ET New Manila House

ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua

ET NEW MANILA HOUSE

PXP Design Workshop Co

CATEGORY
Houses

LOCATION
Quezon City, Philippines

AREA
1000 m²

YEAR
2020

PHOTOGRAPHS
Leslie Chua

CLIENTS
Eugene Tan

MANUFACTURERS
ET Supplier, EuroAsia, Rockefeller, ZWCAD

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Patrick Espiritu, Spencer Sy

DESIGN TEAM
Patrick Joshua Espiritu, Spencer Sy, Maeviane Timbol

LANDSCAPE
Eugene Tan

ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua
ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua

The house is situated in an old neighborhood in Metro Manila where the current trend is to convert old, vast properties into mid density townhouse developments. Despite this trend, the client envisioned to build his house and convert his old property into a garden oasis in the middle of the city where he could enjoy a laid-back lifestyle, relax with his family, and enjoy the company of his dogs.

ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua
ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua

The house sits on a 2,000 sqm property, primarily facing west. It is divided into quadrants – the north and south quadrants are dedicated to a vast garden, while the guest house and main house occupy the west and east quadrants respectively . All are strategically placed so each house can enjoy the view of the spacious garden.

The client’s brief was for a house that embraces the landscape – a space that blurs the boundaries of exterior and interior spaces where one cannot distinguish if they are in or out of the house, as if creating an indoor urban villa.

ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua
ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua
ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua

This design brief could have been easily resolved with full height glass windows, but the challenge was the site orientation as it is facing west with the afternoon tropical sun. Since the site almost sits in between two townhouses, privacy was seen as an issue due to the neighboring apartments.

ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua
ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua

Keeping the client’s brief and the challenge in mind, the architects opened up the façade facing the north and south garden with floor to ceiling windows. They also introduced vertical timber screens as a buffer to deflect the heat coming from the afternoon sun that doubles as a privacy shield.

The main access of the property is through the main road at the north side of the property. Upon entry is a courtyard, clad in dark gray cobble stone surrounded with Podocarpus plant as a soft contrast to the masculine texture of the stone.

ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua
ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua
ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua
ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua
ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua
ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua
ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua

On the left side of the courtyard is the ramp towards the basement parking. Above it is a roof garden that can be directly seen and enjoyed from the living area.

ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua
ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua

Towards the front of the courtyard are series of steps that lead you to a bigger courtyard, directing you to the main or guest house.

ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua
ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua

The main house is planned in an “O” shaped layout with an interior garden in the middle. A massive black metal door welcomes the visitors into the ground floor with the interior garden as a backdrop.

ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua
ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua

On the left side of the house facing west is the living room directly connected to the roof garden through the sliding doors. On the right side of the house is where the soul of the house is.

ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua
ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua

Visitors normally flock the huge kitchen with its massive yet charming solid wood bar counter as a centerpiece. Adjacent to the kitchen is another pocket garden that echoes the urban garden concept.

The access to the upper floor is through a cantilevered metal staircase anchored to the double height travertine wall as a backdrop.

Black metal strings are attached as a guardrail from the bottom floor to the top of a double volume ceiling. The upper floor houses the private rooms.

ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua
ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua

The master bedroom, being the biggest room the house, contains an en-suite walk in closet, private bathroom and toilet.

Strategically placed in between two gardens, it boasts an almost 270 degree view of the outdoors and landscape.

ET New Manila House
© Leslie Chua


ET New Manila House
Plan - Basement
ET New Manila House
Plan - Ground Floor
ET New Manila House
Plan - First Floor
ET New Manila House
Section