This is a flexible and modular pavilion-type structure inspired by a bahay kubo (traditional dwelling the in the Philippines) which can be used in its basic form or expanded upwards or sideways to accommodate a variety of uses. This can be a cottage for rent, a tiny farm house or weekend retreat, or a home […]
For those who are asking for review materials for the EnP exam, I used the review course by PIEP over at https://certified-edu.net/courses/refresher-course-on-environmental-planning/. It costs about 4k. But honestly I didn’t finish all the videos because some had bad audio, I felt sleepy watching them, and it was faster to read. But I guess it’s a […]
Something that should be strongly promoted in cities as a means to feed urban dwellers fresh and affordable organic vegetables, some fruits and even dairy and meat. In my opinion. But I get ahead of myself. So here’s the back story. Community-Supported Agriculture “is a system that connects the producer and consumers within the food system more […]
I recently attended the launch of a book called “Public Parks, Open and Green Spaces: A Planning and Development Guide” by ASSURE. Prior to the launch there was a talk and a panel discussion related to adapting to hotter cities. One of the comments that struck me most came from a pregnant panelist, who said […]
These are straight-up observations of what I have known in the Philippines and what I have experienced travelling elsewhere. Visiting other countries and cities is truly eye-opening especially if you choose to see beyond the usual touristy stuff. Nothing wrong with tourism of course, though it is always interesting for me to discover what makes a very busy […]
I was thinking of discussing here about urban gardening in the Philippines, on top of so many other articles written on this and of growing our own food. But I remembered instead that I made quick photopshop sketches of this topic, to illustrate how a shift in our thinking can go. This was in connection […]
I read a news article several months back that the Philippines is joining the Venice Architecture Biennale 2014 for the first time. Also that my former professors from the University of the Phillippines Diliman are organizing it, together with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts. I […]
Cultural and Technological Superpower. The Republic of Korea or “South Korea” to the rest of the world, may be more well-known today as the Land of K-Pop and K-Dramas. Part of its economy successfully thrives on a national program for the development of its very own “idols” who are expected to dare, experiment and bring […]
Dayo: alien; foreign; foreigner; stranger; visitor I have been in Tacloban now for two and half months. I live in a compound full of people who are not from Tacloban. The place looks like an inn from the outside (two-storey buildings with open hallways lined with rooms) but functions like a boarding house. Each room has […]
At the top of the Spanish steps, was our Church #1: Santissima Trinita dei Monti. It was built in 15th century attached to a monastery to commemorate the successful invasion of Naples by France. Although it now commands a very prime hilltop spot in the middle of Rome, this is actually managed by the French […]
With Palm Sunday upon us, I look back to one of the most memorable Holy weeks I spent in recent memory. This was a holiday I took some years ago while in the middle of a complicated construction for the office’s bigger project. I had it initially planned as a short, calm break but ended up […]
A friend who flew in to Tacloban last week told me she got depressed when she saw the devastation after getting off the plane. I had the opposite reaction, mainly because I expected worse. Tacloban, although severely injured, is a functioning city getting back on its feet. The urban planner’s fantasy of the devastation being […]
Pinay Arkitek 