by: Bernard Cadelina

Good morning fellows!
(The Sun of opportunity never sets, that is why it is always Good Morning!)
Guys, allow me to share something different today. You might be surprised by this post that I called futuristic bahay kubo (for those who are not Filipino bahay kubo is a native house in the Philippines). Actually, this is neither my idea nor my designs. I got this one from one of the Philippine forum in the net called CGPINOY. I post this one here in my blog because I thought this is something worth sharing for. CGPINOY is a 3d visualization hub for Filipino designers, architects, interior designers and 3d artist. From time to time CGPINOY deal up competitions which allows designers and 3d artist showcase their talent. Actually this competition was held last May 2009. The objectives of this competition are:
1. To promote camaraderie among cgpinoy members. 
2. To promote awareness of the Philippine Bahay Kubo. 
3. To promote the use of Green Architecture Technologies and Innovations. 
4. To share ideas on the future of housing design. 
5. To enhance one's skill as a cg artist. 
6. And to have fun!

The results are pretty amazing and awesome considering that they share one simple idea to design a Bahay Kubo of the future but each designer have different approach and solution.
Here are some of the promising entries...

For more info about the competition please visit this site cgpinoy


My dear friends, this might not be the very best house design or the best architectural design online or the best online interior design you can see in the world or in the Philippines but for someone, some where it might be the best dream house design they could ever imagine. Folks, Every house is a dream come true. First it starts in our thoughts, in our mind, or in our dreams, then it manifest. If you believe the law of attraction then you will understand what I am talking about. Now folks, are you living your dream house? The answer lies deep with in you. Keep believing in your dreams. Keep dreaming because dreams are the seedlings of our reality.


http://dreamhousedesignphilippines.blogspot.com/2011/08/futuristic-bahay-kubo.html 

Architect Eduardo Calma is the one responsible for the attractive design of the building in the image above. Very modernist shall I say. He was able to spectacle the public his aptitudes by endowing his knowledge in designing. This intelligent building made us ponder many times. Its exquisiteness was able to make people comprehend to be brave enough in expounding their boundaries.

I am delighted to say that I study inside this stunning edifice. This is the School of Design and Arts building of De La Salle College of Saint Benilde. I can say that this is the most unusual edifice of all the Lasallian buildings. The School of Design and Arts or the SDA building precisely epitomizes a modern architecture. It is an escapist building. Once you’re inside, you’ll nearly forget that it is actually located in one of the busiest street of Manila. We all know the fact that Manila is already an over populated city. However, it still conveys a learning environment. Manila states history. This is where we can see the oldest buildings of time. It embodies structures from the oldest style up to the most modern architecture. The SDA building is one of the most contemporary.

The SDA building thoroughly exemplified the character of a modern structure. Characterized by simplification of form yet having more intellectual computations. Architect Ed Calma was able to create a building which juxtaposes the unbalanced atmosphere outside. A fair temperature is being shaped inside the building. It is busy to look at yet calming at the same time. The sense of good vibes is being classified inside the gigantic edifice. It is honest and functional. The allotted space which was given in context was widely used. The amenities were explicated functionally inside the edifice.

I have seen this article describing the SDA as “Diamond by day, Lantern at night”. I suppose that this pertains to the physical appearance of the building. The warm yellow light of the entire edifice makes it more inviting. Large expanses of glasses made it more splendid. The building is like an enormous lantern at night. It is factually occupied with glass. The steels and cement are the supports of the glasses and the building itself. The architect considers technological design process also. Take note, being a techno architect is the hardest of all.

Transparent, shall I say. It bears the feeling of freedom. The disposition of coldness was depicted. You would love to see and go inside yet you will also have the feeling of reluctance to do so. It is a reputable edifice. It doesn’t embrace us with open arms only after we are conversant that it is a school where young and artistic people are being situated.

The building is undeniably masculine. The rigid form is evident. Sharp edges evoke a potent structure. There are no curvilinear forms at all. It enables us to see the tough side of the architect. Distorted forms of the exterior and the interior made the building more fascinating. Thus, all this aspects generates the design process of being an expressionist.

I am not staggered that architect Ed Calma has this kind of endowment. His father architect Lor Calma, where they work together in their own firm, is one of the pioneering architects of the modern architecture in the Philippines. He is one of the most efficacious artists. Before becoming an architect, he first started designing furniture. He was able to come up with an in demand design. He also does interior designing. All the hard work he did is worth it. They are now being beheld up to.

Furthermore, architect Ed Calma studied outside the country. I believe that this influences his schemes so much. Being an artist runs in their blood. They have been prominent in their field. They even had the chance to unravel the modern art. They gained a high-profile. Thus, being admired and respected by people is perceived. Both of them have powerful temperaments. They are both gifted indeed. They were able to design various projects that made us say wow.

The building is well-thought-out as an anti-contextual edifice. It is palpable that it doesn’t guise like any of its main environs. It is high and clean. Painted white all over. It is evident to perceive that the neighbors are old-fashioned. Some structures have no maturity in their architecture at all. Though SDA building is an anti-contextual one, it still has been treated as one of the landmark in the place. Besides of its daintiness, people are also astounded in the building for the reason that there are only few contemporary edifices in the country. Before, you will only see Malate composed of constructions with the roman post and beam, highlighted with low skyline.

Moreover, it opened in the year 2007. It is a 14-storey high modern building. Some would even say that it is a skyscraper. When I first passed by in the building, I never alleged that it was actually a college. It looks like an office. An extraordinary workplace. Very mature. I was not used in seeing that kind of building. Undulating lines are with unity into the stable structure. Deconstructed geometrical shapes are all over the humongous edifice. There is no monotony at all.

When you enter the building, the lobby states a minimalist setting. It’s a vast reception area and I like it. The high ceiling makes me feel the sense of freedom. I can breathe more. I feel at ease. I presume I am not the only one having the same appreciation. It is painted white with the secondary color of red for the captions. I discern that the lobby was made like this for the ease of the stake holders especially for us students. Everyone likes the lobby; some just don’t discern that it is because of the aesthetics applied. However, there are many who whine concerning the elevator. Some would say that it is not enough for the students. If you are to ask me, I have nothing against it. Five elevators are sufficient for me. In fact, the character of being punctual is being pursued because of it.

I am glad that we live now in the modern era. More and more concepts are being unraveled, thus more knowledge is being revealed. It is always exhilarating for me to ascertain new things. I always aspire to be a great architect and I will start it by conniving and setting up structures innovatively.

Every building has their altered and various deficiencies. There are certain flaws in the subject. Though I almost praised the building, I still have minor concerns. One of this is the main entrance where students entrances and exits. The glass has no written or symbols of cautions. It is very clear to the extent that it would look like that there is no barrier glass door at all. I’ve witnessed students bumped on those many times already. Gladly, I still have my clear eyes.

Secondly is the parking area. I study in SDA for more than two years already and yet every morning when I park, I always would still have to look in the small handwritten signage pertaining to the floor level. There are no distinctions. The parking areas from the ground up until the third look all the same. And lastly is for the maintenance. Since the walls are all white inside and out, it is harder to preserve.

I erudite recently that cyphers are vital in architecture. As an architect, we have to conceptualize the things that will conjure an ease environment for the stake holders. And by doing this, an accurate behavioral stress circuit shall be decorously made. The zoning of each floor area in a structure shall always be taken into consideration. We have to continually ruminate that everything has a function and therefore significant. A proper floor plan will lead us to a comfort milieu.

Linked with the above paragraph, the SDA building has a proper zoning. The architect conceptualized the whole plan for the stake holders. There was an accurate behavioral stress circuit applied. Though there was a deficiency in providing some significant symbols and distinctions, the building still advocates an ease workplace.

The SDA building is one of the reasons why I am proud to be a Benildean student. It has been one of my motivations. As an architecture apprentice, I must have an inspiration to accomplish my goals in life. I have to control and progress my abilities to decipher my thoughts into the paper, AutoCAD or sketch up. It somehow made me realizes that to be able to design and construct a colossal building and as stunning as the SDA, i have to sacrifice first. Spend hours and hours in front of the table doing the school works, sleepless nights and tiring stressful days are just one of them. The fact that it will be me and my relishing clients who will benefit in the long run, I’m always enthusiastic to do all of this.

*Credits to the photographers whom have allowed their shots of the SDA building posted in the internet.

http://mikarchitect.wordpress.com/2010/07/08/the-school-of-design-and-arts-building/ 

By: RM Callejo

Architecture for me is a living art that is timelessly magnificent. A good illustration of this is the pyramid of Egypt. It has been constructed a very long time ago yet it is still being preserved and treated as one of the treasures of the world. I believe that my philosophy is definite enough to comprehend on what architecture is. There are many structures here in the Philippines that have been considered as a living art. There were several processes of constructions before reaching into the contemporary style. Officially, the modern architecture started in 1920’s yet it acquired its eminence in the 1940’s after the Second World War.

I believe that architecture has no dullness at all. If artists, especially architects shall not stop in innovating, the word monotony will be eliminated. The structures give us life. It gives human an inspiration. It also gives people each day the reason why to have worthwhile living. Without it, no one shall have the chance to explore and expound different boundaries. Let’s think out of the box.

To give us further information about the Philippine modern architecture, let’s unravel the Philippine architecture’s history. Indigenous dwellings and geographical considerations started it all. Ancient individuals started settling their shelters via organic materials depending on what is in abundance. Their houses were also dependent on the weather and the location where they are being situated to.

The Philippines has an archipelago of 7000+ islands with more than half of the land mountainous and hilly. It has a land area of 300,000 square kilometres, 17500 kilometres coastline, and the exact measurement of 4 degrees from the equator. The weather is hot and rainy and a high humidity has always been the case. Several typhoons can bring floods and strong winds and even occasional earthquakes. So we are always advised to log trees only if it has an enough supply by planting again another one. Ethnic people already considered these endeavours in constructing their re spective shelters.

In the old age, the building materials were wood, bamboo, leaves, stones and clay. Because of the very limited construction materials, the indigenous Filipinos were only able to construct small houses. Here is another fact, the houses before were portable. Due to their hunting routine, they are forced to move from one place to another. The oldest known portable shelters in the Philippines, excluding the caves were the lean-to. The lean-to was thus invented, from a frame made of tree branches and twigs, using leaves and fronds for sidings. A screen resting on the ground and held up at an angle by one or several poles, the lean-to is both roof and wall, protecting dwellers from rain and the heat of the sun. The lean-to is not even an enclosed place. It is just like a shield for an unwanted natural calamity. Moreover, the Bahay Kubo was eventually yielded. From there, basic cross sections of a house were discovered and studied.

Planning patterns were eventually analysed. When people realized that there should be a school for them to study, a municipal hall for the leaders and a road for passengers, they started to explore city planning. It is proven that even before; Philippine architecture has already been established. Planning is very important. Having a proper behavioural stress circuits and proper zoning is very important. To be a good architect, we should be able to produce an ease environment for the stake holders.

Way back in ancient periods, geographical aspect in construction was already considered. The upland from lowland houses is different from each other because of the fact that cool air rises over the warm one. People also started to consider the macro level of town planning, urban design, interior design and landscaping. They have been very contextual with their adjacencies because they didn’t have the choice to use other materials only until the age of industrial revolution.

The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century. There were major changes in every aspect of livelihood. The cultural conditions were transformed because of the adaptation of its influence. The technological and economic process unraveled new ideas. It was in capable of producing new essential things. It has been marked as the major turning point of human history. Without the industrial revolution, people will unfortunately live in ignorance.

Furthermore, manual labors were lessened because of the machines that were invented. More eccentric edifices were born.. The industrial revolution started in United Kingdom which eventually spread out around the world. However, it was a decade or two before it came here in the Philippines. Other countries already started their new way of construction.

I guess some people would say that Philippine has no architecture because of our late adaptation to what is current in the other countries. But I certainly don’t agree that we have no architecture. We are rich in architecture. From the day we started our own signature house which is the bahay kubo, the creativity of people were already revealed. Architects here in the Philippines are very competent. In fact, international architectural firms hire Filipino architects to work into their respective companies.

Speaking of international architecture, modernism has been the dominant style in the 1920’s. The most important figures in Modern architecture had established their reputations. The big three are commonly recognized as Le Corbusier in France, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius in Germany. Frank Lloyd Wright was also one of the most famous and vivid American architects. He is also one of my favorite architects. Falling water is his masterpiece. It is a vacation house for the Kaufman family. the AIA (American Institute of architects) described it to be “the most famous residence ever build” and “the best all-time work of American architecture”.

Furthermore, here in the Philippines, I can continually see buildings that are very westernized. Flat roofs and simplification of form were emerging in the different kinds of buildings. Adequate design strategies evokes in every intelligent building I see here in the Philippines, especially in Manila.

Aesthetically, Philippine modern architecture looks like other buildings in other countries, especially in the western side of the globe. However, this doesn’t mean that we are a copycat. We are not an impersonator. Filipinos have our own style. We are not going to let our dignities down. Since a modern architecture is classified by simplification of forms and less creation of ornaments, architecture therefore will come out of more or less same ideas. Design philosophies and styles is where it is being classified and differentiated.

I have written few discourses about modern architects and their grand buildings. The last one was the SDA building of Architect Eduardo Calma. Like what I’ve said in my discourse regarding it, Architect Ed Calma is excellent. He was able to scheme buildings contemporarily. The SDA building is one of the most modern buildings I’ve ever seen here in the manila. It is entirely covered by glass and supported by steel frame. The other structure that I love is the CCP Complex of Leandro Locsin. Though brutal architecture is not my type, I still like it. It is humongous and heavy to look at yet it juxtaposes the feeling of lightness. The water feature in front of the edifice makes the building look as if it is floating. I have never been inside the building but I’m looking forward to sit in the gallery and feel the uplifting feeling watching the rapturous enactments. The new Greenbelt 5 at Makati is also gorgeous. It suggests a very modern environment. Filled with vegetation in the exterior and interior, it breezes fresh air which adds up to its exquisiteness.

I studied architecture because I aspire to be one of the architects who shall contribute stunning buildings someday. I believe that even a piece of architecture will have a great part in the society as long as it satisfies and relish humanity. I want to be a modernist architect. I want to be recognized as one of the great modern architects. The Philippine Modern Architecture started to emerge in the 1945 after the World War 2. The first buildings of the modern era were conceived early in the 20th century. Modern architecture was adopted by many influential architects and architectural educators, however very few "Modern buildings" were built in the first half of the century.

I believe that Filipino architects have more to show to people. The aptitudes and talents they’ve got are incomparable. Other architects have proven their talents outside the country and I am confident that there are still many architects who have been working hard in their profession. I am proud to be a Filipino. There are many things to be proud of in our country apart from architecture. I just would like to say that even though many architects are just starting to do extravagant buildings, I know that we can be better than others. It’s never too late; the developments of the inventions are continually progressing until now.