Bahay Kubo

(History of Architecture 4)
Group 3:
Borromeo,
Sharmaine
Cruz, Jonah Mica
Esperida, Johara
Habal, Abegail
Macatangay, Mary
Ortega, Iris
Sharmaine
Sarmiento, Kharellle
Velarde, Jessa Dynn

Introduction
The Bahay Kubo is the native house of
the Philippines, and considered as the
national shelter, a cultural heritage,
and one of the most illustrative and
recognized icons. Its name is actually
based on Spanish word Cubo
meaning cube because of its
rectangular and cubic shape, and
Bahay a Filipino word for house. This
Pre-Hispanic Architecture was
constructed to perfectly adapt on the
Tropical climate and made of
indigenous, and organic materials like

History
Classical Period (precolonial Era)
Nipa huts were the native houses of the indigenous people of the Philippines before the
Spaniardsarrived. They are still used today, especially in rural areas. Different architectural
designs are present among the different ethno linguistic groups in the country, although all of
them conform to beingstilt houses, similar to those found in neighboring countries such as
Indonesia,Malaysia, and other countries ofSoutheast Asia.
Colonial Era
The advent of the Spanish Colonial era introduced the idea of building more permanent
communities with the Church and Government Center as a focal point. This new community
setup made construction using heavier, more permanent materials desirable. Finding
European construction styles impractical given local conditions, both Spanish and Filipino
builders quickly adapted the characteristics of the Bahay Kubo and applied it to Antillean
houses locally known asBahay na Bato(Literally "stone house" in Tagalog).

How is it Constructed?
Bahay Kubo is constructed out of organic materials, a
showcase of extreme simplicity and sustainability that has
been around for a very long time. Because the house is
constructed with natural materials which are very
inexpensive or most freely available in the near
surroundings, it can quickly be rebuilt or repaired, using
simple tools, if it is damaged or destroyed by fire or
natural disasters like a typhoon or an earthquake.

Construction Materials
Main Structure: Fabricated with the ever dependable Bamboo and
banded together by tree strings with Dried Coconut Leaves or Cogon
Grass.

Roofs: made of Nipa or Anahaw

Walls: made of Nipa Leaves or Bamboo slats
Floor: made of finely split resilient Bamboo.

The space underneath the house is used for ventilation and as a storage area for food, or sometimes as a shelter for small animals like goats and poultry. A
distinct characteristic of the domestic Bahay Kubo is a kind of stairs orhagdanwhich can easily be disconnected at night and placed on the patio.

Characteristics

Characteristics
The typical bahay kubo is raised with thick bamboo poles one-two meters above

the groud depending on the area where it is constructed.

There are awning type windows on all sides that can be sealed off from the
elements by a series of sliding panels.
Its steeply sloping high-pitched roof shed rain and provides sufficient room for
warm air to escape as a cooling air flow will enter through the porous bamboo
walls and floor.
The space underneath the house is used for ventilation and as a storage area for
food, or sometimes as a shelter for small animals like goats and poultry.
A distinct characteristic of the domestic Bahay Kubo is a kind of stairs
orhagdanwhich can easily be disconnected at night and placed on the patio.

Parts and its Functions

The Bahay Kubo has distinct horizontal
divisions:
The steep roof

One-room upper living unit

The stilts or the post

Parts and Its Functions

SIBI (eaves):
The portion of the thatch roof that extends
beyond the wall

Parts and Its Functions

BALANGKAS (Framework)
The skeletal element of a roof or
wall, assembled or fitted together to
handle the exterior elements or
finishes. (Washing area)
BATALAN
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.
BULWAGAN (main house)
The main section of the house
used as living, dining, and
sleeping area.
SILONG(underneath the house)
An enclosed/open space under the house
where the harvests are stored, tools or
implement are kept, and livestock are tended.

Parts and Its Functions

PASIBI (lean-to roof)
A single slope
extension of a gable or
hip type roof
SAGANG (railing)
A waist- level railing,
made using bamboo
used as an enclosed
and protected porch
area.
HAGDAN (stairs)
The main access to
the house with the
entire framework
made from bamboo or
combined with wood

BANGUERAHAN
An elevated counter
made of bamboo strips
usually projecting
beyond the kitechn wall
which is used to store
food and kitchen
utensils

Parts and Its Functions

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

YAWI (main beam)

A whole bamboo, horizontally laid to
define perimeter of the house and
tied firmly on each post with rattan

PATUKURAN (Secondary
beam)
A whole bamboo laid over
the main beam (yawi) to
carry the floor joists
(soleras)
SOLERAS (floor joist)
A whole bamboo laid parallel
with each other of about 1215 inches over the
secondary beam (patukuran
as a support for the flooring

Parts and Its Functions

BUBONG (roof)
The steep thatch roof made
from either bamboo cogon
grass, Anahaw leaves or Nipa
shingles as a protection and
shade from the sun and
DINGDING
(wall)
torrential rains
Finished walls
assembled on the
ground and tightly
secured using
rattan strips on the
bamboo wall studs.
The wall siding is
either bamboo
laticework (salasala), interlaced
bamboo (amakan),
Woven Bamboo
( sawali), or
wooven coconut

HALIGI
(post)
A 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

Parts and its Functions

Parts and its Functions

Plans

References
Diksyunaryong Biswal ng Arkitekturang Filipino
http://www.aliawanenterprises.com/id69.html
http://
www.slideshare.net/rdeleon10061/parts-of-bahay-kubo
https://allensuyat.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/shelter-evol
ution-from-bahay-kubo-to-bahay-na-bato
/
http://
www.scribd.com/doc/137540967/The-Bahay-Kubo#scribd