AQUILA PROJECT

Location: CAVITE, PHILIPPINES
Floor Area: 176.00 SQ. M.

The owner is a millennial couple living in the province of Cavite. They are able to purchase a lot from working and decided to build their dream home on their property. They wanted a two-storey house to accommodate their growing family. The owner works online most of the time which is why they wanted a house with their own working space where they can work comfortably and also check on their kids at the same time. The site is relatively on flat terrain with several pine trees around the area. The site is facing the subdivision public park, which is good, especially having growing kids that enjoy play. The longest side of the property is parallel to the sun path which greatly minimizes heat gain for the project. The house was designed carefully to adapt to the harsh weather conditions of the Philippine climate.

The design inspiration for the project is the Philippine eagle. The project features curvilinear forms much like a bird with aerodynamics, a wing-inspired vehicular gate with a featherlike design that opens like a wing before flight, and gray-tinted windows representing the raptor’s eye. The roof was positioned above like wings to cool the house in the summer and dry in the rainy season. The project was designed to last for generations with its concrete structure and to perch through typhoons like an eagle flying high.

The house comprises materials suitable for the Philippine climate; careful selection was necessary to ensure the project’s lifespan and owner safety. The project is mostly in reinforced concrete due to its longevity and durability. The structure has also used concrete finish that requires no maintenance of repainting and is highly durable against time. Stainless steel was also used due to its durability against corrosion. Aluminum windows and tempered glass were also used for long-lasting building parts. Steel doors are also used to increase the house’s safety for unwanted visitors.

The house features cross-ventilated roofing that gradually reduces heat accumulation in the roof area to cool down interior spaces. The project roof is also in concrete to accommodate solar panel systems with the ease of maintenance; concrete roofing requires no maintenance unlike metal roofing that needs changing and is far more capable against typhoons. The house is surrounded with concrete overhangs to avoid splashes from the rain and glaring sun; the overhang  also provided protection for the house skin, minimizing the need for repainting and maintenance. The house has windows strategically placed for cross ventilation, allowing light and breeze to enter the house.

One of the major challenges is to design a structure with curvilinear forms; it requires careful understanding of its plan during execution, as a minor deviation would result in ruining the structure’s rhythm, contrast, proportion, and balance. One of the challenges also is to have a solar panel system that can be easily accessed through a ladder for maintenance and repair; the house needs to be on a flat roof with a ladder that can be accessed in the balcony. The project’s plan needed to be studied carefully to be multi-functional and space saver; the house was able to accommodate four bedrooms and three toilet and baths with complete house amenities in 176 sq. m.  of floor area.

Upon entering the pedestrian gate, there is a large canopy that doubles as a porch and multifunctional garage. The project is surrounded with low-maintenance plants that not only give therapeutic effects but also reduce heat to its premises. Upon entering the house, to the right is the home office and to the left is a large open space for the living area, dining area, and kitchen; this large space also accesses the stairs, maid’s room, common toilet and bath, and service kitchen. On the second floor there is a corridor leading to the two bedrooms, common toilet and bath, storage, and masters bedroom. The masters bedroom has a balcony and a large walk-in closet next to a masters toilet and bath. The plan was carefully laid out to maximize space and to ensure that all spaces are usable. The two kids’ bedrooms feature a loft where they can play and study below and sleep above.

The architect intended to design a project that supports the owner’s lifestyle while providing a safe and energy-efficient structure, not only for a moment but in the long run. The curvilinear walls slightly soften the black and white structure; surrounding vegetation further softens it creating harmony to the monochromatic structure. The house has two circular windows at the rear looking like binoculars specially designed for the kids bedroom, which functions as a reading area from the interior aside from viewing outside and beyond. The monochromatic color scheme was used to emphasize the importance of its users visually as it complements with any color they are in, and with the help of surrounded greenery further enhances harmony between users, vegetation, and architecture.