Find out how this project in San Ildefonso, Bulacan turned out!

Within a sprawling four-hectare property in San Ildefonso, Bulacan lies a beautiful bahay na bato home. Designed by Architect Joshua Gomez, the residential property is created in the Antillean style with modernized features.

The Antillean style of architecture was introduced in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. It is a European style with origins in Central America. However, the style was modified when it reached our shores to suit the Philippine climate. In the Philippines, this style of architecture came to be known as bahay na bato.

What is a bahay na bato?

The Philippine bahay na bato is characterized by a ground floor made of stone, where business is usually conducted, and a second floor made of hardwood as a residential space. It also usually features high-pitch roofing, a zaguan or patio, a sala or living room, a prayer room, a big kitchen, an azotea or open porch, and balconies.

According to Gomez, he was inspired by the bahay na bato style for the Bulacan property. Evoking nostalgia, he designed the home to be reminiscent of “Lola’s house” (Grandmother’s house). 

In keeping with the look of ancestral houses, the exterior of the building features capiz, wood, and stone. 

Capiz shells, made from the Placuna placenta mollusk, which is native to Philippine waters, were traditionally used as a substitute for glass. Thus, since the Spanish period,  windows were made from these “windowpane oysters.” Hardwood made up the walls and floors of the second floor, while the ground floor was made of stone and concrete to withstand harsh storms.

Inside the home, Gomez made use of solihiya and clay. 

Solihiya is a local weave made of rattan or wicker in a repetitive sunburst pattern. The weave features holes for air to pass through, thus it became a popular material for seats, backrests, and  daybeds (papag). Solihiya in furniture is seeing a resurgence in popularity today as people are realizing that it suits the modern minimalist trend.

(Read more: This Modern Barn House Design Showcases Minimalism & Style)

Using a modern metal roof for bahay na bato

For the roof, tradition called for clay tiles. But clay tiles are heavy, expensive, and fragile. Gomez sought an alternative. When he found stone-coated roof options, he knew it was the right way to go.

Gomez chose Metalink STONERIB long-span metal roof in Coffee Brown. STONERIB is a rib-style stone-coated metal roof available in five sophisticated shades. It has the look of stone and the durability of a metal roof. According to Gomez, the STONERIB roof gave the structure a more natural and classy appearance as befits a stately ancestral home.

So, next time you’re in Bulacan, see if you can spot Lola’s house. And see how a modern stone-coated metal roof completes the look of a modern bahay na bato.