A Modern Take on the Bahay Kubo: A Tiny House Inspired by the Humble Kubo

I set out to design a small home that honors the classic Bahay Kubo while embracing modern ideas. The result is a two-story house with a total area of 49 square meters that respects our cultural heritage and meets today’s need for functionality and style.

Inspired by Tradition, Updated for Today

Rooted in the traditional Bahay Kubo, this house keeps its essential features—especially the raised platform. Built on stilts, the home naturally cools and connects with its surroundings. While it pays tribute to the past, every detail has been thoughtfully updated for modern living.

Cost-Saving Tips for Building Your Dream Home

Building a new home is a significant investment and an exciting time in one's life, but it can also be expensive. The construction cost can quickly add up, making it challenging to stick to a budget. However, there are several ways to reduce the cost of house construction and make your dream home more affordable.

 

In this article, we will discuss various ways to reduce the cost of house construction. From limiting the floor area and the number of rooms to choosing affordable roofing materials, we will provide practical tips and advice to help you build your dream home while staying within your budget. By following these tips, you can reduce the cost of house construction and build a comfortable and cost-effective home that meets your needs and fits your budget.

 

Build a Single Story House

Building a single-story house has several benefits that make it an attractive option for many homeowners. One of the most significant benefits is faster construction. Single-story homes require fewer materials and less labor, which means less time to complete the construction than multi-story homes. This can be especially important for families who want to move into their new home as quickly as possible.

Another benefit of building a single-story house is faster turnover. A single-story home has no stairs to navigate, making it a more practical option for families with young children, older adults, or individuals with mobility challenges. This can make the home more accessible and comfortable for everyone who lives there, and it can also make the home more appealing to potential buyers in the future.

In addition to faster construction and turnover, single-story homes are also easier to maintain. They require fewer repairs and renovations over time, making them a cost-effective choice for families and individuals who want a comfortable and well-maintained home.

Single-story homes also provide more privacy and a greater connection to the outdoors. With a single-story home, you can enjoy outdoor living spaces, like a backyard or patio, without the distractions and noise of neighboring homes.

Building a single-story home can provide families and individuals with a comfortable and cost-effective living experience. With its faster construction, faster turnover, and ease of maintenance, a single-story home can be an attractive option for anyone looking to build a new home.

 

Residential Septic Tank Calculator

I've been considering making a spreadsheet calculator to calculate my plumbing and electrical requirements for my design. Although I hire an electrical engineer and a master plumber to calculate the final requirements for my designs, I usually create the initial layout based on my calculations. I decided to create a series of spreadsheet calculators based on Philippine codes to help me work more efficiently. I will share these calculators once I have finished streamlining them. These calculators will only serve as a guide for your needs, and I still recommend that you hire a professional to avoid any future issues.

Link for a copy of The Revised National Plumbing Code of the Philippines.

5 Smart Apartment Designs That Maximize Space

One of the key design solutions for a well-designed tiny apartment is multifunctional spaces. Assigning several functions to an area minimizes wasted space and maximizes every inch of space. Hiding unused components also declutters the area, making it appear larger than it looks. These are just some of the clever solutions designers implement to create beautiful and efficient interiors. Below are seven well-designed tiny apartments that will capture your interest.  

1. 24 in 1 Transformer Apartment

Designed by: Architect Gary Chang

Area: 24 sqm / 258 sq. ft.

The concept for the apartment is a time-based design that uses shared space one function at a time.

Several movable walls hide everything out of sight, decluttering the space. Everything slides against the wall to open up center space. By layering several movable walls, the apartment has abundant storage space hidden within the wall.

Shifting the center wall panel to the center allows access to the hidden bathtub, which also has a folded murphy bed for guests. Gary Chang utilizes murphy beds to hide the beds against the wall.

A retractable projector screen on the window also doubles as a curtain. The mirrored ceiling makes the tracks less conspicuous and also creates the illusion of a bigger space.

Factors to Consider Before Acquiring a Hillside Lot

Logan Hillside Houses by Brian Stansberry

People choose hillside lots for the cool breeze and stunning views. The cold atmosphere is especially desirable in tropical countries such as the Philippines. When picking a hillside lot, it is necessary to determine the lot's inclination before making a decision. Hillside lots either have an uphill or downhill slope, and each has its unique characteristics. Understanding the distinction between the two grades can help you make a better decision when acquiring a rolling lot. It will help you select the ideal lot that is suitable for your needs.

HOUSE CD08 - SPLIT LEVEL HOUSE WITH POOL

YEAR: 2008

FLOOR AREA: 138 SQM

House CD08 was a concept house I made back in 2008. I utilized a split level house design that follows the downhill lot's contour to minimize site alteration. The split level design makes the house look smaller than its actual size.

It has two carports, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a spacious kitchen and dining area. Upon entering the house, an infinity pool greets you. The home features a swimming pool with a fixed glass window that is visible from the inside.

 

The Home of The Future, How Technology Can Improve Our Homes.

A few weeks ago, I found a mini-series created by The Verge featuring the house of the future, hosted by the late Grant Imahara of Mythbusters. The series explores what our current technology can do to improve the efficiency of our home. There are six episodes in the series, and each focuses on a specific aspect of the house.

The series begins with the building of the house. They use prefabrication to reduce costs and speed up construction. This unconventional construction method has been around for quite some time, but the industry has not yet fully adopted it. The show discusses the advantages and disadvantages of this method.

House AS08 - Second Floor House Extension

Location: Tisa, Cebu City

Year: 2008

Floor Area: 230 sqm.

Lot Area: 246 sqm.

The project is for a renovation of an existing single-story residential building. The client wanted to retain the existing structure and build an extension on the second floor.

The ground floor's exterior walls remained the same, but we removed some of the interior partitions to accommodate the stairs. To make the ground floor spacious, we opted for an open floor plan and sliding glass doors that opens to the garage. The garage also serves as an extension of the dining and living room area.

To maximize usable space, we laid out the second-floor rooms around the family room. A shared bathroom serves the three bedrooms on the upper ground, while the master bedroom has a separate master bathroom.

5 Unique Shape Shifting Furniture

The interior design of a building is only as good as the furniture that fills it. Placing unique and interesting furniture in an area enhances the interior. This unique furniture sometimes becomes the focal point of a space.

I have always been fond of one-of-a-kind furniture pieces. I like furniture that is simple, sleek, and multifunctional. I also like furniture that is space-saving or can be tucked away and remain unobtrusive.

 Some of the fascinating furniture pieces I found are works of art. There is also furniture that involves highly technical skills. These are the furniture that has a lot of highly accurate moving parts.

Due to the skills needed to create these unique pieces, these usually cost higher than regular furniture. If the budget is not a concern, then I would recommend these to my clients. 

 

1. Designed By Sebastian ErraZuriz

2. Designed By Robert Van Embricqs

3. The Ollie Chair Designed by RockPaperRobot

4. Manet Easy Chair Designed by Best Before 2065

5. Kenchikukagu

Documentaries on Frank Lloyd Wright his Life, Works and Legacy

Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the architects who got me interested in architecture. My interest in architecture began when I saw the Solomon Guggenheim Museum from a chase scene in Men in Black.

After watching the movie, I did some research on the house. I found out that Architect Frank Lloyd Wright-designed the building in the late fifties. Given that the building was 24 years older than me, it looked like it was only newly built. It looked new compared to most of the buildings in Cebu back then.

Maximize Space with These 7 Efficient Stair Designs

Stairs are an integral part of a multi-level structure. We use it to gain access to different floors of a building. The downside with stairs is that it occupies a lot of space. Space has become scarce in urban areas, and designers are trying to find ways to optimize the use of every inch of space. Below are some of the clever stair design solutions that maximize the use of space.

 1. 1m2 Stairs Eastairs

Designed by Eastairs, it is a metal spiral staircase that occupies 1 square meter. The stairs are prefabricated and assembled on site. It has a sleek design reminiscent of modern sculpture.

2.Zoku's Retractable Stair Design

One of Zoku's key designs is the retractable stairs that tuck away inside the cabinets. This ingenious design hides the stairs away when unused, freeing more valuable space inside the tiny area. 

16 Must Watch Design Shows about Architecture

1. Grand Designs

Grand Designs is a British television series produced by Boundless and broadcast on Channel 4 which features unusual and often elaborate architectural homebuilding projects.

The program has been presented by Kevin McCloud since it first aired in April 1999, and more than 200 episodes have been broadcast in twenty series.

2. Grand Designs New Zealand

Grand Designs New Zealand is a New Zealand television series on TV3. It is based on the British television series Grand Designs, and it is presented by the architect Chris Moller. It began airing in New Zealand on 4 October 2015

How to Maximize Tiny Spaces

Small interiors are becoming more common in urbanized cities. Making a small interior look huge is one of the challenges facing architects and interior designers. Some designers use optical illusions to make space appear larger, while others use innovative technology to maximize small spaces.

Building BPACT13 - School Building Exterior Renovation

Renovated Facade

A proposed design for the renovation of the facade of an existing old school building. The client wanted to modernize the school image and decided to use Aluminum Cladding Panels to cover the existing building. The client wanted to retain the existing structure and did not want to disrupt the activities inside the building.

Unique Home Designs: Adaptive Reuse

A lot of creative design solutions come from re-purposed old buildings. The design constraints of the existing structure often result in innovative solutions. Whether it's a freight container, a barn or a silo creative designers come up with inspiring ideas. They design unique structures that meet the needs of their client.

Back when I was still a student, I always wanted to redesign an old warehouse into a modern home. I've had a lot of sketches and concepts to visualize how they're going to come out. I've always wanted to redesign old abandoned buildings and make them useful again.

 Images courtesy of SeARCH

Architect: SeARCH

Farmyard to Residential Building

Unique Interiors - Bathrooms

Bathroom designs with pocket gardens and skylights have always fascinated me. The merging of interior and exterior spaces gives an open, relaxing, and bright ambiance from these spaces.

Even though people spend less time in these rooms, the design of these spaces is just as important as any other space in the house. We usually use this space at the start of the day and our mood during these hours will affect how the rest of the day will turn out. 

Image Source: http://multimedianimasi.blogspot.com

Modern Tree Houses

Some of the most interesting designs I've seen are the ones that veer away from the norm. They create unique designs by creating unusual solutions. Treehouses are one of the interesting types of buildings we need to explore.

Green architecture is gaining popularity with the public. Building a structure around a tree instead of cutting it down is becoming common. It is one-way architects can help preserve the environment.

Amazing Future Homes

I was browsing through Forbes for some interesting article about investments and found this interesting article about future homes. This was the last place I thought I could find architecture and design related articles but the slides really caught my interest.

Tornado-Proof Home Designed by Ted Givens of 10Design

Glass House

Every culture has their limits when it comes to the privacy of their home. In some places people don't rely on fence to secure their home and privacy from prying eyes. In other areas people put up tall concrete walls which are sometime even taller than the house. A lot of circumstances are considered which determines how open people are with their homes.

In my country most people usually put up fences around their houses to prevent others from entering the premises of their home. It also serves as a way for them to prevent others from seeing what happens inside the premises. Since the majority of the homes here have small lots, almost all homes maximize the lot for their home which in turn lessens the easement between the house and the road.

Designed By Architect Philip Johnson

I always wanted to live in a house which has a lot of glass. I've made a lot of conceptual designs but most of these designs are too expensive and are inapplicable here in the Philippines. Asides from security, you'll need to have a large lot in order to keep your privacy from your neighbors.

Extreme Cantilever Homes

Every time I see an extreme home I always wonder why architects go out of their way to achieve these feats. It must have taken guts on the part of the client to go with the daring designs of the architect. I usually get inspired looking through their designs.

Designed by Natkevicus 

Lately I've been fascinated with houses designed to have extreme cantilevers. I've browsed through a lot of houses with extreme cantilevers and each one of these have their own approach on solving the long spans of their cantilever.