The Glass House

The creative team behind Budji+Royal Architecture+Design juxtaposes traditional elements and nature to transform a compact space into an expansive and eclectic home in the east

- Marga Manlapig

How does one maximise a limited amount of space? If you pose that question to designer Budji Layug and architect Royal Pineda, they will tell you that the question ought to be “How do you transform a limited amount of space?”

The powerhouse duo behind Budji+Royal Architecture+Design has answered that question with a house that certainly looks a great deal larger than its full 500 square metres.

“The owners of the house are artists and designers,” Pineda says of the clients who commissioned the house. “They wanted a house with modern sensibilities, but also one where they could maximise the space.”

This wasn’t the only challenge the team faced with regard to this particular structure. Located in a gated community near Antipolo, Rizal, the clients had to contend with a local ordinance that forbade the construction of fences and gates around individual properties. As luck would have it, the natural environment of the location provided the perfect solution.

The area surrounding the property was a lush urban forest that serves as a habitat for over 60 species of native birds. That said, trees, ferns, and other plants endemic to Rizal province grew in profusion throughout the area, and the ones surrounding the house formed a natural perimeter barrier that doubles as a privacy screen protecting those dwelling within.

“The clients actually wanted to cut down the trees,” Layug recalls. “But we told them: ‘We have to respect what is there.’ And what is there is the beauty and peace of nature.”

As there are no fences, a natural green border covers the 1.5-metre distance between the house and the main road. Just across the street, a clear brook adds another touch of visual and auditory appeal to the area.