The Nipa Hut As A Green Building Par, Bryll Edison C.

History of Architecture

Before the Philippines was colonized, Nipa hut was the major shelter for indigenous Filipinos.

The Nipa hut existed long time ago as the prime home for Filipinos.

The Bahay Kubo or Nipa Hut, is a

type of stilt house indigenous to most of the lowland

cultures of the Philippines. It often serves as an

icon of broader Filipino culture, or, more specifically,

Filipino rural culture.

The Nipa hut envisions the rich culture of the country.

A symbol of a green building that exist before the technology

evolved.

The Nipa Hut is made up of

different parts

Let’s have an overview of this parts.

Roof

Silong

Living Space

Walls

Windows

Batalan

Although there is no strict definition of the

Bahay Kubo and styles of construction vary throughout the Philippine archipelago, similar conditions in Philippine lowland areas have led

to numerous characteristics "typical" of examples of Bahay Kubo.

Three-layered structure

Silong

Kisame

Bubungan

RoofThe traditional roof shape of the Bahay Kubo is tall and steeply pitched, ending in long eaves. A tall roof created space above the

living area through which warm air could rise, giving the Bahay Kubo a natural cooling effect even during the hot summer season. The steep pitch allowed water to flow down quickly at the height of the

monsoon season while the long eaves gave people a limited space to

move about around the house's exterior whenever it rained. The steep pitch of the roofs are often used to explain why many Bahay

Kubo survived the ash fall from the Mt. Pinatubo eruption, when more

’modern’ houses notoriously collapsed from the weight of the ash.

SilongRaised up on hardwood stilts which serve as the main

posts of the house, Bahay Kubo have a Silong (the Tagalog word also means "shadow") area under the

living space for a number of reasons, the most important of which are to create a buffer area for rising waters during floods, and to prevent pests such as rats from getting up to the living area. This section of the

house is often used for storage, and sometimes for raising farm animals, and thus may or may not be

fenced off.

Living Space

The main living area of the Bahay Kubo is designed to let in as much fresh air and natural light as possible. Smaller Bahay Kubo will

often have bamboo slat floors which allow cool air to flow into the living space from the silong

below (in which case the Silong is not usually used for items which produce strong smells), and the

particular Bahay Kubo may be built without a kisame (ceiling) so that hot air can rise straight into the large area just beneath the roof,

and out through strategically

placed vents there.

Walls

The walls are always of light material such as wood, bamboo rods, or bamboo mats called "sawali." As such, they tend to also let some coolness flow naturally

through them during hot times, and keep

warmth in during the cold wet season.

The cube shape distinctive of the Bahay Kubo arises from the fact that it is easiest

to pre-build the walls and then attach them to the wooden stilt-posts that serve

as the corners of the house. The construction of a Bahay Kubo is therefore

usually modular, with the wooden stilts established first, a floor frame built next, then wall frames, and finally, the

roof.

WindowsIn addition, Bahay kubo are typically built with large windows, to let in more air and

natural light. The most traditional are large awning windows, held open by a wooden rod). Sliding windows are also common,

made either with plain wood or with wooden Capiz shell frames which allow some light to enter the living area even with the windows closed. In more recent

decades inexpensive jalousie windows also became commonly used.

In larger examples, the large upper windows may be augmented with smaller windows called Ventanillas (Spanish for

"little window) underneath", which can be opened to let in additional air on especially

hot days.

BatalanSome (but not all) Bahay Kubo,

especially one built for long-term

residence, feature a Batalan "wet area" distinct from other sections of the house - usually jutting out somewhat from one of the walls. Sometimes at the same level as the living area and sometimes at

ground level, the Batalan can contain any combination of

cooking and dishwashing area, bathing area, and in some cases,

a lavatory.

Construction MaterialsThe walls of the living area are made of light materials - with posts,

walls, and floors typically made of wood or bamboo and other light materials.

Topped by a thatched roof, often made out of nipa, anahaw or some other locally plentiful

plant.

Etymology

The Filipino term "Bahay Kubo" literally means "cube house", describing the shape of the dwelling. The term "Nipa Hut", introduced during the Philippines' American colonial era, refers to the nipa or anahaw thatching material often used for the roofs.

Precolonial Era

Nipa huts were the native houses of the indigenous people of the Philippines

before the Spaniards arrived. 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 being stilt houses, similar

to those found in neighbouring countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and other countries of Southeast

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 as Bahay

na Bato (Literally "stone house" in Tagalog).

EVOLUTIONThe Nipa Hut of Different Generations

THE COCONUT PALACE

THE MOONWALK CHURCH

SAN MIGUEL COMMERCIAL

BUILDING

GOOD DAY!!!