Extended Designs

WHEN one starts from scratch in designing a building, an architect deals with an empty lot and mostly the intangibles like climate, topography, existing vegetation and many others. There is more elbow room to get creative, especially in applying one’s own personal touch to the design.

It’s quite different in renovation and extension projects. With existing buildings and structures adding up to the list of considerations including more often than not, a tight hold on the budget, it can be more challenging than creating a new building. But then again, architecture is not just about creating but also about adapting and harmonizing designs to existing conditions and structures. It is in these challenges that the best (or worst) in the architect is brought out.

An extension project did not prove to be a daunting one for young architect Ryan Pepito. The project, owned by a Canadian businessman, is located at a corner lot inside the Royal Estate Subdivision in Consolacion. The original residential building has living and dining areas, two regular-sized bedrooms, a storage room and an office.

Being accustomed to large spaces, the architect said, the foreigners thought it would be beneficial for them to do the extension project to the miniscule space that they had bought. The small house was intended for a bachelor’s pad.

“The first requirement they wanted were three ‘extra large bedrooms.’ I introduced one with high ceiling to depict the vastness of the space,” Pepito shares. The second floor level is dedicated to the private spaces like the master’s bedroom and guest room. Another bedroom is situated at the ground floor level together with an entertainment area and bar.

Other “highlight” features added to the 660-square-meter-floor-area house’s new wing are the sports bar and the roof deck, embracing a Jacuzzi that can hold eight bathers.

The roof deck area, which is an extension of the social space made almost customary by space-conscious Filipinos in building their homes, has a commanding view of the main facets of Cebu—the mountains, the city and the coastline. Apart from being a gathering area for house guests, this is an excellent spot for the owner to stay when he would want to spend some time in peaceful solitude.

Pepito disclosed that he did not have any particular architect in mind whom he considered as inspiration for this project. But the output speaks of the contemporary solution to the design problem of adding up a space to an existing building. The strictly linear configuration, alternating with the generous application of fenestrations, rides on with the “modern” vibe that gives buildings a timeless appeal.

The simple look creates a unified exterior that blurs the seams where the old and new portions of the building are held together. Homogeneity is one of the main goals of extension projects. The new addition must correspond to the identity of the existing parts of the structure. This is one department that the young architect behind this house in Consolacion was able to achieve in dealing with.