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Thursday, June 09, 2005
Summer Solace
Before closing the season of the sun, Arch’t. Karl A.E.F. Cabilao, UAP takes a last look at the vacation of a lifetime through the eyes of his profession.
Summer reminds me most of the carefree days of childhood. For my siblings and cousins, it was a time to completely forget about school and look beyond the borders of the city to escape the heat and the humdrum of daily life. And usually that would only mean onething: hitting the beach!
The sparkling ocean was all we could see (well, everything else - like the coconut trees and the worn-out cottages - seem to vanish when we’re already in the water). Armed with beach balls, goggles and the trusty salbabida, we would be happily splashing theday away totally unmindful of the stinging effects of sunburn afterwards. One day was never enough at the beach.
Now, I still look forward to summer even though it no longer meant two months of absolute frolicking. This time, hitting the beach resorts here is not only a time to reunite with nature but also to experience local culture.
Beach houses, cottages and gazeboes are essential to the paradisiacal post card appeal of resorts. These simple structures, most of which evolved from the humble Filipino nipa hut (considered as a main offshoot of Filipino design), vividly reflect the Pinoy’s light-hearted nature and modest way of life. These are also the best examples of tropical design. Of course, with added amenities like the charmingly furnished rooms, comfy beds and spanking clean bathrooms, it would surely make a visitor relish the sights and sounds more within the resort. If one likes to have a quiet day with a good book or simply ponderon why the sky is blue, the breezy balcony or a secluded gazebo facing the calm azure waters of the sea is a great place to do that.
Truly these are revitalizing elements for a summer escapade.
Although in a recent visit to a five-star resort and spa, I feasted my eyes on unique colonial architecture by the sea, most beach houses here still glowingly bespeaks Asian design. Take note of the special emphasis on “Asian” since most of Philippine resortarchitecture usually default into tedious clones of Indonesian and Thai patterns we often see on coffee table magazines. Still, it gives foreigners a taste of regional flavor (the closest we could ever get to Pinoy style) although Filipinos eagerly look forwardto the day when they would finally define in detail and fully establish architecture they can call their own.
So the sea is an invigorating remedy for the summer heat; no doubt about that. But we still need a place to shelter us from the notorious rays of the sun or an unexpected downpour; a place somewhat different from our concrete urban abodes. Having our spirits dampened or singed in these fun times, reminiscent of our carefree childhood days, is the last thing we have in our minds. And these whimsical solaces by the water’sedge ensure that that order remains that way.
As the father of contemporary tropical design Geoffrey Bawa said, “Pleasure is just as important as shelter from the rain.”
(June 9, 2005 issue)
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