Salakab House

Malabon, Metro Manila, Philippines, 2021

Legacies built, Legacies yet to be built.

The client is one of the most, if not the most prominent Filipino contemporary artists today ranks among the leading figures of Southeast Asian art. His art is sought after from all corners of the world and is primarily for his multilayered works that critiques the national, historical, cultural and religious identity of the Philippines. He experiments with a wide and complex diverse set of styles, forms and imagery such as graffiti, cartoons, hyperrealism, surrealism, and pop art. His practice is constantly evolving and he manages to employ his diverse creativity in his highly recognizable work.

In a large way, he has established his legacy as a force to reckon with in the art world, and to a certain extent, has contributed to the legacy of the nation to the world as well. Yet, his disposition is one that would not stop exploring and searching for new ways to represent a critique of the Philippines on the global stage through his art.

Client \ Confidential

Location \ Malabon, Metro Manila, Philippines

Building Area \ 1,100 sq.m.

Program \ Private Residence

Status \ Construction

Legacies Built

This project is first an ode to legacies already built. Architecture, for one, is built heritage. The built environment are vessels of history and stories that form a specific spirit of place. As one adds to this, one must understand, respect, respond, and build on what came before to continue and improve this story.

Art is similar to architecture in so many ways in that it is also part of heritage, vessels of societies stories, and capsules of memories. Moreover, the client’s art has formed a part of our nation’s cultural heritage, in a large and significant way.

Legacies Yet To Be Built

This project is also about actively shaping the future. The structure, what it represents – it’s story, it’s elements – can potentially form a significant part of the current and future sense of place of its town, due to its prominent location.

It should therefore recognize and respect the past by borrowing elements from it as an ode, while translating it to something new, ultimately continuing the story of the spirit of the place to create a new context.

The spirit of the client’s art can live in and thru the architecture. We envision an architecture that reverberates the act of questioning realities to pave way for new ones (contemporary, progressive, transformative), the act of teaching, healing and building a conscience for society (contextual, respectful, responsible, sustainable) – just like how his art has functioned.

Lastly, this ancestral home is meant to be a tangible space for the entire family to converge and connect, for this and future generations to enjoy.

Borrowed Language

The architectural language of the project borrows from the gestures of the built environment around it – the dome of the town church that have served as a landmark for the town, the rhythm of the arches of the adjacent town bridge, the bulbous shapes of architectural elements from the concrete pre-casting industry seen ubiquitously, and the art noveu-inspired filigree that is also prevalent in local architecture.