More Than Just A Cultural Artefact: Discovering Cultural Identity Through The Philippines' Bahay Kubo

Abstract

The archipelago of the Philippine Islands with its diverse range of geographies and cultures, allowed a broad range of architectural styles to develop. 330 years of Spanish dominion was followed by American political and social infiltration after WW2. The result is that Philippine culture is left with a confused and complex cultural identity, further exacerbated by a century of modernism and globalisation. With the rapid population growth of the Philippines and a range of underlying socio-political problems, many of its people have consequently been forced to migrate for greener pastures to survive - including my family. After studying architecture in New Zealand for four years and discovering a passion for community architecture founded by the values inherited from my culture, I wanted to learn more about the architecture of the Philippines. It is evident upon first encounter that the Philippines is composed of a chaotic urban fabric which under great difficulty, serves a fast-growing and intense urban density. This raises the question of how have local architects dealt with the ongoing issues of identity and cultural regionalism. This thesis will investigate the typologies of the traditional ‘Bahay Kubo’ set in the three main regions of the Philippines: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. As a true architectural expression of the Filipino, how can the principles and building practices of the Bahay Kubo address the needs of a contemporary community and cultural architecture? One of the great strengths of the Filipinos is their sensibility to carefully consider the dynamics of kababayan and through this cultural value, the ability to make communities. In the western framework, modernity and civilization is practised through independence and technology for advancement. In the Philippines, strength against adversities comes from the support of being interconnected. The Bahay Kubo isn’t just a domestic dwelling but it reflects a relationship that holistically connects to various aspects of Filipino life. It houses unique parallels between shifting environments across the archipelago, growing familial and relative lineages as well Filipino cultural values. This thesis is situated in Manila’s Intramuros and proposes a microcosm of the architectural building practices of the Bahay Kubo through the regeneration of a shanty community located in the heart of the site. The final proposal will include vertical housing units, a community centre, and further communal public spaces. The aim of my design project is to alleviate the existing impoverished conditions through a fusion of Filipino traditional and contemporary architectural and urban design of community and thus reviving the sense of Filipino cultural identity.