Nipa hut

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Vernacular house, Elevated through stilt, posts, Bamboo, Logs or Timber

The Nipa hut, or Payag, Kamalig or Bahay Kubo, is a type of stilt house indigenous to the cultures
of the Philippines.[1][2] It often serves as an icon of Philippine culture or, more specificaly, rural
cultures.[3] Its architectural principles gave way to many of Filipino traditional houses and buildings
that rose after the pre-colonial era. These includes the Colonial era "Bahay na Bato" which is a noble
version of Bahay Kubo with Spanish and some Chinese main architectural influence and has
become the dominant urban architecture in the past. And there is also contemporary buildings such
as the Coconut Palace, Sto. Niño Shrine, Cultural Center of the Philippines and National Arts
Center which are modern edifices that used Bahay kubo as a major influence.

Contents

 1Etymology
 2History
o 2.1Classical period (Pre-colonial Era)
o 2.2Colonial Era
o 2.3Bahay Na Bato
o 2.420th Century "neovernacular" reinterpretation
 3Other variants
o 3.1Bale
o 3.2Torogan
o 3.3Sulu houses
 3.3.1Daru Jambangan
 4Characteristics
o 4.1Three-layered structure
o 4.2Roof
o 4.3Silong
o 4.4Living space
 4.4.1Walls
 4.4.2Windows
  4.4.3Batalan
o 4.5Construction materials
 5Cultural significance
o 5.1Arts
 6William Le Baron Jenney
 7See also
 8References
 9External links

Etymology[edit]

Bahay kubo elevated through wooden posts

The Filipino term Bahay Kubo literally means "cube house", describing the common 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. Though not all Bahay Kubo uses
Nipa materials and always cube in shape.

History[edit]
Classical period (Pre-colonial Era)[edit]
See also: Ancestral houses of the Philippines
Nipa huts were the native houses of the indigenous people of the Philippines before
the Spaniards arrived. They were designed to endure the climate and environment of the
Philippines.[4] These structures were temporary, made from plant materials like bamboo.[5] The
accessibility of the materials made it easier to rebuild nipa huts when damaged from a storm or
earthquake.[5] They are still used today, especially in rural areas. Different architectural designs are
present among the ethnolinguistic groups in the country, although all of them are stilt houses, similar
to those found in neighboring countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and other countries
of Southeast Asia.
Spanish colonial era Nipa Mansion, a "Proto-Bahay na bato style" house in the Philippines.

Colonial Era[edit]
The advent of the Spanish Colonial era introduced the idea of building more permanent communities
with the church and government center as a focal points. This new community setup made
construction using heavier, more permanent materials desirable. Some of these materials included
bricks, mortar, tiles and stone.[5] Finding European construction styles impractical in local conditions,
Spanish and Filipino builders quickly adapted the characteristics of the Bahay Kubo and applied it to
Antillean houses locally known as Bahay na Bato/Bahay Luma.
Bahay Na Bato[edit]

The Rizal Shrine in Calamba is an example of Bahay na bato.

Bahay na Bato or Bahay Na Luma is a noble version of Bahay Kubo with Spanish and
some Chinese influence. Its designs evolved throughout the ages, but maintains its nipa hut
architectural basis. Its most common appearance is like that of stilt nipa hut that stands on Spanish
style stone blocks or bricks as foundation instead of wood or bamboo stilts.
The Bahay na bato, the colonial Filipino house, followed the nipa hut's arrangements such as open
ventilation and elevated apartments. It was popular among the elite or middle class and integrated
the characteristics of the nipa hut with the style, culture and technology of Spanish
architecture.[4][6] The most obvious difference between the two houses would be the materials that
was used to build them. The bahay na bato was constructed out of brick and stone rather than the
traditional bamboo materials. It is a mixture of native Filipino, Spanish and Chinese influences.
During the 19th century, wealthy Filipinos built some fine houses, usually with solid stone
foundations or brick lower walls, and overhanging, wooden upper story/stories with balustrades
Ventanillas and capiz shell sliding windows, and a Chinese tiled roof or sometimes Nipa roof which
are today being replaced by galvanized roof. Bahay Na Bato had a rectangular plan that reflected
Spanish style integrated with Philippine traditional style.[6] During the American period of the
Philippines, they still incorporated Bahay Na Bato style, though the American Antillean houses is
more liberated in design but still keeps the Spanish Colonial designs. Today these houses are more
commonly called Ancestral houses, due to most ancestral houses in the Philippines are Bahay na
bato.
20th Century "neovernacular" reinterpretation[edit]
See also: Francisco Mañosa and Coconut Palace
The rise of nationalistic fervor in light of Philippine independence and the aftermath of World War II
led to a movement of architects interested in expressing Filipino culture in modern architecture.
Despite the prevalence of the international style in the 1950s, architects such as Francisco
Mañosa drew direct inspiration from the bahay kubo in creating what would later be called Philippine
neovernacular architecture.[7]