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space matters: mid-century chic

For some people, it is already a challenge to juggle their work and their family life. What more if your professional life is a network of different roles and activities? This is true for Dr. Gerard Lico who is an architect and art historian.

Gerard teaches at the College of Architecture in the University of the Philippines (UP) at Diliman and practices architecture as the Campus Architect of the same institution. He is the author of Edifice Complex: Power, Myth, and Marcos State Architecture (2003), the video series Audio-Visual Textbook of Philippine Architecture (2007), Arkitekturang Filipino: A History of Architecture and Urbanism in the Philippines (2008) and a series of interactive cd-roms such as  “Arkitekturang Filipino: Spaces and Places in History” (2003), “Through the Lens of an American Soldier” (2004), and “Building Modernity: A Century of Philippine Architecture and Allied Arts” (2008).

For his research work in architectural history and cultural studies, he was conferred the UP Gawad Chanselor Para sa Pinakamahusay na Mananaliksik (Arts and Humanities) in the years 2002, 2004 and 2005, installing him to its Hall of Fame. He was one of the recipients of the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) in 2004. In 2010, was awarded the title University Artist by the University of the Philippines and Gawad Chanselor’s Natatanging Guro, attesting to his excellence as an artist-academic.  Apart from his academic and professional practice, he currently holds office as the Vice Head of the National Committee on Architecture and Allied of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the Research Program Director of UP College of Architecture, the Curator of the Museum of Filipino Architecture in UP, and the Executive Director of the Professional Development Commission of the UAP. Simply put it, Gerard is a rare kind of contemporary Renaissance man.

How does a person like him keep his sanity? Apart from his natural talent for multi-tasking and pursuing several endeavors, I think having a relaxed environment in his home helps him take a break from his packed professional life and enjoy some quality time with his wife and two kids. Today, Gerard gives us a sneak peek of his 1950s-inspired home inside the UP campus. {Thank you very much Sir Lico!}

[The house was built in the 1950s as housing for the faculty of the University. Prior to my occupancy, the house was due for the wrecking ball given its dilapidated state. It was also a health hazard because of its asbestos roofing and tiles.]

[The house went through an overhaul to make it habitable. I retained the 1950s bungalow exterior but changed the internal configuration of the rooms to fit my 21st century lifestyle. As much as possible, the external skin is made of the original wooden material and stone works to stay true to the house’s architecture.

The idea was to recapture the mid-century nostalgia of the 1950s bungalow, somehow, staying true to the house’s history. For the interiors, our furnishings include reproductions of some of the period's popular upholstered chairs, such as Le Corbusier’s LC2 chairs and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Chair, together with a collections of no-nonsense ornamentation.]

[These are supplemented by framed archival clippings and photographs from the 1950s to reiterate a sense of longing for this glorious period which I became fascinated when I was child through my daily exposure to afternoon screenings of vintage Filipino movies on TV in the late 1970s. These photos and clippings are part of my personal collection which I accumulated since I was in grade school.]

Above & below: Gerard’s cozy entertainment room featuring his wide collection of CDs and DVDs.

[I have a personal affinity to the 1950s Filipino-Retro. Psychologically, Filipinos are uncomfortable to live in a modern minimalist environment that’s void of any form of history. This is because Filipinos are naturally sentimental who love to celebrate abundance. We collect objects and artifacts that attest watershed events in our lives and display these in our homes. That is why minimalism will not work with the Filipino because of the horror vacui, or the fear of empty spaces, embedded in our culture. I know this for a fact because my first house was a sterile minimalist which eventually became filled with objects I collected.]

space matters: art + home

I don’t think our Cebu trip is complete if we weren’t able to visit at least one home in the city. My college friend, Zina, suggested her uncle’s home, but didn’t give any details about the design of the house. She just told me, “My uncle has a really nice house,” and I simply took her word for it. I just didn’t know what she exactly meant by “nice”, hehe.

We were pleasantly surprised to find out that the house is more than just “nice”. The design goes beyond style and aesthetics. It integrated features for sustainability (green design) and accessibility (universal design). Plus, the house is also home to an interesting collection of artworks.

This is the home of Dr. Ted Gonzales, an ophthalmologist, who also happens to be an art collector and a design enthusiast. The site was previously occupied by his parents’ house which, unfortunately, got burned several years ago. His interest in design and architecture grew during the time when he and his partners were building clinics. He learned so much about design and construction from those projects, which he later on applied into building his own home. In fact, Ted was the one who technically conceptualized and designed the house with the help of Google Sketchup. He still closely coordinated with his architect to check whether the design complies with building standards, and to draw up working drawings for construction.

A big part of his design was inspired by the book Off The Grid: Modern Homes + Alternative Energy by Lori Ryker. Therefore, a lot of green features were integrated into the design. One, which is also the first thing that I noticed upon entering the house, is the use of louver glass windows (jalousie) all throughout the house to maximize the openings for ventilation. I personally like louver windows because I think they’re the best and most appropriate for tropical climates. While louver windows are often perceived as baduy in the Philippines, they are widely used in Australia especially in the design of many modern homes (see homes with louver windows here). Apart from providing 100% ventilation, their louvers could be adjusted/angled, instead of totally closing them (like in the case of casement and sliding windows), to protect the interiors from rains and strong winds while still allowing some amount of air to flow through. The clerestory windows above the living area are also in louver type. They allow hot air to rise and exit from the interiors and provide generous natural light during the day. Another green feature is the rainwater cistern built under the garage. Water collected here is used for watering the plants and for flushing the water closets.

Because Ted lives with his parents, the interiors, particularly the ground floor, have provisions for accessibility. The parents’ room is located near the entrance-living-dining areas, convenient enough for the older couple who have limited mobility. A ramp replaced typical steps leading to the adjacent bathroom under the stairs.

The rail-free staircase, an interesting focal point of the interiors featuring mangkono (Phil. iron wood) planks, leads to Ted’s space at the second floor. Starting from the staircase up to the hallways, he displays his collection of artworks, from paintings, sketches, and sculptures, mostly from artist Raymund Fernandez.

[Image above: This is a replica of Picasso's Guernica which was used for a stage play in Cebu. Part of the play was a reenactment of what happened to the painting--the words "KILL LIES ALL" were spray painted onto the artwork during a protest againts Richard Nixon's pardon of William Calleyin 1974. Read about it here.]

His den at the second floor is like a mini-apartment which includes a living area with a sleeper (sofa bed), a dining area, a small kitchen and a bathroom. Apart from being Ted’s workspace, it also functions as a small entertainment room where he hosts small gatherings, and as a spare room for guests. Opposite the den is Ted’s bedroom which is also fitted with a working desk and a bathroom.

[Images above: (left) Raymund Fernandez's "Ninoy", which is part of his Alpiler Series. Read about it here. (right) Nude drawings displayed in the masters bedroom.]

Apart from the design of the house and his collection of artworks, Ted is also proud to share that the house was built within a limited budget. He did this by making the design simple and functional. Also, a lot of his furniture pieces were flea market finds, like the leather chaise lounge and coffee table at the den (photo above).

Ted’s love for art and design coupled with a realistic and practical mindset allowed him to create a beautiful, functional and equally comfortable home. [Thank you again Sir Ted for welcoming us to your home. And for introducing us to dried langka and pineapple!]

space matters: a modern, animal-friendly house

Form follows function is like the one of the most popular tenets that many modernist designers try to live by. The idea behind it is to come up with a designed form and a kind of aesthetics that are based on functional needs rather than just products of an artistic expression.

This modern house, designed by Frenjick Quesada and Hisako Hirayama of Design HQ, is a classic example of how form could actually follow function. Owned by a veterinarian who constantly adopts stray cats and dogs from the streets of Metro Manila, the design primarily called for minimalist, low-maintenance, and animal-friendly design features. Apart from the house, there is also an additional requirement for a kennel housing for six dogs and a cattery for 40 cats.

The client wanted a modern minimalist house of clean geometric lines and a basic palette of gray, black and white. Later on, he agreed to add one accent color to the original achromatic scheme. So, the designers added three red vertical elements to provide a splash of color from the entrance of the house (photo above). Apart from being a focal point, the columns actually function as cabinets for the kitchen behind it.

The ground floor areas are laid out in an open plan. Both the dining area and the kitchen face the garden to allow the owners to cook and dine while enjoying the verdant view of the garden, and, at the same time, to keep an eye on the animals outside. With its open plant layout, multiple large window openings, and plain off-white walls, the house receives a generous amount of natural light during the day and is passively cooled through cross ventilation.

The flooring is finished in polished cement with stainless steel strip inlays to keep the ground floor area animal friendly and low maintenance. Aside from the three red columns, the industrial-looking skeletal stairway dividing the living area from the dining area serves as another focal point.

The dining table, like the flooring, is made of a concrete base in polished cement finish plus a clear glass top. It was the client’s idea, initially intended as a way to cut cost. In spite of being a “cheaper alternative”, the unconventional table became one of the most interesting features of the modern house.

Photos by Erik Liongoren courtesy of Design HQ

[got a cool space? share it with us! email us about it with pictures of your place at mydesignfolder@yahoo.com. ]

space matters: a swanky bachelor’s pad

For our male readers, here’s a modern design for a bachelor’s pad created by Frenjick Quesada and Hisako Hirayama of Design HQ. What makes this condominium space unique is the unexpected Filipino twist added into its design. This space shows how modern design can be both high in style and big in personality. Read on to know more.

This bachelor’s pad features a clean modern design. Although the condominium space is undeniably masculine, elements of warmth and comfort were consciously integrated by reflecting the owner’s personality and interests onto the design.

A dramatic palette of chocolate brown and warm grays renders the space. Complementing textures of wood and leather were contrasted with stainless steel and other metallic accents, creating a cozy environment for relaxing while, at the same time, being a chic space for entertaining friends.

The client is an avid reader and has a wide collection of books. So, instead of storing the books inside closed cabinets, we decided to showcase them as an integral part of the interior design. Different types of built-in open shelves were carefully added throughout the unit to keep the books organized while making them a part of the interesting composition of the interiors.

There were shelves fitted above the windows, together with a customized step ladder, to maximize the space.

In both the entertainment area and the bedroom, there were drawers built under the ledges to further improve the functionality of the space.

An interesting feature of the design is the Filipino bone-and-wood inlay applied throughout the interiors. This detail was made modern by using customized linear patterns inspired by the client’s Arturo Luz painting displayed in the dining wall. The patterns, reminiscent of the art deco style, were applied to drawer faces, the coffee table top and key furniture pieces.

Another unique use of the bone-and-wood inlay is its application as a monogram on select chairs, spelling the client’s initials in Braille. The same approach was used for the main bookshelves, whose decorative wood panels have inlays that spell “books”.  A star pattern was also developed for some drawer faces, since the client’s name literally translates into the word “star”.

*photos by Erik Liongoren courtesy of Design HQ

space matters: southbay home

A couple of weeks ago, my googling directed me to the website of Frenjick Quesada and Hisako Hirayama, principal interior designers of Design HQ. Their portfolio is impressive! I particularly appreciate the fact that their works feature a range of design perspectives—from traditional Filipino interiors to modern minimalist spaces—demonstrating their ability to come up with interesting design concepts instead of simply altering popular styles.

Their approach could be attributed to their design philosophy that acknowledges the important role of the client in the whole design process. “We believe in listening to the client. We recognize that each project has its own unique design and functional requirements. Our emphasis on communication results in a true collaboration between the designer and the client. We make every effort to design with a fresh look reflecting the client’s taste and individuality.”

For our next Space Matters features, Frenjick and Hisako will share with us three of their residential projects here in Manila. First up is their east-meets-west design for a home in Southbay, Paranaque. Enjoy!

[Because the family enjoys spending as much time outdoors as they do indoors, the interior was laid out in an open plan, minimizing room divisions to maximize the verdant views outdoors. Even the main entrance is  partially screened off by a set of 6x6-inch posts functioning as a see-through partition which sets the foyer from the rest of the interior space.]

[The interior space at the ground floor includes the living area, dining area, and the kitchen, all offering views of the garden.]

[The house’s 260-square meter floor area feels much bigger because of design’s use of an open plan layout, a continuous visual flow from the interior space to the outdoor garden, and the double-height ceiling at the living area.]

[The den/guest room behind the living area also has sliding doors that are kept open when no guests are occupying it, therefore allowing for additional cross ventilation.]

[The furnishings are an eclectic mix of modern western pieces with contemporary and traditional Asian furniture. Antique pieces, such as the mid-century lounge chair and the traditional Chinese cabinet, make great conversational pieces in the living area. Their similar colors allow them to exist harmoniously in spite of their contrasting styles.]

[The design incorporated a lot of wood components throughout the house, such as the custom made front door with kamagong wood inlay, the wooden staircase, and the solid wood furniture pieces, all of which help tie the different design elements together.]

[The large masters’ bedroom consists of an ante room with a lounging area and an entertainment system, and the sleeping area which has a view of the garden below.]

*photos by Erik Liongoren courtesy of Design HQ

space matters: a very merry vintage christmas

Before we take a break for the holidays, we would like to leave you with a peek at the lovely home of Gene and Ache Florendo.

Ache (or Ma’am Florendo to me) was my professor/adviser in college. Because of a feature in MyHome magazine, I learned that she has a penchant for collecting antique decors and does holiday decorating with so much passion. With that in mind, we were quite curious to see for ourselves how she puts together her home during the holidays.

True enough, the Florendo house sports a nostalgic look for Christmas with their vintage trinkets and decors. Every corner of the house shows off an array of cute Christmas-y ornaments. From the foyer, living and dining areas, down to the kitchen, the interior spaces are all rendered in the familiar holiday colors of red and green.

Their Christmas tree is filled with multicolored lights and the most adorable collection of handmade figurines.

At the bottom of the tree is a “Christmas Holiday Express” train railway setup. This triggered me to sing the old Coca Cola jingle “Holidays are coming…. Holidays are coming,” in my head all throughout the shoot, hehe! Ache told me that it’s one of Gene’s collections. Yup, collections with an emphasis on the “s”! Apparently, her husband also shares the same love for collecting interesting thingamabobs. (We’ll reserve that for a different post)

Their decors are not just limited to the nook of the Christmas tree. Tabletops, curio cabinets and shelves allover the house feature Christmas tableaus with a whole range of Santa Clause ornaments, unique antique finds (we especially love the vintage sleigh and the mini sewing machine), and mini Christmas trees.

In contrast to the contemporary, trendy decorating styles that we often see, Ache’s take on creating a classic Christmas atmosphere at home has an element of nostalgia and sentimentality. Her home actually made me feel like a kid again, bringing memories of how I eagerly anticipated the celebration Christmas during my childhood.

I’m sure these pictures are already making you feel the warm Christmas spirit!

So, from all of us here at Design Folder, we wish all of you, dear readers, a very merry Christmas!

space matters: the heirloom manila

History is one feature that things from the past can boast of—the stories from the generation where it came from, and the patina that chronicles its journey to the present. This is the same element that renders a nostalgic appeal to The Heirloom Manila.

Design folder found this little Intramuros at the heart of Quezon City. Home to the Juco family, Heirloom Manila proves that old is, without a doubt, beautiful.

Built in the 1970s, the architecture is designed by Noli Bernardo, an architect who is known for designing churches, such as the St. Peter’s Church along Commonwealth Ave. in Quezon City. The property’s site is rich in adobe. This made it possible to extensively use it as the main building material throughout the house. The structure’s adobe stone construction gives the architecture its Spanish Colonial look coupled by the familiar church details, such as the gargoyles on the façade, the arched doorways, and the ornate wrought iron gates, that Arch. Bernardo usually integrated into his religious designs.

The outdoors is a fresh composition of lush tropical plants, mossy stone walls, and old kalesa wheels that, together, create an old world setting. However, the garden is not only meant to be ornamental. In fact, many of the species planted around the house are edible—lemon, thyme, turmeric, ginger, and lemon grass, to name a few. Most of them are potted on stone-like containers made of recycled plastic bins and worn-out refrigerator compartments that are simply covered with roughly finished cement to simulate stone.

To our surprise, no landscape architect was hired to design the gardens. It was all made by the artistic hands of Mr. Juco. He says that his art comes from innovating and making something out of what is available. He believes in recycling and transforming “waste” into a useful and more appealing object. His projects are found everywhere in the house, from the cement-covered plant containers, and the outdoor table that has a base made from an electric fan stand, to the spiral tendrils that decorate the exterior gates, and the round gate valve handles that were made into the knockers of the red garage gate.  

The nostalgic theme continues into the interiors. The furnishings and décor follow the “old house” theme such as the grand father’s clock and the antique piano in the living room as well as the family’s collection of antique jars and santos that are displayed high up the walls.

Early this year, the Juco family opened their house, The Heirloom Manila, to the public as an atypical venue for concept photography and small gatherings by artists, musicians and horticulturists. The Intramuros-like atmosphere with its rich texture and bold color accents against its rustic setting make Heirloom Manila a favorite venue for pre-nup and fashion editorial shoots.

 Andrew & Doris by Paul Vincent Photography

Jayson & Mary Tess by Nep Almonina Photography 

Alan & Tina by Francis Gil of Pat Dy Photography

Mike & Jackie by Split Image Digital

We love how the place provided a romantic backdrop for these pre-nup photos! With all the different areas of the house, you cannot run out of interesting locations and angles. Best of all, everything is within the home’s compact surroundings.

For more information (and pictures!), you can visit their multiply site or add them on facebook.

space matters: a casa in metro manila

It all started with the acquisition of a comoda. The owner of this uniquely Filipino home started collecting antiques after falling in love with a single beautiful piece. We love how he turned his antique collection into a passion for recreating a 19th century Vigan-style bahay na bato right in the middle of the country’s busiest city.

Guided and inspired by Felice Sta. Maria’s Household Antiques and Heirlooms and Philippine Ancestral Houses by Fernando Zialcita and Martin Tinio, Jr., he collected materials and furniture from old houses in Ilocos and Binondo and from junk shops and garage sales to build his family’s dream house.

His wife left all design decisions to him but requested that he keep flamboyant and ornate carvings and details to a minimum. And it looks like he granted her wish. There are a number of intricate elements in the space but they don’t feel overpowering. The home is airy and light – true to the characteristics of an authentic bahay na bato.

There were just too many interesting details, like this medieval-looking Christmas décor in the picture below (inspired by Elton John’s collection of Philippine antique santos)  that fit the old world feel of the house, that we couldn’t fit them all in one post.

Watch out for the second part where we’ll show you the different furniture pieces and accessories that make this home unique. We’ll also share with you in the coming weeks this experienced homeowner’s guidelines on collecting and maintaining antiques.

space matters: a bachelor’s pad

Here’s something for the guys–a design for a bachelor’s pad.

The owner is a young economist currently pursuing his doctorate degree in UP. For several years, he was based in Bangkok (we want to go there!), working for the International Labor Organization. Now that he’s back in Manila, he finally got himself his own place. Because his loft-type condo unit is quite a challenge with it’s compact size, he asked for the help of an interior designer to maximize the space.

Like most men (i’m not sure if you’ll take my generalization on this, considering that I only have four male friends!), his space requirements and personal style are very simple and straightforward.  His designer seemed to understand this and made functionality as the main focus of the design. Everything incorporated into the space has its purpose. While aesthetics is equally important in order to create a visually comfortable space, it is only secondary.

The design paid attention on fitting everything into the small space. The designer’s strategy to make the interiors look bigger is easy–keep things simple, compact and, most imporatantly, clean and organized. As for the decor, he went for a contemporary theme with hints of Asian textures and details. His own stuff were integrated into the design to make the space look and feel more personal. His books and dvds are displayed on open shelves both in the living area and the bedroom. A series of framed buddha images and a pair of miniature tuktuk, which he acquired from Bangkok, were used to accessorize the unit. In addition to these, a couple of plants, such as a potted dancing lady orchid and a cut leaf from a bird’s nest fern, complete the modern tropical ambiance. 

If you want to get this contemporary look for your guy’s space, here’s the list of the stores which you can refer to:

          Living area furniture: Edia and AGP

          Computer area furniture: Edia

          Mirrors, dining set, and bed frame: 1903 Furniture, MarketMarket

          Lamps: Azcor

          Accessories: Rustan’s and Crossings Department Store

space matters: dr. arsi’s studio

How do you pack a small space with big style? Keep it simple, but multiply the look with mirrors! This was the game plan for Dr. Arsi Balisacan’s executive studio. 

Dr. Balisacan, a faculty member of the UP School of Economics and the former director of SEARCA in UPLB, has a natural inclination for a kind of aesthetics that has an organic flavor. Together with his interior designer, he went for a laid-back, clean, and contemporary design to avoid clutter in his compact space, but added a hint of Asian character through the materials and decorations used.

One interesting piece is this egg-shaped woven wicker droplight from DL Design, a shop of custom-made lamps (check  tomorrow for a separate feature on it). It gives the rather simple living space a punch of rustic texture. The window treatment, a combination of canvas roman shades and pleated draw curtains, also add to the visual texture of the room.

This studio is primarily meant to be Dr. Balisacan’s research hub, therefore storage, especially for his books and references, is one major requirement. A set of 3” thick cantilevered shelves is built-into the wall, connected to the protruding column by the window. Aside from the additional storage space, the shelves added some form of dimension to the room while softening the appearance of the column which could have been a possible eyesore.

Interesting tricks were incorporated into the design that made the unit seem larger. One common trick is the use of mirrors, but in this case, the designer used a large (1500mm x 2100mm) framed mirror that seem to appear like an entryway leading to another room. Because the dining area has a tendency to look cramped, the furniture used are sort of “transparent” – glass-topped dining table with a tripod-like base and dining chairs with a cutout back – to maintain the element of depth and the appearance of layering.

The cubist, harvest-themed painting above the sideboard is by Adrian Morales, a parting gift from his staff in SEARCA when he stepped down as the director early this year.

This table lamp from Keystone is consistent with the modern Asian theme with its sleek chrome stand and woven, banig-like shade.

Like what was done in the dining area, a large mirror was installed beside the bed to reflect more light from the window and to make the room look spacious. Except for the small plant by the window and the beige-white-blue beddings, everything in the bedroom is kept plain and simple to eliminate any chance of visual clutter.