Thank you very much to our readers who joined our heirloom giveaway! We combined all 20 comments from the two posts and arranged them in chronological order. #1 is the first commenter while #20 is the last.

So, who’s the lucky winner? Congratulations to #10–cream_puffs! The Design Folder team will contact you via email on how to claim the gc.

Have a fun shoot at The Heirloom Manila! Hope you’ll share your photos with us here at Design Folder.

Henry & Chriselle by Erwin Buencamino

I’m loving these pre-nup pictures from Heirloom Manila! It’s just amazing how one house can provide different looks for different pictorial concepts. You can just be cool and causal like this cute couple above…

…or, maybe, go vintage in black & white.

Jose & Jakie by Extreme Details Photography

Heirloom Manila also has nooks and crannies that are perfect for a glam rock concept…

Maricon’s Pre-debut shoot by Beyond Digital Photography

…or a dark, quirky photo shoot.

Romeo & Bernadette by Mango Red

(This one is my favorite! Very interesting. I wonder if they have a version with their eyes closed, ala The Others. Hmmm, not a bad idea. Or is that too dark for a pre-nup???)

As an early Christmas gift, Heirloom Manila is giving away a gift certificate to our df readers! This covers a four-hour use of the venue worth P5,000. Perfect for soon-to-be-wed couples, debutantes, models, photographers, and anyone who wants to have a fun and unique photo shoot.

To enter the raffle, leave a comment on this post with your email address (don’t worry, your addresses won’t be published and the df team will keep them confidential), plus your ideas/concept on how you would style your photo shoot if you happen to win the draw. Or, you can share with us your favorite feature of Heirloom Manila based on  our df post here.

The giveaway ends next Monday (12/14/09) at 8am, Manila time. One lucky Design Folder reader will be selected by a random number generator, announced on a post on that same day, and contacted via email.

*Photos courtesy of 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.