Sunday, October 05, 2008 'Less' redefined By Arch’t. Karl A.E.F. Cabilao, UAP
MANY may occasionally disagree with an overused adage uttered by one of architecture world’s most respected figures, Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe: “Less is more.”
For some less is “boring” (evident in the typical Filipino’s penchant in adapting a detail-rich Mediterranean style in the design of their houses and their gaudy castles sticking out like sore thumbs in a tropical country).
Others think that minimalism is just an excuse for a designer who is sapped out of creative juices and perhaps inspiration.
Inside the Cebu Country Club Village, a house speaks beyond the average “less is more.”
Okay, it is designed with the minimalist’s concept – white walls, simple lines, less clutter. But it is in getting more from a lesser construction cost that makes this house an admirable piece of architecture. It is with the knowledge that designing a residence could turn out to be more complex than, say, conceptualizing a multi-storey commercial building.
In this contemporary house, attaining a high-end look at a minimum cost was the main concern of the designers. It is safe to say that in this creation, the young architects, Bernard Chua and Anthony Uy, were able to achieve the goal.
The secret is in the sizing of spaces, and the elements conform to material standards in terms of size and durability.
It somehow traces back to the traditional Japanese practice where the spaces are based on the size of a tatami mat. Here, a ceiling, for instance, is sized to accommodate a certain number of ceiling boards without too much cutting and wastage.
Giving something back to Mother Earth, the construction of this house also maximized the use of recycled materials, which were given a new life and look in the building.
These recycled elements are in the form of wall and ceiling treatments, framings, and even furniture.
In this house, the classical is modified to perfectly suit the user’s contemporary needs. The house consists of only the spaces of immediate need.
For the designers, every nook and cranny of the property had to count. There are not much of the useless frills. Just clean lines and a truly universal and more lasting look.
And yes, more savings in construction. “Less is more,” indeed.
