Pre-Colonial Architecture in the Philippines

The pre-colonial architecture of the Philippines consisted of the Nipa hut made from natural
materials but there are some traces of large-scale construction before the Spanish colonizers came but
not well documented. An example of this is the pre-colonial walled city of Maynilad although later after
the Spanish colonization, dismantled by the Spaniards and rebuilt as Intramuros.

Intramuros, located along the southern bank of the Pasig River, was built by the Spaniards in the
16th century and is the oldest district of the city of Manila. Its name, taken from the Latin, intra muros,
literally "Within the walls", meaning within the wall enclosure of the city/fortress, also describes its
structure as it is surrounded by thick, high walls and moats. During the Spanish colonial period,
Intramuros was considered Manila itself.

PRE-COLONIAL
Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, the main form of dwelling for a family in the Philippines was
the nipa hut, a single room house composed of wood, bamboo or other native materials. Though the
styles of the nipa hut varied throughout the country, most all of them shared similar characteristics
including having it raised slightly above ground on stilts and a steep roof. Aside from nipa huts, other
small houses were built on top of trees to prevent animal as well as enemy attacks.
 Bahay na Bato
The Bahay Na Bato, the Colonian Filipino House, is a mixture of native Filipino, Spanish and Chinese
influences. In Vigan, Ilocos Sur, excellently preserved examples of the houses of the noble Filipinos can
be admired. In Taal, Batangas, the main street is still ligned with examples of the traditional Filipino
homes.

Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago (Fuerza de Santiago) is a defense fortress built for Spanish
conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi. The fort is part of the structures of
the walled city of Intramuros, in Manila, Philippines.

The location of Fort Santiago was also once the site of the palace and
kingdom of Rajah Suliman, chieftain of Manila of pre-Spanish era. It was
destroyed by the conquistadors upon arriving in 1570, encountering several
bloody battles with the Muslims and native Tagalogs. The Spaniards
destroyed the native settlements and erected Fuerza de Santiago in 1571.

The front entrance of Fuerza de Santiago towering 40 metres high.

The 20th Century: Philippine Architecture during American colonization

After the Spanish American war in 1898 the Americans took over rule of
the Philippines until after the second world war. During this period the
Americans constructed many Art Nouveaux buildings in Manila. In 1902
Judge William Howard Taft was appointed to head the Philippine
Commission to evaluate the needs of the new territory. Taft, who later
became the Philippines' first civilian Governor-General, decided that
Manila, the capital, should be a planned town. He hired as his architect and
city planner Daniel Hudson Burnham, who had built Union Station and the
post office in Washington.
 American Period (Various Typologies)
• Italianate • Neo-Renaissance

• Victorian • Art Deco

• Mission Revival • Streamlined Deco

• Neoclassic • Bauhaus

• Neo-Gothic

Italianate
A style which originated in Western Europe
in circa 1840-1885 reviving the elements of the
Italian Renaissance Architecture of the 16th
Century with

- square cupolas or towers

- elaborate classical detailings

- wide overhanging eaves with closely-

spaced decorative brackets;

- tall and narrow square or arched

windows

- L-shaped plans

- arcaded porches with balustrades

- low-pitched or flat roof

 Broken-bed segmental pediment
- A type of segmental pediment with a base having an opening at the
center; usually applied to a wall above a door or window.

Aedicule
– a canopied niche Or opening flanked by pilasters Or colonnettes.

Salomonica columns
- A type of column with a Shaft carved into twisted Or spiral form.
 Victorian
A style in Europe during the reign of Queen
Victoria in Great Britain (1837-1901) reviving and/
or combining the elements of Gothic and
Italianate styles such as;

- steep gabled roof and dormers

- cone-shaped turrets or square tower with

mansard roof

- intricate or richly ornamented paneling, trusses,

and braces

- paneled exterior walling with either horizontal,

vertical, or diagonal design

- and wide overhanging eaves with exposed

rafters ends

Mission Revival
An architecture movement which originated in the US
at the end of the 19th Century reviving and/ or
employing the elements of Spanish Colonial Revival Style.

This had been widely used in California characterized by;

- Use of low-pitched roof

- Stucco finish exterior walls

- Wide eaves with closely spaced exposed rafter end

- Frontispiece with exposed gable wall

-Imposing square towers with pyramidal roof

 Neoclassical
A style which orginated in Europe and in the US
from 1885-1925 reviving and combining the
Greek and Roman Classical Architecture with the
ideas of Renaissance Architecture.

Also known as Classical Revival or Beaux Arts

Classicism, this style incorporates;

- grandiose symmetrical compositions and

façade,

- Colonnaded portico with grand stair and

imposing columns

- Balustraded balconies

- Pronounced cornices and entablatures,

- Triangular pediment

Neogothic
A style which originated in Europe and used in the
PH in the later part of the 19th Century reviving the
architecture vocabulary of Gothic architecture. In
includes;

- Lofty facades

- Pointed arches

- Soaring spires

- Ribbed vaulting

- Flying buttress

- Rich ornamentation and tracery

 Neo-Renaissance
A style which originated in Italy during the
period of architectural style revival in the 19th
Century which has been characterized by;

- Hip type tiled roof with low

- pitched or inclination

- Eaves with supporting decorative

brackets

- Employment of details such as columns,

pilasters, pediments, quoins, and arches

- And often symmetrically balanced

AMERICAN ARCHITECTS

Cameron Forbes
– American Commissioner
Daniel Burnham
- Prepared development plan for Manila & Baguio (summer capital)

- Paid a 6 week visit to Philippines § Prepared site for

1. Manila Hotel

2. Army & Navy Club

3. Philippine General Hospital

4. Post Office

Pierce Anderson
– assistant of D. Burnham

William Parsons
- Implementation of D. Burnham’s plans. Buildings Designed:

1. Manila Hotel 5. Women’s Dormitory of the Normal School

2. Army & Navy 6. University Hall of the University of the

Club Philippines (Padre Faura)

3. Philippine 7. YMCA building

General Hospital
8. Elk’s Club
4. Philippine
9. Manila Club
Normal School
10. “Gabaldon” schoolhouse, most visible, 5
prototypes
Pre-Colonial Architecture in the Philippines

Submitted By:

Agapito, John Lloyd B.

Aranzaso, Claire
Ermela, Michaella M.

Submitted To:

Arch. Paolo Jose P. Llanes