Dissecting Vernacular Ivatan Stone Houses: Lessons from the Past on Green Living: Fid-Bau Portal

Dissecting Vernacular Ivatan Stone Houses: Lessons from the Past on Green Living

Pahimnayan-Pagador, Sarah Jane S. / Rivera-Lutap, Jocelyn A. / Ronquillo, Raydett Kelly C.

The Philippines’ distinctive vernacular Ivatan stone houses provide excellent lessons for green living. The design of these houses is optimally fitted to Batanes’ harsh and demanding tropical climate. The heavy stone walls are constructed from abundant boulder stones along the province’s coastlines. Cogon grass which is used for roofing, provides excellent insulation, keeping the interior cool during hot days and warmth on cold nights. Ivatan stone houses are also constructed to survive typhoons and earthquakes, which are common in the region due to the Philippines’ location on the Pacific Ring of Fire. The research dissected these stone houses’ distinctive architectural characteristics and construction methodology, gleaning significant lessons from the past that may be implemented in current architecture and urban planning to promote eco-friendly and disaster-resilient communities. This study involved in-depth documentation and analysis of the physical conditions, architectural design, construction methodology, and cultural relevance of the traditional stone houses of Batanes and comparing them to other heritage houses in the Philippines such as the Vigan ancestral houses and the Egongot ethnic houses. It seeks to address the discourse on sustainable development and green living in the Philippines and the international community, which can be seen in the vernacular architecture. The goal of the project is to improve knowledge about vernacular architecture, specifically as it relates to the Ivatan house in Batanes, Philippines, by conducting an extensive literature review and collecting direct observations. The historical chronology of the vernacular house, encompassing pre-colonial and colonial times, was used to classify it. To learn more about the sensibility of vernacular homes, the research adopts a hybrid methodology that combines explanatory and descriptive research techniques. This research project sheds light on embracing vernacular architecture and adopting traditional building techniques in contemporary construction practices. In conclusion, the vernacular Ivatan stone houses remarkably illustrate how historic building techniques may inspire contemporary responses to environmental issues.