The traditional construction material is bamboo tied together with rattan and covered with a that shed roof made from either grass, coconut or anahaw leaves. The nipa hut is considered an icon of Philippine culture.
A typical bahay kubo has a high raised hardwood or bamboo underneath, this is serves as the post of the house, they call it “Silong”. The purpose of Silong are use for storage, growing animals and it create a buffer area for rising waters during floods.
Bayanihan
The newly constructed nipa hut is carried down the main road of the village on the shoulders of several dozen men to its final destination. As years goes by, Bahay Kubo starts to evolved from materials and designs.
Photo by: http://myphilippinelife.com/
BAHAY KUBO OF THE FUTURE
LuzViMinda Eco-House
Utilizes forward-thinking green strategies that promote energy efficiency, conservation and quality of life while taking advantage of the economic benefits of green architecture to keep living costs down.
“The objective is to gain more support and to prove to more Filipino home buyers that they don’t need to spend much to acquire an environment-friendly house.”
Green strategies:
- Filtration system to allow the use of rainwater for cleaning or watering plants
- The PVC roof can reflect 90 percent of the sun’s heat, keeping the house’s interior cool even during the summer months.
- The concrete walls with styrofoam filling are not only lightweight and thinner than the hollow-blocks-and-cement combination but are also more durable and provide a more effective barrier to external heat and noise.
- A solar panel will be installed, as well as energy-saving lamps positioned throughout the house. This setup, could provide monthly savings of P1,200 on electricity.
His group spent some time researching “to determine each of the materials’ eco-friendliness”.
