1. An Austronesian Legacy
Prepared by:
JEDDU A. TANGENTE BS ARCHITECTURE
Reference:
ARKITEKTURANG FILIPINO BY GERARD LICO
STILT HOUSES
An Austronesian Legacy

2. The architectural system that predominates the Austronesian region is that of a raised wooden structure typically consisting of a rectangular volume elevated on posts with a thatched roof and decorative gable-finials shaped like carabao horns.

3. A Tausug dwelling whose rectangular living space is suspended by a pile foundation anchored to the seafloor

4. THE RAISED PILE FOUNDATION

5. Building on piles is an almost universal, and undoubtedly ancient, feature of the Philippine vernacular architecture, both among lowland communities and ethnic groups.
Pile foundations have several advantages in a tropical climate, especially when settlement patterns are mainly concentrated in coastal, riverine, and lakeshore area. Piles raise the living floor above the mud and flood waters, which occur during monsoon rains.

6. A bamboo box frame of a bahay kubo

7. THE VOLUMINOUS THATCH ROOF

8. The most distinctive feature of the Austronesian vernacular architectural form is the extended line of the roof, often with outward sloping gables forming elegant saddleback curves.
In some cases, the house is mostly a roof, as seen in the pyramidal roof of an Ifugao dwelling and an older bahay kubo where roofs are pitched more steeply than its contemporary version.

9. Vernacular dwellings are thatched
Vernacular dwellings are thatched. Thatch is a generic name for any roof covering made of dead plant material other than wood. Grasses and palm leaves are the most widely used traditional materials.

10. In Southeast Asia, the roof is the dominant architectural feature of most dwellings. In some cases, the house is mostly a roof thatch, pitched steeply to repel rain outside and allow the circulation of air within.
BAMBOO ROOF FRAMING

11. TRADITIONAL MATERIALS AND
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

12. The vernacular architecture of the Philippines is characterized by its use of organic materials—wood, bamboo, palm leaves, grass thatch, and plant fibers—which are deployed in a variety of ingenious ways to provide against sun and rain.

13. Philippine vernacular architecture employs a post-and-beam method of construction, which is largely a matter of shaping and jointing wooden members with range of specialized tools, which include axes, adzes, and chisels. The wooden framework is assembled without nails, using complex techniques of jointing.

14. The wooded framework is assembled without nails, using complex techniques of jointing. The roof rafters are typically supported by wall plates, with additional support often provided by a ridge piece and purlins.

15. The wall sidings of the bahay kubo are fabricated independently from the structure, usually woven from plaited or flattened bamboo or folded palm leaves, and stitched round a lath.

16. The building of an Ifugao house utilizes sophisticated methods of jointing without nails.