 Dining area
 Kitchen
 2-3 bedroom
 Small garden in the front of the house
 Service area at the rear

CULTURAL/BEHAVIORAL/LIFESTYLE CONTEXTS

SITE FACTORS AND HUMAN SETTLEMENT SETTING

SUMMARY OF VALUABLE ARCHITECTURAL HIGHLIGHTS AND ITS IMPORTANCE

(MATRIX)

GENERAL CONCLUSION: